Don’t Neglect Your Window Treatments!
Tuesday, January 11th, 2011Draperies can be vacuumed with a soft brush. Depending on the fabric and the level of soil, you may want to washed them or have them professionally cleaned. Blinds should ideally be dusted or vacuumed several times a year, but spring is the time for a thorough cleaning that will remove a greasy build up that can collect over time. I’ve tried every method in the book to streamline cleaning blinds, but the most effective way is to wipe them with a damp rag. For blinds made of aluminum, vinyl, or painted wood, use a thin, all-cotton rag, and a bucket of water with only a capful of a mild cleaning solution such as Murphy Oil Soap. Close the blinds and wipe them from top to bottom, then close them in the opposite direction to clean the other side. Heavily soiled blinds may need to be wiped one slat at a time, placing the rag between your fingers and working it inside each slat. The miniblind cleaning tools with “fingers” are fine for regular dusting, but if you haven’t cleaned your blinds all year, these tools will only make a bigger mess.