Cleaning Wooden Blinds

Wooden blinds are one of the top-pick window blind types for several reasons. For one, they are great at keeping light rays at bay when they shine through your window. However, dust and stains on your wooden blinds can quickly turn your favourite blind into your worst enemy. Cleaning wooden blinds and keeping them clean can be a boring and repetitive task. Dust, pollen, bacteria, and several others are guilty of getting your blinds dirty.

The content below provides instructions detailing the best way to clean wooden blinds. There are also different tools for cleaning wood blinds for your windows and doors. Understanding how to easily clean wooden Venetian blinds will help you preserve your window blinds and maintain their shiny and clean appearance. 

Continue reading to learn how to clean wooden Venetian blinds in your space.

How to Clean Wooden Blinds

Cleaning your wooden blind regularly is best for reducing the need for intense cleaning sessions and saving time. To carry out short and regular cleaning sessions, follow the tips below

• Start by creating a regular cleaning schedule for dusting your blinds. When cleaning, you can start by removing the dust with a microfiber cloth or feather duster. In case you have pet dander or carpet fuzz on your blinds, you can use a vacuum with an upholstery brush attached to it.
• Determine if you have a real wood blind or a faux wood blind before proceeding. Real wooden blinds require regular dusting in comparison to faux wooden blinds, which benefit from weekly cleaning with a soft cloth or microfiber mitt.

How to Clean Real Wood Blinds

Real wood blinds are made up of basswood. This wood type will swell when excess moisture remains on it after cleaning. Hence, it is important to understand how to clean it and to know things you should watch out for while cleaning. Unlike faux wood blinds, real wood blinds have some specifications that you need to follow while cleaning them. They also have a specific cleaning solution that will help to maintain their appearance and form to avoid disfiguration from any stain.

Tools You Will Need While Cleaning

The following tools are needed when cleaning out your real wood blinds for your windows

• Microfiber duster, soft cloths, or vacuum with an upholstery brush attachment. These cleaning tools are useful for getting the dust and dirt off the surface of your window blinds.
• Damp soft cleaning cloths. This is important for wiping the deep stains and dirt off the face of your real wood blind to maintain its colour and form.

Steps Necessary for Cleaning Real Wood Blinds

The steps below are necessary for dusting and cleaning real wood blinds for your windows and doors. These steps include:

Step 1: Dusting is the first crucial step in cleaning real wood blinds. This prevents dust and dander accumulation over time.

Step 2: Apply a Wood Conditioner

After dusting, apply the wood conditioner of your choice to bring back the rich sheen of your real wood blinds. If your wooden blinds are constantly facing harsh sunlight, a wood conditioner is great for restoring them. You can use lemon oil or any wood conditioners of your choice to bring back the shine.

How to Clean Faux Wood Blinds

Faux wood blinds are polyesters, vinyl, or a combination of polymers that have a wood-like appearance. These materials are resilient to different weather conditions and environments. They do not wrap easily and cleaning them is easier. You can easily differentiate between a faux wood blind and a real wood blind by the repetitive pattern on each slat of this blind type. This material is not susceptible to water damage because they are made with plastic.

Tools you will need to clean faux wood blinds

The following tools are needed when cleaning out your faux wood blinds for your windows

• Microfiber duster, microfiber cloth, or vacuum with an upholstery brush
• Small bowl or bucket with washing liquid
• Soft cleaning cloths

Steps Necessary for Cleaning Faux Wood Blinds

The steps below are necessary for dusting and cleaning faux wood blinds for your windows and doors. These steps include:

Step 1: Remove the dust

Similar to the scenario with real wood, faux wood blinds also require regular dusting sessions. This dusting schedule prevents the accumulation of animal dander and dust over time. To remove the dust, use a soft cloth or microfiber mitt weekly. You can also use a vacuum with an upholstery brush attachment to dust off your blinds if you have pets.

In the scenario where you have your faux wood blind in an active area like your kitchen or dining area, you might want to go a step beyond just dusting. You should wipe down your blinds with a mild cleaning solution periodically to keep them shiny, clean, and fresh.

Step 2: Wipe with a cleaning solution

Wiping with a mild cleaning solution from time to time helps the faux wood blind retain its shiny and clean appearance. The accumulation of stains and dirt will lead it to quickly become dull and start to fade. To wipe with cleaning solution

• Get a small bowl with water and washing liquid. You could also use a mild detergent or cleaning solution of your choice.
• Soak soft cleaning cloths in this solution and wipe each slate of the faux wood blind to remove dirt. Make sure to get all the angles and stains off these slats to get the shiny and clean appearance you want for your window blinds.

Step 3: Dry your faux wood blind

Faux wood blinds resist moisture better than real wood blinds. However, you should avoid soaking them in moisture. After cleaning with the solution, dry them with a clean and dry cloth. Caring for your blinds this way helps them last longer and preserve their appearance.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Can you clean wooden blinds with vinegar?

Vinegar is a great cleaning product for both faux and real wood blinds. However, note that you need to mix it with water first before using it to clean your wooden blinds. To use vinegar to clean your wooden blinds, mix one-part vinegar with one-part water before applying it to your wooden blinds. Before cleaning any slat or wringing the cloth thoroughly, you should use a damp cloth. Vinegar is great for maintaining the colour and form of your real and faux wood blind, vertical blinds or any Venetian blind.

Can I steam clean wooden blinds?

Horizontal blinds in the window area tend to accumulate a lot of dust. The buildup of these dusty particles on the blinds in your house can become airborne when you open or close your blinds. This may result in triggering allergies or asthmatic symptoms if you do not clean them regularly. Steam cleaning wooden blinds is one method of cleaning out the dust on your wooden blinds.

The steam cleaning unit helps you clean your wooden blinds thoroughly. The hot steamer vapour goes beyond just lifting dust off your wooden blinds. They also kill dust moulds and mites that might start growing on your wooden blinds.

If your steam cleaner does not use any upholstery attachment, you can wipe it down with a clean cloth after the steam kills any mould or dust mites that may be present on your wooden blind. However, the steam cleaner can cause burns when cleaning. Make sure to keep it away from yourself and control the heat while cleaning your wooden blinds. In addition, make sure to get all the moisture away after cleaning to avoid the disfiguration of your wooden blinds.

What is the best thing to clean blinds with?

Wooden blinds are lightweight with thinner slats. When cleaning or hanging them in place, they require care to prevent any form of damage. In addition, it is best to avoid using harsh cleaning solutions directly on your blinds to avoid discolouration and disfiguration.

The best tip for cleaning blinds is to clean and dust them regularly. This will help you to remove clouds of dust and allergens that keep settling on your window blinds. To clean your window blinds, you will need the following tools

• Microfiber or soft cloth
• A non-acidic and gentle washing-up solution
• White vinegar
• Clean water
• A vacuum cleaner with an upholstery brush

A wood cleaner is an applicable option to use to clean your wooden blinds if you need to remove stubborn dirt. In addition, you should use a soft cloth or microfiber towel to keep it damp instead of wet when cleaning the surface. On multiple occasions, run the fabric across each slat to get every angle for the best cleanliness possible. To get the best appearance after cleaning, you should flip your blinds to the other side and wipe them down. This should remove all the dust and dirt completely on the surface of your blinds.

Wrapping It Up

This complete guide highlights the steps and important tips necessary for cleaning your blinds properly. It explains how to clean your real and faux wooden blinds using a step-by-step process. A clean and functioning window blind is great for preserving the airflow and quality of air in your space. If you wish to create and maintain a nice environment for your family, you should incorporate a regular blind cleaning and dusting schedule into your calendar.

This guide not only helps you reduce your workload but also keeps your window blinds in top form and shape to serve you for the long haul. Using the right cleaning steps and cleaning tools will also help to preserve the integrity of your window blinds. Incorporate the stepwise recommendations above to maintain a shiny and clean window blind.