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Cleaning Blinds
by Mary Findley
During the summer more questions pour into my email about blind cleaning
than any other time of year. The bright sun definitely shines more light
on the subject. Sorry about the pun, couldn't help it. I promise not to
get started on slug jokes.
The easiest of the blinds to clean are standard mini blinds even if they
passed Go and went directly to jail. I cannot stress too often the
importance of preventive care when it comes to cleaning. Keeping ahead
of the buildup on miniblinds saves hours of headaches later.
Wipe down the blinds monthly by turning the slats downward facing you.
Spray a lightweight terry towel with diluted Bio Ox. Start at the top
and wipe over the surface. Reverse the slats then pull the blinds out
and walk behind them. Repeat from the back. It only takes three or four
minutes per blind so do a room every time you dust to keep ahead of the
buildup.
Wood blinds are cleaned in the same manner except use one-forth cup of
white vinegar per quart of water. Wood blinds must be cleaned regularly
to prevent buildup. Otherwise the dirt deteriorates the sealant causing
the blinds to dull.
If mini-blinds have reached the point of no return, grab a hammer and
two good sized nails. Measure the blinds and hammer the nails into the
back of your home one foot less than the width of the blinds. Turn the
slats downwards. With a spray can (not spray bottle) of foaming tub and
tile cleaner begin at the bottom spraying your way to the top. When it
starts dripping from the top, wipe with a wet sponge. Reverse the slats,
flip the blinds over and repeat from the back. Dry and re-hang.
For my RV friends with mini blinds over your sinks, using a clean but
old cotton tube sock makes the job a bit easier. Place it over one hand
and spray with the Bio Ox. Unfortunately the blinds must be cleaned slat
by slat since they can't be removed and there isn't a way to reach the
back of the blinds. Tube socks work quite well on blinds at home too!
Fabric pleated shades do not tolerate cleaning chemicals or even water.
Either will leave unsightly stains. If you vacuum your pleated shades be
sure to wipe the bristles of the brush frequently. The easier way is to
wipe them down with a dry sponge. I do carry them and they are excellent
for cleaning fabric furniture as well. Use the sponge dry and wipe over
the shades. It's amazing how much dirt is removed.
The dry sponge works best for vertical shades as well. Those are
difficult to vacuum since the dirt gets imbedded easily into the fabric.
These can also be rolled with a lint roller. Although I've found that
most vertical shades don't collect the dust like horizontal shades.
Problems come when bugs crawl across the blinds leaving their, well for
lack of better terminology, "bug spit" behind. For stains on the shades
dampen a QTip with water. Then dip it in some liquid dish soap. The QTip
helps prevent too much dish soap from getting on the shade. Let it set
about 30 minutes then gently blot with a lightweight cloth like an old
but clean cotton tee shirt.
A one and one half inch paintbrush quickly reaches under the top
decorative strip across the top to dust away cobwebs. It's also handy
for cleaning cobwebs around doorways, hinges and in those nook and
crannies I tend to ignore. If you have fabric valances above the shades
then grab a couple of lint roller replacement tubes and a metal paint
roller handle. Put the tubes over the roller and roll across the
valances. A single lint roller is an easy way to remove those little
"grease bunnies" that collect above the stove area on carpeted ceilings
in an RV.
About the author
Mary Findley is the inventor of the Mary Moppins Cleaning System; a
time-saving, frugal and environmentally safe alternative to traditional
methods . Visit her at
www.goclean.com
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