I can take care of the spring cleaning for everything else, but would like to hear ideas on cleaning blinds. Should I take them down and even take on lawn and spray them down (they are mostly double window size)? I hate cleaning them, but needs doing. Thanks
Awesome ideas. Taking down and putting back up ...ummmmm hubby honey to do list.
I put warm sudsy water in the bathtub and let them soak. Then just rinse them and hang them in the tub to dry,or outside to dry. works pretty well....
If they aren't that dirty, you can dust/wipe them while up. If they are very dirty, I would check into a service who cleans them - which includes taking them down and spraying them off and putting them up. Cost might be an issue here. I took down my 2" blinds and sprayed, scrubbed and rinsed them in the lawn. They are 72" long and I did mess up one of the cords so it no longer works...and it was a pain. I'd probably not do it again myself.
I bought the little 5.99 tool at Bed, Bath and Beyond (I've seen it elsewhere too) but it's got three things and you can clean both sides of the slat at once. I found it faster to still just do one slat at a time rather then put 2-3 in like intended but sometimes I did. I would recommend the tool, or just a rag too but I like the microfiber stuff (what this pink/white one is made of) because it seems to pick up more dust. Blinds bite the big one! I will not put them in our next house but nor will I throw mine in the trash like someone else said! That'd be crazy imo :)
I use clorox wipes and wipe down each slat. I do not take them down, I just get on a step stool. Not a fun job but I am glad when it is done.
One year I washed them down in the tub. Backache from bending over the tub from a whole house of mini blinds. Next year I turned on the hot tub and threw them in with the water jets on "high", Both did a good job.
I take mine down and either clean them in the shower or in the driveway.
Make sure you have the string cut short so the little ones can't reach them!
When I clean them I use my fan duster. I purchased one of the ones on the long poles to clean my fans. So I just run that along my blinds, then flip the blinds the other way and repeat. Sometimes I will even take a wet rag and run them across the blinds as well, but I don't do that every time that I dust them.
I have the 2 inch faux wood blinds and they are way to heavy for me to take off, not to mention I would be scared that they would get scratched and dinged up =)
I am interested to see what response you get as I have the same issue.
I've heard that if you use dryer sheets (like Bounce) it makes it very easy to clean...
From Real Simple magazine:
Use Dryer Sheets to:
1. Freshen smelly shoes. Insert a dryer sheet into the offending pair and let sit overnight.
2. Remove static from clothing, hair, TV screens, and computer monitors. Wipe the surface with a sheet.
3. Clean pet hair from the floor or furniture. Rub a dryer sheet over the spot where Fluffy left her fur.
4. Replace a sachet. Keep a dresser drawer smelling fresh and clean by placing a dryer sheet on the bottom of it.
5. Loosen caked-on food from a pan. Place a fresh sheet in the bottom of a dirty pan, fill with lukewarm tap water, and let sit in the sink overnight. The pan will be easier to clean in the morning.
6. Tackle suitcase and gym-bag odors. Place a dryer sheet in your suitcase or gym bag so your clean clothes won’t take on the odors of the dirty ones.
7. Prevent old books from smelling musty when in storage. Stick a dryer sheet between the pages of your beloved copy of Pride and Prejudice.
8. Wipe up sawdust after working in the garage. Rub a dryer sheet over the fine wood particles.
9. Prevent thread from tangling when sewing. Run a threaded needle through a dryer sheet right before you begin your handiwork.
10. Dust venetian blinds. Close the blinds, then wipe up and down with a dryer sheet.
I did mine by taking out each of the slats and washing them in the sink with a wet cloth, rinsing, drying and putting them back in. It wasn't fun or easy, but it worked and they looked great. Taking them out on the lawn gets all the cords wet, plus, they always seemed to get dirtier when I tried that. I actually think I need to do mine again.
Swiffer dusters 360 will do the job well.
Personnaly - window blinds scare me... I've hear to many stories about kids getting tangled in their strings, so I would just put them in the trash & go get curtains.
But I think their are tools you can use to wipe them off or try a wet/dry vac to see if that would help. I don't think spraying them off will hurt them, but hanging them back up might be a pain.
Have fun w/ spring cleaning... isn't that the "fun" part of spring.
