When was the last time you did a deep clean of your home? Did it include your window coverings? If not, they may be harbouring plenty of dust and dirt that not only can make them look less appealing, but also hamper your own health. We break down how to wash vertical blinds, and other kinds of window treatments below so you can truly make your home as squeaky clean as possible.
How Often Should You Wash Your Window Treatments?
Truth be told, how often you clean your window treatments will highly depend on your lifestyle. Factors like allergies, weather conditions (like smoke), and if they get food stains from young children on them will all make a difference in how often you clean them.
However, some good rules of thumb are to clean them when you dust or vacuum your home. Window coverings should also generally be dusted once a month and cleaned thoroughly after the end of every season.
How to Wash Vertical Blinds
Cleaning vertical blinds is actually quite simple, but the specifics of the process vary depending on the material. Remove any dust or debris is as simple as dusting them from top to bottom or vacuuming them from top to bottom.
For cleaning:
- Spot-clean the more soiled areas of each blind with warm soapy water or an all-purpose spray cleaner on a microfibre cloth. Rinse with a moistened cloth. Make sure to place a towel under your blinds to catch drips and prevent the water from ruining your carpet.
- For complete blind cleaning, use warm, soapy water again and use a microfibre cloth to wash the full length of each slat (including both sides) until it’s clean.
- Rinse and wipe dry with a dry microfibre cloth.
Fabric blinds can actually be washed in the washing machine on a gentle cycle. Simply unsnap the vanes from their headers. Once the cycle is done, line dry them, press or steam them on low then snap the fabric vanes back on.
How to Wash Wooden Blinds or Shutters
First of all, it’s important to know if your wood blinds are actually real wood or not, as cleaning them with water will damage real wood blinds. If they are real, regular dusting will generally keep them clean.
If they’re more soiled, use a mild detergent in a small amount of tepid water and a clean microfibre cloth. Once the slat has been wiped down, clean the area and wipe it down with clean water and then immediately dry it with a clean, dry microfibre cloth.
How to Wash Fabric Shades, Curtains, and Drapes
Fabric shades, curtains, and drapes tend to be easier to clean. However, as there are a variety of materials available for each kind of window treatment, how they are cleaned will also vary. Some may even require professional cleaning if they are more high-end like silk or embroidered fabrics.
Typically, fabric window treatments can simply be washed in the washing machine although make sure to check the tag to see if they need to be put on a special cycle or dried in a certain way.
Overall, window treatments aren’t hard to clean and don’t need to be cleaned too often, but regular care and attention can help them not only look better but last longer as well.