Clean Roller Blinds

Roller blinds are highly versatile and practical window decorations, but just like anything else in a house, then can accumulate dust and dirt over time. Natural dust from the house, splashed food, and even small bugs can soil your blinds, but luckily, cleaning roller blinds is a simple undertaking that only requires a few minutes of your time to keep your window treatments looking their best.

Steps

1. Check the care label of the blinds. It is important that you follow the care instructions of the blinds, to ensure that you are washing your blinds in a way that won’t damage them.
   • If the care label indicates that you can wash the blinds (plastic/vinyl blinds), or your blinds are very dirty, you can thoroughly clean the blinds in a bathtub.
   • If the care label indicates that the roller blinds cannot be washed, you’ll need to spot clean them, meaning you'll only clean the spots that are visibly dirty.
2. Remove the blinds from the window. Remove the roller blinds from the window, and from the roller, so the blinds can lay flat on the floor. Most roller blinds have a disk on the side opposite of the pulley chain that can be rotated until the top of the blind comes free from its brackets.
   • If you are going to spot clean your blinds, spread out some pages of newspaper on the ground as a workspace.
3. Vacuum the blinds. If the blinds are especially dirty, a preliminary vacuum might be in order. That way, you can clear the blinds of any cobwebs and large pieces of dust, removing any surface grime.
   • The vacuum’s soft brush tool is perfect for picking up small pieces of dust and dirt clung to the roller blinds.
   • You might want to consider vacuuming both sides of the blinds to make sure you remove as much dirt and dust as possible.
   • If vacuuming isn’t an option, you can remove as much dust as possible by wiping the blinds by hand with a microfiber cloth or an old sock.
4. Prepare a bathtub to clean the blinds. Fill a bathtub about half way with lukewarm water. Add about 2-3 tbsp. of dishwashing soap to the bathwater, and stir the water and soap around until it starts to create sudsy bubbles.
   • 1 tbsp of bleach can be added to the water to help clean white blinds.
5. Wash the blinds in the tub. If you have multiple blinds, wash them one at a time. Allow the blind to sit in the tub water and soak for approximately 20-30 minutes so the dried on grime can loosen from the blind’s surface. Clean the blind using a soft brush, sponge, or cloth to wipe away any dirt still on the blind. Once the blind is cleaned, drain the soapy water, and add more clean water into the tub to rinse the blind of any remaining soap.
   • Consider folding the blinds accordion style if they are particularly long.
   • A toothbrush can help loosen up tough stains and markings.
   • For quicker soap removal, you can try holding the blind vertically in the shower, and use the shower head to rinse the blind of any soap. Dried soap residue left on the blinds can immediately attract dirt and dust.
6. Spot clean the blinds. Make a cleaning solution from laundry detergent and water.You can use about 1 tsp. of laundry detergent (or one small squirt of dishwashing soap), mixed with 2 cups of water. With the blind laid on the newspaper on the floor, use a cloth or towel that has been thoroughly wrung out, and wipe the dirty areas of the blind. Continue spot cleaning until the entire blind is clean.
   • If the blind is really dirty and has significant residue from pets, bugs, or food grease, consider adding about 1 tbsp. of baking soda to your cleaning solution. The abrasive texture of the baking soda will help dissolve the dirt.
   • For tough stains, consider scrubbing the dirty areas of the blind with an old toothbrush.
   • Be careful not to saturate the blind too much. The cloth you use to clean the blind’s surface should just be a little damp.
7. Dry the blinds. Let the blinds completely dry by arranging them on a drying rack, or consider hanging them on a drying line outside. Reinstall the blinds to the rollers and rehang them over the window.
   • Regular dusting and vacuuming can help maintain clean blinds.

Tips

• Color-safe bleach can be utilized for added cleaning power on colored blinds.
• Avoid using harsh cleaners on the fabric as it may damage the material.
• For paper blinds, spot clean with a slightly moist cloth and allow them to dry completely before reinstalling over the window.
• You can cut up unused towels to make towel-fabric rags for cleaning. They are excellent to have handy for many cleaning jobs.

Things You'll Need

• Mild laundry detergent/dishwashing soap
• Vacuum with brush attachment
• Sponge or soft cloths
• Bath tub
• Lukewarm water
• Old toothbrush
• Drying rack or outside clothesline
• Bleach (optional)
• Baking soda (optional)

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