Totorus

Photo credit by Jinx!

Wooden blinds can add beauty to your home. They are a classic style that goes with nearly any decor, so you can keep the same set of wooden blinds up for years even as you change the look of the rest of your room. Like any other item in your home, however, they do need occasional cleaning. It is important to clean wooden blinds properly, so that they will last for many years to come.

For everyday dusting, you will just need a dust cloth or duster. You can purchase special cleaning tools that are made to fit between the slats of the blinds. However, since wooden blind slats are generally one to two inches wide, you should not have a problem dusting the individual slats with a standard duster or cloth. Just make sure to open the blinds all the way so that you can dust all the surfaces of each slat. If the blinds are especially dusty, you may use the brush attachment of a vacuum cleaner to suck up the excess dust before wiping each slat clean.

If the blinds are dirty rather than dusty, you may use a damp cloth or commercial dusting product such as Pledge or Endust. If you do choose to use a damp cloth to clean wooden blinds, be sure that it is only damp. Never use a soaking wet cloth to clean wooden blinds, as the excess moisture may cause the individual slats to warp. This will ruin the blinds and require that your replace them. You should never take wooden blinds down and submerge them in water or any liquid cleaner to clean them, as this will also cause warping to occur.

If you have small hands, you may make the job of cleaning wooden blinds go much faster and easier by wearing a pair of cotton gloves. Then simply run your hands along and around each individual slat. You may lightly moisten the gloves with water or spray them with a commercial dusting product first. By wearing gloves, you will be able to reach the entire surface of each slat and you will not have to worry about dropping the dust cloth and having to bend over to pick it up each time you drop it.

If your wooden blinds are stained rather than painted, you may choose to apply a wax product after the blinds are completely clean. Waxing your blinds will give them a luster and bring out the natural beauty of the wood. Never wax blinds that are not completely clean, however. If you do, any dirt or dust that remains on the blinds will be sealed in by the wax. This will give a dull, dirty look to your wooden blinds instead of the beauty and luster that they should have.

Wooden blinds require special care when cleaning to look their best. However, the steps necessary to properly care for your blinds are not at all difficult or time-consuming. The small amount of time and effort to clean your wooden blinds the correct way is well worth it.