How to: Clean Venetian Blinds
When it comes time for house cleaning, things are usually placed in order of importance. As such, there are places in the home that are left until last or forgotten completely. For those who own venetian blinds, this is a cleaning task that is commonly neglected.
While these blinds can look appealing and suit the look you’re going for, these slats made of wood, vinyl, aluminium, fabric or even faux wood can be a pain to clean and the build-up of grime and dust can put you off before you even start.
As an owner of venetian blinds myself, they can prove to be a bother when it comes to clean up. But that’s no reason to fret! With a simple duster, vacuum cleaner or just a cloth with warm water and a brush attachment, you can get your venetian blinds as clean as the day you got them.
Where to start
Due to the nature of venetian blinds, the slats can be a hassle to clean individually depending on what you’re utilising. Therefore, you must decide what cleaning methods you’ll choose, whether you go for a simple feather duster or you decide to vacuum will influence where to start.
Should you go the duster route, it’s a great idea to pair it up with an all-surface dust cleaner. However, much like with all surfaces, test the spray on a sample piece before covering the entire surface with the cleaner. Once the surface is sprayed, you’re ready to start using the duster.
If you instead decide to use a vacuum, it’s best to use one with its own brush attachment, as you can simply use the one item to clean the slats instead of utilising a duster or a clean cloth with soapy water. To start using a vacuum with the brush attachment, simply close the blinds and move any furnishing or curtains and you’re ready to go.
Lastly, if you don’t have access to a vacuum with a brush attachment and don’t think a duster will cut it, you can still go with the old faithful in a damp cloth with some soapy water. To prepare for cleaning blinds with this method, consider placing towels underneath the blinds, as this method can prove to be messier.
Credit: Into Blinds
Time to clean
Cleaning each individual slat will prove to be tough, with the string and wire threading through the blinds continuously getting in the way.
Therefore, your duster or vacuum with brush attachment will prove invaluable, as they’ll be able to reach places you ordinarily wouldn’t be able to. Close the slats and begin cleaning the surface that is present, ensuring you also get the portion of the surface that is overlapped by other slats.
Once that side is done, reverse the string and clean the other side of the slats facing the window, as the dust and grime build up will still linger in the room should you ignore it.
Cleaning with a cloth will depend on what surface the venetian blind is made of. Wooden blinds are best tackled with furniture polish and a clean cloth. Any other surface mentioned earlier can do with a damp sponge and a soft cloth with some soapy water.
Alternatively, you can utilise a mix of vinegar and clean water for a deep cleaning, to get those deeper stains and build up off the surface (check out our blog on end of lease cleaning to see why vinegar is the king of DIY cleaning here.)
Maintaining Venetian Blinds
With the slats grime and dust free, it’s time to handle the hard part- keeping it that way!
Consider once every week, or even every fortnight, a quick clean with your duster or vacuum or even a run over with a paper towel or dry cloth to maintain your blinds with regular cleaning.
You can also utilise an antistatic agent to remove any dust particles you missed on the initial clean while it also protects the surface from gathering dust in the future.
For more cleaning tips to follow up on in the home, check out our lifestyle section on our blog here. If you need help getting your utilities connected sorted, please call MyConnect on 1300 854 478 or use the Get Connected form here!
