Vertical blinds can provide both comfort and beauty to your home or office. They block the rays of the sun and can add a sense of style and décor to your home. Vertical blinds may be adapted to almost any style of window in almost any style of home.
They very greatly in size and type and create a lovely added feature for any room. For those of us that like a clean and orderly home, a regular house cleaning routine is needed. Everything needs a bit of a wipe to maintain that fresh, clean and crisp look of an ordered home and for good hygiene. This, of course, includes your vertical blinds. Vertical blinds typically do not catch or attract dust. This is because they are vertical surfaces.
However, over time, with wind or ambient particles, dirt can build on their surfaces. Without regular cleaning this silt can seriously build up. Fewer things are more unsightly then a pile of dust that is inches high.
However, blinds vary in their cleaning methods as much as they can vary in their style. In this article, we will look at the various types of vertical blinds and the best methods for keeping them clean. One of the most well known styles of vertical blind employs the old fashioned aluminum slats. These are not the most decorative of vertical blinds, but they do the job well and are quite inexpensive.
Another advantage to these vertical blinds, famously used in offices, is the ease in which they can be cleaned. Just about anything can be used on the aluminum vertical blinds to get the dust off. The paint of the surface is smooth and usually just requires a damp dust cloth.
You can also use a vacuum cleaner or duster as well. If water is used, make sure it is warm and not hot. Hot water can damage the slats or cords that are there. If your want to give your aluminum blinds an extra good clean, you can always take them down with care. Once you do this place them in a bathtub of warm soapy water.
Then simply rinse and re-hang. You can let them dry in the open air. This process does not need to be repeated very often. Frequent dusting is one of the best cleaning methods. However, if you do dust, try to take care that you are not charging the blinds with static which will attract additional dust. If you have wooden vertical blinds then some care needs to be taken.
Wooden blinds should never be washed. Even though the wood blinds are sealed, water can work its way through. This can cause the slats to warp and become discolored. Wooden vertical blinds are flat, so simply dusting them with a cloth, duster or vacuum cleaner should be sufficient. Resist the urge to clean them with water. Repeated washing will eventually ruin your wooden vertical blinds.
If you have fabric vertical blinds then you probably find that very little cleaning is required at all. This is due to the fact that most of these vertical blinds are static proof. This helps to repel the dust away.
However, some will eventually get through and stick. Usually a sweep with your vacuum cleaner is enough to keep these types of vertical blinds clean. If you feel that the blind requires a more thorough clean then wiping it with a damp cloth should do the trick.
Make sure you use luke warm or cool, not hot water. If you have the opaque or blackout blinds try to apply gentle pressure. These blinds have a tendency to crease. If you have some tough stains on your vertical blinds, the best thing to do is spot clean with a gentle detergent. Simply apply directly to the stain and gently scrub.
Again, try to be extremely gentle. Cheap fabric vertical blinds should never be immersed in water for cleaning. They can loose their shape complexly or even fall apart.
Nicer woven vertical blind fabric may be immersed in a gently cleaning solution then rinsed clean. If you are ever in any doubt as to how to clean your particular type of window blind you can always contact the manufacturer. They will have the best and most up to date information on what to use and how often. Our vertical blinds provide a great service to our homes. They keep the lighting at the perfect level and add a sense of décor to our rooms.
Although they tend to require very little maintenance they do need some attention every now and then. Vertical blinds vary greatly in their cleaning needs, usually dependent on what they are made from, or their composition. Aluminum blinds tend to be very easy to clean while wooden and linen vertical blinds need a bit more care.
For the best combination, choose a fabric vertical blind that will not get dirty, and an attractive woven fabric that is more washable. If you're ever confused, you can always rely on the manufacturer. If you don't think soap and water will do the trick then they are the best people to consult.
Judith Persit is an expert on window treatments, and particularly vertical blinds as she has bought them for her homes. She writes often about vertical blinds. You can learn more about blinds at blindsfactorydirect.com.
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