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How to Clean Your Window Blinds and Shutters

ctpost • January 11, 2021

Your shutters, blinds, and window coverings work hard to protect your home from prying eyes, unwanted intruders, and ultraviolet light damage. Keeping them clean helps them work properly and keeps your home looking beautiful; however, it can get difficult and time-consuming if you don't work efficiently. We have compiled some tips and tricks to keep your blinds and shutters looking their best.

Blinds and Shutters: Vinyl, Aluminum, Faux Wood, and Painted Wood

You should regularly dust your blinds and shutters to keep them clean and looking nice. Dusty blinds also bring down the air quality in your home. There are several ways you can dust your shutters and blinds: vacuuming them is quick and efficient, while dusting by hand gives you versatility. Start from the top and work your way down. If vacuuming, use a brush attachment and go over the slats side to side, starting at the top and working your way down. Finish with an anti-dust product or by wiping with a dryer sheet to be sure you got every dust particle.

Dusting may not always be enough to get blinds clean: if your vinyl and aluminum blinds are dirty, you can take them down from the windows and wash them! Lay blinds flat in the bathtub and just cover them with water; add a squirt of dishwashing soap and two to three cups of white vinegar. Let them soak for five to ten minutes per side, then wipe the slats clean with a sponge.

Real Wood Blinds and Shutters

To keep real wood clean, don't use water - use lemon oil or furniture polish to help protect the wood. Use a soft cloth and work from the top down. For badly soiled wood, use tepid water with a squirt of mild detergent with a clean cotton cloth. Clean the area and rinse with clear water, then immediately dry with a dry cotton cloth. The trick is to keep the wood blinds or shutters as dry as possible, minimizing the time it spends wet.

Vertical Blinds

While vertical blinds can be tricky to clean, regularly dusting by hand or vacuum should help you avoid deep cleaning to once or twice a year. Work from top to bottom, cleaning any soiled areas with soapy water or an all-purpose cleaner. If deep cleaning, use a sponge and soapy water to to wash the full length of the vertical blinds on both sides. Rinse and wipe the blinds dry with a clean, dry cloth.

Exterior Shutters

Exterior shutters can get grimy very quickly; luckily, they are easy to clean. Brush all loose dirt off your shutters, then use a hose to rinse the shutters down before scrubbing using soapy water and a mop. Rinse your shutters immediately with the hose to avoid stains when your soapy water dries, then wipe clean with a soft microfiber mop. The work becomes even easier if you own a pressure washer: simply brush away any loose dirt, power wash, and dry.

Take Care of Your Window Treatments

If you take good care of your window treatments, you can maximize their lifespans and improve the air quality in your home.

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Revive Family Pieces with Re-Upholstery

December 22, 2022

Is Re-upholstery the Right Choice For You? With the holiday season in full swing, the nostalgia of family traditions and memories often surrounds us. There’s always something that can remind us of our loved ones, whether it’s Grandma’s recipe book, a photo album of our parents from their younger years, or maybe even an heirloom chair or sofa, that has been passed from generation to generation. If you’re lucky enough to have inherited one of these beautiful heirloomed pieces, you may at some point come across needing to give this piece a little TLC, whether it is to revive the bounce of the cushions, or re-upholster the fabric. Should you find yourself in this position, Blinds Blinds Blinds is happy to help! Our skilled workroom can revitalize your cherished pieces, and make the best suggestions to maintain the integrity of your furniture, while refreshing the parts that have seen ware and tare. Our showroom houses a large selection of upholstery fabrics, with performance fabrics being the most popular option as of late. Performance fabrics have great wearability, are easy to clean, and also provide protection from most liquids soaking into the fabric. Velvets and chenille fabrics are also amongst those most popular, providing a classic and timeless look with their luxurious look and soft feel. When choosing to re-upholster your treasured piece, budget should be a consideration, as not all furniture pieces are great candidates. When making this decision, look at the construction of the piece, and consider the materials used in the frame of the furniture. Was this piece built to last? Often times if pieces are made with synthetic, plastic, or press board materials, they are not a good choice to re-upholster. Furniture constructed with real wood makes it a durable and long-lasting piece. Contact us today to learn more about our re-upholstery services!