Blinds Guide
How to Clean Outdoor Blinds
Blinds are an integral part of any garden. They help control the amount of sunlight that enters your house; they block out rain and other debris, they add beauty to the outside of your home while helping you maintain privacy.
However, over time, even with careful use, outdoor blinds can become dirty. While cleaning them often might seem like a good idea to keep them looking their best throughout the year, doing so can be difficult because access is usually limited due to their placement on windows or door glass.
But there are ways you can get one’s exterior window blinds cleaned without causing damage through improper cleaning or having to remove them from their mounting.
5 Simple Steps to Make Your Outdoor Blinds Look New Again
Your outdoor blinds have seen better days. They’re stained, dusty, and covered in cobwebs. But before you can enjoy reading a good book or taking a nap in the sun on a warm day, they need to be cleaned!
Here’s how to clean outdoor blinds without spending too much time or money.
1. Remove the blinds from their mounting brackets.
Once you have removed the screws, take a look at how the blinds are mounted on the brackets. There should be a small tab on each end of the blind that slides into a corresponding slot on the bracket.
To remove the blind from its bracket, hold onto the slats and gently pull it out of the slot. If it is stuck, you can use a flat-head screwdriver to pry it out. Be careful not to damage the fabric or wood slats.
2. Vacuum them to remove any debris or dirt.
If you have outdoor blinds, it’s important to vacuum them regularly to remove any dirt or debris that may have been collected. This will help keep them looking their best and extend their lifespan.
To vacuum outdoor blinds, use a soft-bristled brush attachment on your vacuum cleaner. Be sure to go over all of the slats and rails thoroughly to remove any built-up dust or dirt.
3. Soak them in a bucket of warm water mixed with a little dish soap.
The best blind cleaning method to clean outdoor window blinds is in a bucket. Soaking the outdoor blinds in a bucket of warm water mixed with dish soap is an easy and effective way to clean them. The soapy water will help dissolve any dirt or dust particles, making it easier to remove them.
Be sure to rinse each slat with freshwater, scrub off any stubborn dirt or dust with a cloth towel, and wipe it clean with a dry cloth towel. Ensure that you do not leave any streaks at the end!
4. Rub them gently with a soft cloth to remove any built-up dirt or grime.
Rub the outdoor blinds gently with a soft cloth to remove any built-up dirt or grime. If you have fabric shades, try removing dust by wiping them with a damp microfiber cloth that has been dipped in warm water with just a touch of dish soap mixed in.
If your outdoor blinds are made of vinyl, use soapy water on a cotton towel or soft cloth to wipe down the slats thoroughly before rinsing with clear water and allowing them to air dry. Do not use bleach because it can damage the fabric.
If you have solar shades, take note that they should not be subjected to any kind of cleaning agent. Instead, just use a damp cloth to give them a good wipe-down every once in a while.
5. Let them air dry before re-installing them.
If you’re like most people, you probably take your outdoor blinds down for the winter. But if you don’t air dry them before re-installing them, you could be in for a nasty surprise. Mildew can grow very quickly on wet blinds, and it’s not only unsightly, but it can also be harmful to your health.
So if you’re putting your outdoor blinds back up this spring, be sure to give them plenty of time to dry out first. You may even want to set up a temporary drying station near your patio or deck. Just make sure the area is well ventilated so that the blinds can dry out properly.
5 Tips When Cleaning Your Outdoor Blinds
For those of you who have blinds outside, cleaning them can sometimes be a pain. However, it isn’t as difficult as some people assume, and if you follow these five helpful tips below.
1) Use A Pressure Washer
If possible, this is the best way to go about cleaning your outside blinds. With a pressure washer and its powerful spray nozzle, you can eliminate all dirt and grime from the surface of your window screens with ease. Although many people will attest that using soap and water works just as well (if not better), we’re going to advise against this for now until you try out the power washer.
2) Use A Small Brush
Another easy way to clean your window screens is with a small brush that you can attach to an electric drill. All you need then is to work the bristles around along the surface of your blinds in order for them to get rid of any dust, dirt, or mud stains.
3) Try Using A Dryer
For those of you who are extra lazy or don’t have access to electricity at home, one useful tip would be to let your outside blinds dry up in the sun completely before trying to wipe off any debris that’s stuck on its surface. You can also consider using old newspapers too in order for the paper particles in their hydrophobic properties to do all the work in cleaning it off easily.
4) Use Vinegar And Water
If your blinds are particularly dirty, you can try using equal parts of vinegar and water in order for the acidity in the vinegar to break up any stubborn dirt or grime particles that are stuck on it. Once you have done this, you can then go about cleaning it off with a sponge or wet rag afterward.
5) Clean Them Inside
If all else fails, you can always resort to the tried-and-tested method of removing dust from outside blinds by simply taking them down while having them cleaned indoors. This way around, you won’t have any restrictions while trying to clean your windows while also not worrying yourself over whether getting rid of stains beforehand will be too much work either.
Conclusion
Blinds are very important to keep your home looking great. They can make or break the look of a room. The outside blinds, especially on the patio, need to be cleaned often because they get dirty quickly with pollen and dust from outside. But don’t worry! Cleaning them is easy if you follow the simple steps mentioned above!
