topic Re: Spring is here! Time to clean the blinds! in Home

Spring is here! Time to clean the blinds!

LuvTheMountains — Sun, 13 Apr 2014 18:45:12 GMT

Any tips on cleaning blinds? I dread it.

Re: Spring is here! Time to clean the blinds!

KathyPet — Sun, 13 Apr 2014 19:00:10 GMT

What kinds of blinds? wood, fabric, metal??.

Re: Spring is here! Time to clean the blinds!

151949 — Sun, 13 Apr 2014 19:00:11 GMT

I have shutters now so I have been relieved of the cleaning the blinds task but what I did when I had them was : We had a shower stall in the basement bathroom where the blinds would fit over the top edge of the stall so I would take them down there and hang them in the shower stall and let them down full length then spray them with detergent - something that came in a spray bottle - let that sit on them for a few min then rinse them with the shower head (it was a hand held) then turn them to the other side and repeat - then let them hang there and drip dry in the shower. I would do one every day for a week and that would be it - I had 7 windows to do. I would wash the window and wash and iron the curtain and that was that.Mine were vinyl, so they washed well. My mom always washed hers in the bathtub but that was a miserable mess because she would have a dripping mess to walk through the house with to take them outside to hang on the clothesline.

Re: Spring is here! Time to clean the blinds!

SahmIam — Sun, 13 Apr 2014 19:06:22 GMT

I hate it. And yeah, the last time I washed them was in July of last year so... soon.

I soak mine (plastic) in the tube in HOT water and Dawn. Usually overnight. Then I scrub them with a long handle dish/pot scrubber. AMAZING the stuff that comes off. Pull them up (I do them by room, else, I wouldn't know which ones go where), let them drain, wrap them up in a towel and take them outside to the deck.

Open them up (kids help me with this), lay flat on the deck and use the cold water on high pressure to rinse them off. Hang to dry or wipe down each slat with a towel to dry (doesn't take long).

I'm not kidding when I say that yellowish blinds (thought they were beige) turned out to be SPARKLING WHITE the first time I moved into my townhouse. Guess those that lived there never did this.

BTW, some blinds smell AWFUL after being washed. Something to do with the plastic getting wet. I discovered this when one room gave me a headache/hurt my stomach a minute or so of being in it. Had to throw those out and get new ones... no issue when washing those.

Re: Spring is here! Time to clean the blinds!

151949 — Sun, 13 Apr 2014 19:28:30 GMT

When we moved to Florida and I went to buy shutters the lady who came to the house to show me the various options and measure the windows told me the intense sun down here will turn vinyl white to yellow and that is why you never see a white vinyl sided house here. She recommended that I buy ones that were made from the same polymer they make football helmets from and so far they have been great. Some of our neighbors said I fell for a sales pitch but I notice their's are no longer as stark white as mine, so I am glad I went for that pitch.Mine still look brand new.

Re: Spring is here! Time to clean the blinds!

scotnovel — Sun, 13 Apr 2014 20:08:42 GMT

I do mine every few weeks or so. Mine are painted wood around 1 3/4"" wide. First I vacuum them and then I take a soft damp cloth and wipe them down - one side closed then the other side closed. It only takes me a few minutes per window since I keep up with them. I never have to take them down.

Re: Spring is here! Time to clean the blinds!

jlkz — Sun, 13 Apr 2014 22:13:57 GMT

Our mountain place has metal blinds on ALL the windows. After I wipe down both sides of the blinds closed, I use a dampened mitt that has tiny curly fingers and hold one end of the blind in my left hand and slide the mitt-covered right hand to wipe both sides of each slat at the same time. After each window, I take a break and do something relaxing. Then, back to the next window. Not my favorite cleaning chore.

Re: Spring is here! Time to clean the blinds!

itsmagic — Sun, 13 Apr 2014 22:23:12 GMT

I dread blind cleaning (although I like the look of my blinds)! I have wooden blinds and I mix warm water with some Murphy's oil soap in a bucket. I use that with a microfiber cloth and wipe each slat. I don't take them down.

Re: Spring is here! Time to clean the blinds!

Abby Grace — Sun, 13 Apr 2014 22:50:38 GMT

I HATE washing blinds, and I'm very happy to say that I just finished all of mine yesterday. It taken me a few weeks, but they are finally done. I like to soak them in the tub, use a bathroom spray cleaner, wipe and rinse them off with the hand held part of the shower head. They hang on a clothes drying rack that is placed in the tub, and drip/dry while I finish the rest of the window. Last year, I "cheated" and wiped them down with a microfiber cloth while they were still hanging on the windows. I wasn't pleased with the results, and went back to the tub method this year.

My tip, is to go slow, and only tackle one window at a time (hence why it's taken me a few weeks).

Edited my spelling,

Re: Spring is here! Time to clean the blinds!

stevieb — Sun, 13 Apr 2014 23:10:58 GMT

Mine are metal and they need it badly, but I refuse to take them down... I just plain refuse! I'll come up with something. I have no idea what, but anything has to be better than taking them down and soaking them alternative!

Re: Spring is here! Time to clean the blinds!

GCR18 — Sun, 13 Apr 2014 23:13:49 GMT

I hate cleaning blinds. In my last house, I had many plastic mini blinds. I would take them down and scrub with a brush and hose off. In my current house, I have a couple windows with metal and fabric blinds. They don't seem to attract dust like the plastic ones did. I haven't had to do anything to them.

Re: Spring is here! Time to clean the blinds!

Tootie15 — Sun, 13 Apr 2014 23:27:45 GMT

I have vinyl mini blinds and I HATE to clean them. I take mine down and clean them outside. I lay them on the cement at the side of the house, have a bucket of soapy water and use a long handled brush to clean them up. I rinse them off with the hose and then hang them on the clothesline to dry.

Re: Spring is here! Time to clean the blinds!

kivah — Sun, 13 Apr 2014 23:35:12 GMT

I have 12 sets of 2"" faux wood blinds on my windows. I never remove them. I use a wet (white) terry-type rag (purchased at Walmart/Costco) and wash both sides of each slat at a time. It's actually very simple and comes out great. Mine are all white.

Re: Spring is here! Time to clean the blinds!

OCGurl — Sun, 13 Apr 2014 23:38:13 GMT

I use these mitts, I have 2, one to use wet and with product and one to use alone, it is 2 sided, micro fiber and chenille

http://www.lowes.com/pd_3545-1738-478CRGM-12_0__?productId=3573440

Re: Spring is here! Time to clean the blinds!

shesallthat — Mon, 14 Apr 2014 13:16:00 GMT

On 4/13/2014 itsmagic said:
I dread blind cleaning (although I like the look of my blinds)! I have wooden blinds and I mix warm water with some Murphy's oil soap in a bucket. I use that with a microfiber cloth and wipe each slat. I don't take them down.

neither do i. it's enough work as it is cleaning them all! i just spray them with a degreaser and then wipe them down. slat by slat. it's work that i do not look foward to but i do live the end result. the blinds i have over my sink in the kitchen are much shorter and easier to handle - those i have taken outside and degreased then sprayed them off so i won't have to stretch over the sink. all of mine are 2"" faux wood blinds.