How to Clean Silhouettes, Roller Shades, Horizontal and Vertical Blind
Although all of these window treatments serve the same purpose, the method of cleaning them varies. Some of these window treatments can be cleaned by wiping them down to remove dust. Others require the use of equipment used by professionals.
Do-It-Yourself Methods
Dust – A like-new appearance for many window panels, shutters, sheers, shading, shades, and blinds is maintained by regularly dusting the window treatments.
Vacuum – Vacuuming gently, using a brush attachment can be used for some cleaning. A vertical stroke is used on most treatments that can be vacuumed. Vacuums remove surface dust but do not remove embedded dirt. A vacuum brush can spread and embed grime deeper into the fabric. Dirty streaks are left on the material.
Hair Dryer or Air Compressor – Using a non-heat setting, dust can be blown off of selected window coverings.
Spot Clean – Blinds and shades can be spot cleaned with a sponge or soft cloth moistened with lukewarm water. Mild detergent can be added if necessary. Gently blot to avoid damaging or creasing the fabric. Rubbing can cause damage to the material. When spot cleaning is done, some areas may be noticeably cleaner than others.
Cleaning Specific Types of Window Treatments
A soft cloth and over-the-counter blind cleaner can be used on aluminum blinds. Static electricity can be reduced by applying a thin detergent film on the vanes of aluminum and vertical blinds.
Water or bathtub immersion can be used to clean some, but not all, wood and aluminum blinds. Most honeycomb fabrics cannot be washed with a water immersion method.
Professional Cleaning
Ultrasonic Technology – Many manufacturers recommend professional ultrasound cleaning for some window treatments. The ultrasonic technology used by a professional window treatment technician is a process that is environmentally friendly and simple.
The system has advantages over other cleaning methods. It uses no liquids. No waste is produced, and there are no cleaning fluids to get rid of. Soil residue is extracted and captured with the use of a series of filters.
The process has been lab-tested to verify the residual waste from this on-site process is non-toxic and eco-friendly. The service can be performed in one day with a mobile drying cleaning unit.
This unique process removes existing flame retardant from the fabric. A new flame retardant can be applied. Flame retardants do not adhere to dirty fabric fibers. The technician will apply a light spray evenly over the clean window treatments while they are hanging.
Injection/Extraction – Another cleaning method used by professionals is an injection/extraction system. A cleaning product is injected into the fabric. The dirty solution that is created is immediately extracted.
It is an efficient way to deep clean window treatments. This process is also performed on-site. The window treatments do not have to be removed. This method is used on most fabric-based window treatments.
Knowing which cleaning method is required for each type of window treatment can be confusing. A wrong choice can cause irreparable damage. For expensive window treatments, it is highly recommended to seek the services of a professional window treatment technician.