Tools to Clean Wooden Blinds

Clean wooden blinds with a lambswool duster.

Wooden blinds add a simple yet elegant touch to your home's decor while regulating how much light is let into a room. There are some special considerations when planning to clean your wooden blinds, as wood does not react well to moisture and can crack and warp if it becomes wet. Cracked wooden blinds also trap more dirt and debris. There are some tools that you can try on your wooden blinds to clean them.

Vacuum Cleaner

A vacuum cleaner with a brush attachment can do an efficient cleaning job on your wooden blinds. The brush attachment barely comes into contact with the surface of the blinds, so there is little chance of damaging your wooden blinds, and it can remove dirt from hard-to-reach areas. Vacuum the blinds in the closed and open positions, being careful to avoid sucking in the cords on which the individual blind blades are strung.

Tack Cloth

A tack cloth is a cleaning cloth that has been treated to have a slightly sticky, tacky surface. It is made to remove debris such as dust or sawdust from flat surfaces. While many woodworkers use a tack cloth to prepare a wood surface for varnish, you can also use it to remove dust from your wooden blinds. Test a small area of the blinds first to ensure that the cloth does not remove the varnish.

Lambswool Duster

A lambswool duster has a small cylinder of lambswool wrapped around a handle that can easily fit in between the blades on wooden blinds without breaking their strings. This type of duster is particularly efficient on wooden blinds because the lanolin in the lambswool conditions the wood while also making the dust stick to the duster. The dust stays on the duster, unlike a feather duster, which merely scatters the dust around.

Cotton Rags and Oil

Cotton rags free of pilling and loose threads are especially gentle on wooden blinds. The soft material gently removes dust on older, more fragile wooden blinds. You can also use lemon oil or almond oil on a cotton rag to clean and condition the blades on wooden blinds. The oil keeps the wood supple and prevents it from splitting and forming cracks that can hold dirt. Wipe off any excess oil to keep debris from sticking to the blinds.

References

• Blinds: Cleaning Guide
• Window Blinds: How to Clean Window Blinds