There’s a world of blinds and shades out there to choose from and transform your windows from functional necessities to style accessories for your home. However, when it comes to cleaning and maintaining them they’re usually the last thing on most cleaning itineraries. At Window Treatments By Dave, we’re always striving to ensure the homes in our community continue to keep their window treatments in excellent condition with the minimum of effort. Here’s a quick read that will provide you with simple yet effective cleaning tips for any type of blinds or shades.
(1) Wood & faux wood blinds: You can clean wood blinds the same way you clean and maintain wood furniture around your home. Use either a soft cloth or a chemically treated dust cloth to dust down the blinds after you lower them and tilt the slats to the closed position. For stubborn stains or marks, dampen a microfiber cloth with warm water and swipe. Then open the slats for them to dry out.
(2) Aluminum and vinyl blinds: Begin with the basics. The first step is to lower the blind and close the slats. In this case, don’t close the slats completely so that you have room to slide the soft-dusting brush tool of your vacuum through the gap and clean each slat entirely using side-to-side and top-to-bottom swipes. Finish off the routine by swiping a damp microfiber cloth over and under the slats. Always open the slats after a damp wipe to enable them to dry.
(3) Cellular Shades: Although fabrics pose a challenge when it comes to cleaning, ‘honeycombs’ are relatively easy to clean and maintain. When you notice dust or other tell-tale signs that point you towards the cleaning cabinet, start with vacuuming the fabric with the dusting tool on low suction. Next, dab the fabric with a sponge soaked in either lukewarm water or a mild dish detergent and you’re done.
(4) Roman shades: Whether your Romans are flat, pleated or draped, begin with low intensity vacuuming. A hand-held vacuum with a soft dust brush will enable you to loosen and remove all dust. If there are stains involved, you can gently dab the fabric with a cloth dampened in water or mild dish detergent. Last step, rinse once and use a clean cloth to blot dry.
(5) Sheer shades: Sheers are loved for the way they enable a home to soften and control the natural light entering a room. While their translucent appearance may create the illusion of ‘delicate-ness’, they are designed from polyester which is a fairly sturdy material. Dry dusting with a dust brush attached to your vacuum (on a low setting) is the best way to keep these shades at their best.
(6) Roller shades: Roller shades come in two types: vinyl and fabric. For vinyl shades, dampen a clean microfiber cloth in warm soapy water and begin wiping by sections. Start cleaning from the bottom and work your way up. Once done, lower them so they’re fully extended and leave them to dry. For fabric shades, restrict your cleaning to dry and not wet. Use your vacuum with the brush attachment and gently sweep across the fabric. Make sure to hold the fabric from the back so that it doesn’t get sucked into the hose.
(7) Panel track shades: If you’re looking at day-to-day maintenance, you don’t need to go beyond a feather duster. Swish all around the fabric and the job’s done. You could also do this with a vacuum for faster and more thorough results. If you see stains, dirt or grime, the answer lies in a gentle scrub down using a clean and soft cloth dipped in warm and mildly soapy water.
We hope the cleaning and maintenance tips listed here will help keep your window treatments staying flawlessly elegant for years to come. If you’re looking for colored vertical blinds, window shades and blinds or even affordable blinds and shades talk to us at Window Treatments By Dave. We’re a local business that believes in the power of creating positive relationships with our customers by delivering services from design and planning to implementation and maintenance, in a way that’s professional and affordable. Choose a local business for your window treatment solutions that always keeps you first.