Every now and then, you may notice random corners of your home need a good clean, including vertical blinds. This task may put you off because it can seem like a bit of a hassle.
But with our guide for how to clean your vertical blinds, this can be a quick, easy and fun job! We’ll show you how to clean them without removing them as well as how to clean them in the bathtub.
Keep reading for a step-by-step guide, as well as some frequently asked questions. Soon enough, you’ll have dust and dirt-free vertical blinds.
Key Takeaways
- Dust and vacuum vertical blinds regularly to remove surface dirt and prevent build-up.
- Wipe blinds with a microfiber cloth soaked in warm soapy water for general cleaning.
- For deeper cleaning, submerge blinds in a bathtub filled with warm soapy water, scrub, rinse, and air dry.
- Be cautious when using bleach or steam cleaning; check manufacturer instructions and care labels first.
How to Clean Vertical Blinds Without Removing Them
If you don’t want to take your blinds down, we don’t blame you. This guide will share how to clean them well without taking them down. Once you’ve got them super clean, this method will be great for quick maintenance, too.
Keep in mind that there are a variety of vertical blinds materials. This includes wood, vinyl, fabric, and more. This guide will focus on fabric blinds.
What You Need
Here are the tools and things you need for cleaning:
- Dusting brush.
- Vacuum with a brush attachment.
- Bowl.
- Dish soap.
- Warm water.
- Microfiber cloths.
Step By Step Instructions
Let’s get cleaning!
- Dust: Use your dusting brush to do a general sweep. This will remove surface-level dust which will make the next steps easier. You could do this every few days to maintain the dust levels.
- Vacuum: Using the brush attachment on your vacuum, hoover down the vertical blinds. This will remove more embedded and stubborn dust and debris. Make sure to start at the top and go down. This will prevent the blinds from getting pulled from the rail. It will also ensure you capture as much dust as possible.
- Create a cleaning solution: Mix together about four cups of warm water and one tablespoon of dish soap in a bowl.
- Wipe blinds: Soak a microfiber cloth in the cleaning solution and wring it out well. Use the damp soapy cloth to wipe down the blinds. Start at the top and work your way down, going in gentle circular motions. Spend longer on stains or particularly dirty areas. Repeat on both sides of each vertical blind.
- Dry: Use another dry microfiber cloth to wipe the blinds dry. Remove as much excess water as possible.
- Air dry: Once you’ve dried with a cloth, let the blinds fully air dry.
Top Tip
This is suitable for fabric, but it also works well for vinyl and plastic. However, you shouldn’t use this for wooden blinds as they shouldn’t be soaked.
How to Clean Vertical Blinds in the Bathtub
If your blinds are particularly dirty, it may be easier to remove them from the rail and wash them in the bathtub.
What You Need
Here are the tools you need for this task:
- Dusting brush.
- Vacuum with a brush attachment.
- Dish soap or mild detergent.
- Bathtub.
- Microfiber cloths.
- Thermometer (optional).
- Towels.
Step by Step Instructions
Let’s get into the cleaning routine using a bathtub. Before you get started, always check that the blinds can be fully submerged in water. The manufacturer will specify this, and there may even be a label on one of the blinds.
- Dust: Use your dusting brush to wipe off the surface dust from the blinds.
- Vacuum: Use your vacuum with the brush attachment to remove major dust and debris. Work from top to bottom.
- Remove blinds: Next, carefully remove the blinds from the rail following the manufacturer’s instructions.
- Fill a tub: Fill your bathtub with water no hotter than 86°F; otherwise, it could melt the glue on the blinds. You may need a thermometer to check the temperature. If you don’t have a thermometer, just use warm water — not hot. While the bathtub is filling up, add a few tablespoons of dish soap or mild detergent.
- Submerge blinds: Fully submerge the blinds in the soapy water. Leave for one hour.
- Scrub: Use your microfiber cloth to scrub the blinds clean. The submersion process should have loosened dirt and grime. Scrub harder, in circular motions, where you notice stains.
- Drain water and rinse: Drain the soapy water from the bath and rinse each blind under the faucet to remove soap residue.
- Dry: Lay down towels on a flat surface and place the vertical blinds onto the towels. Put other towels on top of the blinds and press out excess water. Then let the blinds air dry before hanging them back up.
FAQs About Cleaning Vertical Blinds
How Often Should You Clean Blinds?
To avoid dirt building up, you should clean your blinds weekly. A simple dust down as part of your cleaning routine will work wonders. Then you should only need to deep clean every few months or whenever you notice marks or stains.
How Do I Remove Black Mold from Blinds?
Our regular cleaning method can remove mold from blinds. However, with black mold and heavy mold build-up, it’s worth replacing the blinds completely.
Expert Tip
When working with moldy blinds, make sure you have proper ventilation going so that you don’t breathe in the mold and get sick.
How Do I Get My Vertical Blinds White Again?
You may find that our regular cleaning method whitens your blinds. If not, you could add a few cups of distilled white vinegar to the bathtub to whiten the blinds.
Alternatively, you could use bleach to whiten the blinds if they’ve become really discolored. Add two cups of bleach to the bathtub water — but do not add any soap or detergent — and submerge the blinds. Make sure to wear protective gloves when scrubbing the blinds clean.
How Do You Machine Wash Vertical Blinds?
If your blind’s care label allows for machine washing, try this:
- Remove the blinds from the rail and put them in a pillowcase or mesh laundry bag. If using a pillowcase, make sure to tie it tight.
- Add the blinds to the washing machine alongside a gentle detergent.
- Set the machine to a gentle cycle using water no warmer than 30°C.
- Once the cycle is finished, let the blinds air dry on a towel on a flat surface.
Can You Soak Vinyl Blinds in Bleach?
Always check with the manufacturer, but for most cases, you should be able to apply bleach to vinyl blinds.
For cleaning of vinyl blinds, you can use our regular cleaning routine. It will work really well for vinyl. However, you may find that vinyl cleans up easily without any cleaning solution. Water can be enough.
Can You Steam Clean Vertical Blinds?
Yes, but you must be sure to opt for a lower heat setting if possible. Otherwise, you can hold the steamer far enough away from the blinds that you don’t cause damage or melt any glue.
How Do You Get Stains Out of Fabric Blinds?
Apply a little dish soap or mild laundry detergent to a wet cloth. Dab the stain gently in circular motions until the stain lifts. Leave the soapy solution on the stain for about 30 minutes before rinsing off. This can be done as part of the cleaning routine or whenever you notice a stain.
