According to Budget Blind, blinds can have a lifespan of between four and five years, compared to shutters which can last 25 years or more when taken care of properly. The good news is you can still get plenty of years from your blinds with proper maintenance, and part of that involves cleaning your blinds regularly. Before you start cleaning your blinds, it’s important to realize that there’s a proper way to take care of them. Read this guide to find top tips for caring for and maintaining your blinds.
How to Properly Clean Your Blinds
The good news is that cleaning your blinds doesn’t have to take a lot of your time, and you can do it with supplies that are easily available in your home. For starters, it’s important to clean your blinds regularly because they tend to collect dust and debris over time. To begin cleaning your blinds, gather the supplies you need, including microfiber cloths, warm water, baking soda, dishwashing liquid, and a vacuum cleaner with soft brush attachments. If your blinds are raised, carefully lower them and start wiping them with a microfiber cloth to remove dust. Make sure you wipe them using a downward motion to avoid damaging them.
After dusting one side, flip them and repeat the procedure on the other side. If your blinds are particularly dirty, use a damp microfiber cloth to remove the dirt. You can even take the blinds completely off of the window and soak them in a solution of warm water and dishwashing liquid if they need deep cleaning. This is usually the case with vinyl or aluminum blinds. If you choose to just wipe your blinds with a damp cloth, the next step involves waiting for them to dry before vacuuming away excess dust.
Tips for Maintaining Your Blinds
There are several tips and tricks you need to keep in mind when it comes to cleaning and maintaining your blinds. Firstly, always take extra care when cleaning your blinds. Don’t use any abrasive cleaners that can damage the coating of the fabric on the blinds. In addition, keep in mind there might be different ways to clean your blinds depending on the material they are made out of. For instance, when cleaning aluminum, PVC, or wooden blinds, it’s normal to wipe using a damp cloth.
Additionally, thermacell blinds are usually good to go after only dusting the shade with a duster. In any case, it’s recommended that you clean your blinds at least once a month. If you have tough stains, you can spot treat with a solution that contains baking soda. Alternatively, you can take your fabric blind to the dry cleaner to refresh them. Doing all this will help ensure that your blinds are in good condition, which gives you better control of light and heat, helping you create a more comfortable home environment.
Signs That You Need to Replace Your Blinds
Cleaning and maintaining your blinds regularly allow you to familiarize yourself with the condition and state of your blinds. That way, you can easily notice all the signs of wear and tear. The last thing you want is for your blinds to fail unexpectedly when you don’t have replacements ready. Therefore, it helps to know the common warning signs that your blinds are reaching the end of their life expectancy. For instance, are your blinds warped or bent? This may cause the blinds to fail to operate as expected, and you may have to replace the whole set.
When you have constant difficulties raising and closing your blinds, then the blinds are non-functional. It’s better to replace the blinds because they can be a hazard. If the problem is caused by a faulty lifting mechanism, there’s the potential that the blinds could fall with enough force, so it’s best to avoid such scenarios. Another big reason to replace your blinds is if they’re impacting the aesthetics of your home. Things like frayed cords, yellowing, discoloration, frayed edges, and faded fabric shades can make your window treatments look less appealing, and it’s often necessary to replace them.
There are plenty of things you can do to keep your blinds in the best condition possible. Get in touch with The Blind Guyz LLC to learn more about our options available for beautiful, high-quality blinds.