How do you clean vertical blinds?

It’s the question that the world has been asking us for some time now, so who better to talk you through how to bring your window spaces back to life like a pro?

Keep reading to hear what you need, how to do it, and a few top tips from the style gurus along the way. Enjoy!

Check what your vertical blinds are made from

If you’re the proud owner of fabric blinds then prepare yourself for a little hand washing as you make them as good as new. And if you opted for the wooden variety instead then you’ll need to make sure they don’t go anywhere near a nice warm soak.

In this guide we’re focusing on fabrics as that’s what we do best, so keep reading if that ticks all the right boxes for you.

What do I need to clean my vertical blinds?

Good question! If you want to get the most of out of your forthcoming cleaning session we’d recommend collecting all of the following the day before:

- Your vacuum cleaner and it’s trusty dusting attachment

- A mild soap and plenty of warm water

- A sponge and microfibre cloth when you need to start scrubbing

- And some towels to get everything nice and dry again

Now that you’re ready, you can start putting all those cleaning products to work the right way.

Do I need to take down my vertical blinds to clean them?

Yes! That’s the short answer to that one, but we know you’ve come to us because you’re after a little extra detail that will ensure everything runs smoothly. Here it is:

What you need to do is unclip each slat from the headrail it’s mounted on. Work your way along, taking care to remove them gently one by one. If there’s a tricky one that’s holding things up, get up on a stable step ladder to take a closer look at it. Whatever you do, resist the urge to give it a good old yank because it won’t be so keen to go back up afterwards!

Taking your blinds down may seem a little too time-consuming for the busy people among you, but the extra time spent will pay off in a big way. It’ll make the rest of the process so much easier, and the results will speak for themselves before you know it.

What do I do before soaking my vertical blinds?

You dust of course! Start by dusting the headrail so that your shiny new blinds don’t get coated with stuff the moment you hang them back up. Then run your vacuum cleaner over each slat to get them dust-free. If you skip this step, all you’re really doing is rubbing the dust around, and that’s no good to anyone.

How do I wash my vertical blinds?

We’re at the business end of things now, which means things are about to hot up in more ways than one.

Use a 30-degree wash cycle and a gentle detergent if you use your washing machine, and a bathtub of lukewarm water if you use your hands. Whichever one you go for is up to you, but if you have noticed a few stubborn stains then hand washing will be the way to go. It’ll give you that little extra bit of time to really focus on those problem areas so that nothing is missed.

Now I’ve cleaned them, how do I dry my vertical blinds?

We often lay ours out over the dinner table, or an equivalent flat surface. Making sure there’s plenty of airflow and warmth will be crucial if you want them ready to go sooner rather than later.

Anything else I need to know?

Mould is one of the things that can grow on your vertical blinds, particularly if you often get condensation building up on your windows. A proactive approach is to use a spot of lemon juice to stop anything from growing, while at the same time cracking open the windows once a week to let the air move and the moisture leave.

Another top tip from the boffins here at 247 HQ is to consider a handheld steamer to do monthly cleans of your blinds. The great thing about this is that because you’ve already followed our advice and taken them all down, quicker monthly cleans can be done in minutes with them still hanging.

We’ve shared all of our pearls of wisdom with you, which means it’s over to you to start freshening up the place.

Enjoy!