Cleaning Dirty and Grime from Mini Blinds.

How To Clean Dirty, Grimy Mini-Blinds

So, you’ve finally had enough of your nasty, grimy and dusty mini-blinds?

Well, good for you! Cleaning mini-blinds is not hard to do, as long as you know the proper method.

You may have tried to clean each individual slat by hand with some sort of cleaning solution and very quickly discovered that it’s extremely hard to get each one perfectly clean.

Once you think one slat has been wiped off and is clean, you notice that the top or bottom half is still dirty and sticks out like a sore thumb. Does this sound familiar?

Don’t fret, you’ve come to the right place.

I’ve got professional cleaning tips to help you clean up dirty mini blinds fast, saving you time and money!

Cleaning Precautions

Check the manufacturer’s directions to make sure you can safely clean your mini-blinds at home. Some material, particularly real wood or fabric mini-blinds should not be immersed in liquid.

If this process seems too intimidating or your mini blinds are very large, consider calling a mobile blind cleaner. They come to your home and clean and rehang the blinds for you. The blinds are cleaned using high-frequency sound waves (ultrasonic), which is ideal for cleaning tight spaces where grime accumulates.

DO NOT use bleach! Bleach will weaken and damage the fabric cords that hold the assembly together.

Fill the Bathtub

Fill the bathtub 1/3 full with warm water, add 1 cup of ammonia or 1/4 cup of dish soap. It’s fine to use both if your mini blinds are extra greasy.

Take Down the Mini-Blinds

1. Use the cord and place mini-blinds in the “up” position.
2. Take the blinds down from the window carefully.
3. Release the cord slowly so the blinds unfold and adjust the rod so they are in the “closed” position.
4. Lower carefully into the bathtub being careful not to bend or crimp the slats.

Cleaning the Mini-Blinds

1. Let the blinds soak in the tub for about 15 minutes.
2. You can gently agitate the water to loosen the dirt while it’s soaking.
3. Use your hand or a clean sponge or pot scrubber to wipe the slats free of dirt and grime. Most of the dirt will come off easily. Don’t worry if there’s a little bit left; we’re not done yet.
4. Let the water out of the tub.
5. Turn on the shower to rinse off the cleaning solution and dislodge further dirt and grime. For best results, use your hand held shower attachment (if you have one).

Rehang the Mini-Blinds

1. Grab the blinds from the tub and shake them gently to remove excess water. Tip them gently from side to side to let the water drip off.
2. If it is sunny, place a sheet on the ground and lay the blinds out to dry; if it is not you can try to dry them with a towel before re-hanging.
3. Once most of the water is off, rehang the blinds securely in the window.

Separate the Slats

Some of the metal slats may be stuck together, if so separate any that are stuck together and make sure that they are all facing in the same direction.

Remember that we “closed” the blinds before we washed them so the slats should still be facing that way.

Wipe Down the Slats

1. Now get out the trusty blind cleaner and spray a paper or cotton towel with the cleaner.
2. Run the towel over the exposed slats.
3. You can open the blinds and pull them back up completely within a few minutes when all the remaining moisture has evaporated.

Keeping Your Mini-Blinds Clean

Clean Your Air Ducts: The dust, dirt and grime on those mini-blinds represents the air quality in your home.

Clean Your Air Filters: One way to reduce the amount of dust is to clean your air filters frequently. A clean air filter will stop the dust from recirculating in the air around your home so you won’t have to clean the blinds so frequently.

Dust Regularly: Once you get your blinds clean, keep a regular dusting schedule. As long as the dust doesn’t have a chance to build up and settle in, the blinds will look great for a very long time.

Use Dusting Tools: Swiffer dusters are cheap and they actually attract dust with static electricity. They are the most efficient and time saving way to keep mini-blinds clean from dust and debris between washings.

Use Dust Repellent: Another great tip I can share is to make use of your used dryer sheets. Save them after your load is done and then use them to “dust” the mini-blinds once a month. The anti-static sheets will repel dust between cleanings.

Sit Back, Relax And Enjoy!

Now that the cleaning is done, it is time to sit and enjoy how the glorious sun shines through your windows. All your work has paid off and there is no dust, dirt and grime to be found!