Whether your window treatments in your home are blinds, shades, shutters, or drapery, you want to keep them clean to remove dust, dirt, stains, and allergens.
Routinely cleaning window coverings will make them last longer, give you better indoor air quality, and keep them looking brand new for much longer.
We’ll dive deeper into the specific frequencies of cleaning window coverings for each type of window treatment and provide tips on keeping them looking their best. So, whether you’re dealing with dust, dirt, or stains, we’ve got you covered.
Frequency For Cleaning Window Coverings
A general rule of thumb is to clean your window treatments when you clean your home, commonly every one to two weeks.
You can make this a part of the routine cleaning when you vacuum and dust your home. It depends on how quickly they accumulate dust and the design, material, and orientation of your window coverings.
You should also deep clean your window treatments about once a year to coincide with your spring cleaning.
Tips for Cleaning Window Coverings
Different types of window treatments and the materials they are made from have different routine cleaning window coverings methods.
A. Blinds
Materials you will need to clean blinds include a feather duster, a brush attachment for your vacuum cleaner, an old sock, and wood spray polish.
1. Aluminum or Vinyl Blinds
Aluminum and vinyl blinds are quite popular in homes. Routine cleaning window coverings, in general, is very simple. You merely close the blinds, slightly open the slats, and use a feather duster to dust each slat. You may instead put an old sock on your hand and wipe it across each slat to clean them.
2. Horizontal Blinds
Your horizontal blinds of any other type of materials can be cleaned in the same manner as aluminum and vinyl blinds.
3. Vertical Blinds
Vertical blinds attract less dust than the horizontal orientation because they don’t have flat surfaces to catch the dust. Clean your vertical blinds with a feather duster or a brush attachment on a vacuum cleaner in a downward motion from top to bottom on each slat.
4. Wood Blinds and Shutters
Wood blinds can be cleaned using the same method as any other type of horizontal blinds. You extend them down, slightly open the slats, and wipe them down with a feather duster or an old sock.
Tips From The Professionals
Ensure never to use water on wood blinds, as even a bit of moisture can cause the wood structure to become inferior. It can cause bending, bowing, and breaking over time. Instead, on wood blinds and shutters, you can treat them with a wood spray polish on a soft cloth to keep them shiny and in pristine condition.
You can also spot clean any type of blinds in your home with either a soft, clean cloth or sponge that is dipped into a mixture of mild dish soap and warm water and wrung it out thoroughly. You can dab at a stain or lightly clean each slat and then open them to air dry completely.
B. Shades
Materials needed to clean window shades include a feather duster, a brush attachment on your vacuum cleaner, a soft cloth, mild detergent or dish soap, and a hair dryer.
1. Cellular or Honeycomb Shades
Cellular or honeycomb shades are quite delicate in design. Pull them down entirely to remove dust, and use a feather duster on them or your vacuum cleaner with a brush attachment.
2. Roller Shades
Roller shades use the same basic idea for routine cleaning as cellular or honeycomb shades by using a swiffer, a feather duster, or the vacuum cleaner’s brush attachment.
3. Roman Shades
Roman shades are often made of luxurious and thick fabrics, and they can be made in many different styles with pleats, swags and ties.
The best way to clean these is to let a professional do it for you because the fabric and styles vary so much. If you only want to spot clean them, you can remove them, place them on a flat surface, and then use a soft cloth with mild dish soap and warm water to blot any spots on them.
Tips From The Professionals
You can clean your window treatments using a hair dryer on your cellular or honeycomb shades to blow any dust, debris, or bugs out of the air pockets from one side of the shade. Be careful not to bend or crack your honeycomb shades, or you will lose much of the energy efficiency benefits they offer you.
If you remove your Roman shades from the window to clean them, make sure that you let them air dry completely before you hang them back up.
C. Drapery, Curtains, and Valances
These items are where the cleaning processes vary greatly depending on the fabric your custom drapery is made of. Some fabrics can be thrown in the washer and dryer, while others would be professionally cleaned.
Materials needed for cleaning these types of window treatments include a feather duster, a brush attachment for your vacuum, mild dish soap and warm water, and a soft cloth.
Use the delicate cycle on the washer and warm water if your fabric window treatments are machine washable. If you can tumble dry them at home, use a delicate cycle as well. More sturdy fabrics, such as cotton, can usually machine wash.
The cleaning process for fabric window coverings that are not machine washable and dryable is similar to that of other window coverings. Dust or vacuum them on both sides and spot treat as necessary for stains.
Tips From The Professionals
Pay close attention to the top of the window treatments as this is where the most dust will settle.
Some fabrics, such as silk, linens, embroidered fabrics and those containing layers and linings should be professionally cleaned for the best results.
The style of these fabric window treatments may dictate that you can’t clean them well at home. It includes balloon shades, swags, and cascades, among others, with embellishments. These items should be professionally steam cleaned.
Takeaway
The basic cleaning method for window treatments is the same in most cases. You mainly keep them looking great by dusting them in some manner when you clean your home.
If you have heavy stains, you may need more than your home cleaning, and you will require deep cleaning with a professional for the best results.
It’s essential when you are buying new custom-made window treatments to consider how much care and maintenance your new style will take. You should also consider allergy sufferers and if you have pets that can leave dander and hair on your window treatments.
Beyond Shades offers a FREE consultation with an experienced designer who considers all factors to help you choose and design the perfect window shading solution for your exact situation. We have a huge variety of fabrics and styles that are easy-care products and aesthetically pleasing.
