Mini blinds gather dust like all areas of a home. Cleaning them often is low on the priority list, due to the perception of their trickiness. Dust will harden on blinds exposed to sunlight. Trying to clean individual mini blind slats with a cleaning solution will lead to the discovery that cleaning each one perfectly is extremely difficult.
Frequently, wiping off the dirt from a slat reveals the top or bottom of the slat is still dirty. It now sticks out as an eyesore. Either follow the steps outline below or have a professional clean your mini blinds.
Basic Cleaning Steps
The convex side of the blinds should face the room. Loose dust is brushed away toward the floor. Dusters are available from grocery stores, or dust cloths can be used. Open the blinds half-way.
Using rubber gloves and folded dusting wipes, remove the dust that has become stuck to the blinds. Each blind is wiped slowly from left to right. The area between the title cords needs to be also cleaned.
With the blinds in the lowered position, damp dust the bottom of the blind slats. Turn the blinds so that the concave side faces the room. Begin the process again.
Heavy Duty Blind Cleaning
If dusting does not clean the blinds well enough, they need to be soaked. You might consider letting professional cleaners do the job. If you choose to tackle the job on your own, the blinds will be placed in the bathtub. Blinds that are too long for the tub fit inside rain gutters.
Hardware stores have gutters. You will need a gutter at least as long as the longest set of blinds. End caps and attaching hardware must also be purchased to form a mini blind cleaning tank.
A clean driveway is a good location to clean the blinds. Fill the gutter with a bit of cleaner and water. Dish soap rinses clean. Be careful about adding too much cleaner. Only an amount that produces suds is needed.
Allow the binds to soak for several minutes. Let the soap do its job. Spread the blinds on a flat surface such as a patio or driveway. Wipe any remaining soil with a wet cloth to loosen it. Clean both sides of the blinds. Use a garden hose to rinse the blinds. Allow the blinds to sun dry. They can then be rehung.
Cleaning Precautions
To ensure mini blinds can safely be cleaned at home, check the directions provided by the manufacturer. Some materials such as fabric or real wood cannot be immersed in water. Do not use bleach to clean mini blinds. The fabric cords holding the assembly together will be weakened or damaged.
The process can also be very intimidating when blinds are large. Consider having the mini blinds cleaned professionally. Experts come to your residence to clean and rehang the mini blinds for you. High-frequency sound waves are used to clean the blinds. This process is ideal for cleaning accumulated grime and tight spaces.