Spring Cleaning Tips for Window Treatments
It’s Spring. The robins are singing, the rain is pouring, and the flowers are slowly unfurling. Make cleaning your window treatments part of your Spring Cleaning to-do list to keep your blinds, shades, and shutters looking great. At Barrington Draperies & Shutters near Barrington, Illinois, we carry custom Hunter Douglas window treatments that can transform the light, privacy, and style of your home. Learn how to clean blinds and fabric window shades.
How to Clean Blinds
Different blinds have different requirements to keep them clean and operating effectively. We carry Hunter Douglas wood, faux wood, metal, fabric, and vertical blinds.
For your spring cleaning, here’s the best way to clean your blinds:
- Step 1: Lower Venetian blinds all the way down and close them most of the way.
- Step 2: Use a soft, clean cloth, a dust cloth, or a feather duster to brush off the slats. Leaving them slightly open allows you to remove dust from the full surface. You can also use a vacuum brush.
- Step 3: From here, there are different steps for some blinds.
For Parkland® Wood Blinds, protect the wood and make it shine with lemon oil or another wood preservative.
For EverWood® Faux Woods Blinds, rub them down with dryer sheets to repel dust and reduce static cling.
For Modern Precious Metals® Mini Blinds, spray a soft cloth with an over-the-counter blinds cleaner and wipe them down. For a deep spring cleaning, consider immersing your aluminum blinds in a lukewarm bath with mild detergent and swirling them around for 5 minutes. Check to make sure this will not damage your headrail before you begin.
How to Clean Fabric Window Shades
How to clean fabric window shades depends on the shade style and the type of fabric you’ve selected. We carry Roman, roller, cellular, woven, sheer, and vertical shades. For your Spring cleaning, the best way to clean your fabric shades is as follows.
- Step 1: Lower your shades all the way down. If you have dual shades, take turns lowering them.
- Step 2: Dust your shades with a feather duster or similar appliance. Avoid a dust mitt as it can damage light-dimming fabrics.
- Step 3: Use a vacuum brush attachment and gently vacuum the fabric
- Step 4: Carefully spot-clean shades with a sponge or a soft cloth. Use lukewarm water and blot the fabric. If necessary, use a mild detergent. Do not rub the fabric.
- Step 5: For a truly deep clean, contact a cleaning company to perform injections and extractions on the fabric. This can be done in your home.
- Step 6: For some shades, you should take additional steps.
For cellular shades, it’s important to clean out the honeycomb-shaped cell by using a blow dryer on the cool setting or compressed air. This removes trapped bugs and dust.
Contact Us for Hunter Douglas Window Treatments near Barrington, IL
When you’re ready for new window treatments, we can help you infuse your home with your personality and style. At Barrington Draperies & Shutters near Barrington, Illinois, we’ll work with you to choose custom Hunter Douglas window treatments in the styles, materials, and fabrics that bring your vision to life. We also carry Hunter Douglas shutters, custom drapery, and custom bedding, and offer upholstery services.
To request a consultation, call (846) 382-7111 or complete our contact form. We proudly serve Barrington, Palatine, Kildeer, IL, and the Northwest Chicagoland area.