How to clean every type of blind and shade

Short answer: Most blinds and shades need only regular dusting with a microfibre cloth or a vacuum on low with a soft brush attachment. Hard blinds (faux wood, aluminum, vinyl) can be wiped with a damp cloth and mild soap. Fabric shades should be spot-cleaned gently and never soaked. Real wood should stay dry.

Key takeaways

• Dust every two to four weeks; deep clean once or twice a year.
• Vacuum on low with a brush attachment works for almost everything.
• Water is fine on faux wood and aluminum, not on real wood.
• Spot-clean fabric; never soak, scrub hard or machine wash.
• Let anything damp dry fully before raising it.

The basics for every blind

• Tools: microfibre cloths, a vacuum with a soft brush attachment, a bowl of warm water with a drop of mild dish soap, and a clean dry towel.
• Never use: bleach, ammonia, abrasive cleaners, scrub brushes, or steam on fabric shades and wood.
• Test first: try any damp cleaning on a hidden corner.
• Motorized shades: keep water away from the motor end and the battery or charging port.

Roller and solar shades

1. Lower the shade fully.
2. Vacuum on low with a brush attachment, top to bottom, or wipe with a dry microfibre cloth.
3. Spot-clean marks with a cloth dampened with mild soapy water. Dab, do not rub.
4. Rinse the area with a clean damp cloth.
5. Leave it fully lowered until completely dry.

Vinyl-coated and polyester fabrics tolerate gentle damp wiping well.

Cellular (honeycomb) shades

1. Lower the shade fully.
2. Vacuum on low with a brush attachment, following the pleats.
3. Blow dust out of the cells with a hair dryer on the cool setting, or compressed air held at a distance.
4. Spot-clean gently with a barely damp cloth and mild soap.
5. Do not soak or immerse.

Zebra blinds

1. Open the bands so you can reach both layers.
2. Vacuum on low or dust with microfibre.
3. Spot-clean with a damp cloth and mild soap. Do not soak.

Sheer shades

These are delicate.

1. Dust with a feather duster or vacuum on the lowest setting with a soft brush.
2. Spot-clean only, very gently, with a barely damp cloth.

Roman shades

1. Vacuum on low with a brush attachment, including inside the folds.
2. Spot-clean with mild soap and water, tested first.
3. Lined Roman shades should generally be professionally cleaned rather than washed. Ask us.

Faux wood blinds

1. Close the slats one way and dust or vacuum; then close them the other way and repeat.
2. For a deeper clean, wipe each slat with a cloth dampened in warm soapy water.
3. Dry with a towel.

Real wood blinds

1. Close the slats and dust with microfibre or a soft duster; repeat with slats closed the other way.
2. Use furniture-safe wood cleaner sparingly on a cloth if needed.
3. Avoid water. If a slat gets wet, dry it straight away.

Aluminum blinds

1. Dust or vacuum with slats closed each way.
2. Wipe with a damp soapy cloth and dry.
3. Avoid bending slats while cleaning; a microfibre glove makes it easy.

Vertical blinds

1. Rotate the vanes closed.
2. Dust or vacuum top to bottom.
3. PVC vanes can be wiped with a damp soapy cloth. Fabric vanes should be spot-cleaned only.

How often

When cleaning will not fix it

Yellowing, brittle or sun-rotted fabric, broken lift cords, and mould that keeps coming back usually mean it is time to replace. How long do blinds last?

How we approach this at Atlantic Shades

When we install, we leave care instructions for each product and show you how to dust without damaging anything. If a stain will not come out or something is not working, call us before you try anything drastic.

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Related: Condensation and mould behind blinds · How long do blinds last? · Wood vs faux wood blinds