Cleaning your blinds can feel like a never ending chore, as it never takes long for them to appear dusty.
You might think that vertical blinds collect less dirt and dust than horizontal blinds, but they’ll still need a good clean.They can often feel tricky to clean, as they don’t stay still, and their fabric nature can also mean they cling onto dirt well.
To help you give them a refresh and keep them looking in their best condition, we’ve put together a simple guide on how to clean your vertical blinds with ease.
Check the fabric
You might be able to put some fabric vertical blinds in the washing machine but you should also be able to wash many fabric blinds by hand.
Some may even come with their own washing instructions so make sure you give them a good read and check.
What you’ll need
Sponge - for cleaning any tough stains
Mild soap - so you don’t ruin the colour or finish of the fabric
Warm water - either in the bath or in a bucket
Vacuum cleaner with the brush attachment - this will remove any surface dust
Microfibre cloth
A flat and clean dining table to lay your blinds out on
How to clean vertical blinds
Step 1: Remove the blinds
Start by removing the blinds from the headrail. To do this, unhook your blind louvres (slats) from the headrail. Gently take your louvres down and lay them out flat. If you’re struggling to get your blinds unclipped, here’s a handy video tutorial.
Once all your blinds have been removed, give your headrail a good clean with a cloth. For any small, hard to reach areas, a can of compressed air could work well.
Step 2: Dust your blinds
With all your fabric blinds laid out on your table, use your vacuum cleaner with the brush attachment to remove as much dust and debris if you can. If there’s still some dust leftover, or if you don’t have the right attachment for your vacuum, use a damp microfiber cloth to wipe the blinds. Move the cloth in a top to bottom fashion so you don’t rub dust the wrong way.
Between cleans, you might want to simply dust your blinds with a feather duster.
Step 3: Give them a good clean
Now there’s no dust left on your blinds, you’ll want to give your blinds a good wash. Perhaps the easiest way to do this is by filling the bath with warm water and mild soap or detergent. Wash until they look nice and clean. For any stains, use a sponge and mild soap to buff away the stains. Just be sure to do a spot test in a hidden area to make sure this won’t ruin your fabric.
You could also machine wash them at 30 if you prefer. Simply roll up your blinds, place them in a pillow case to protect them and use a gentle detergent on a delicate cycle to wash.
Step 4: Dry your blinds
When you’re happy with how clean your blind are, lay them out on a flat surface to dry - this will help them keep their shape.
If you’re in a rush and need your blinds to dry quicker, use the hair dryer to dry them on a cooler setting than you would use for your hair. Don’t put them in the tumble dryer as this could ruin them.
Step 5: Hanging your blinds back up
Once completely dry, you can start hanging your blinds back up on the headrail. This can be a bit fiddly but just take your time and extra care not to damage your blinds or clips.
How often should you clean vertical blinds?
A good clean once every few months should do the trick for vertical blinds.