Window blinds adorn your space, enhance your privacy, and help you regulate the amount of light that gets into your room. But over time, they can gather a lot of dust and debris, especially if they face the busy street side.
Dust can rob your blinds of their beauty and cause health problems to you and your family. It can also be home to undesirable microorganisms that further affect your health negatively. So, you need to clean your blinds regularly.
Putting them down and scrubbing them may be both tiresome and time-consuming, especially if you have to do it weekly. Likewise, dusting them using a damp cloth may only get rid of dust and leave other dirt on the surface.
So what’s the easiest way to clean blinds? Can I steam clean my blinds? We hear you ask, and we have all the answers.
Quick Navigation
Can I Use A Steam Cleaner On My Blinds?
Yes, you can steam clean blinds to get rid of dust, allergens, grime, and bacteria to mention a few. Whether you’re dealing with vertical or slatted blinds, steam cleaning will get the work done perfectly.
Is Steam Cleaning Safe For All Blinds?
The answer depends on many factors, including the type of blinds you have and how much heat you’re using on them. For example, it’s dangerous to spend a lot of time on vinyl blinds because they can get damaged in excess heat.
And if you’re asking, “Can I use a steam cleaner on fabric blinds,” the answer is yes, but you must be able to control the amount of heat that goes onto the surface of the blinds.
So, the best advice is that you should perform a test on a small area of the blind before steam cleaning it as a whole. If the test goes well, you can proceed. Meanwhile, check the instructions that came with your steam cleaner to see if it’s safe to use with fabrics and or vinyl.
How do You Clean Blinds With A Steam Cleaner: Step-by-Step Instructions
Many people do not know how to correctly steam clean blinds using a steam cleaner. We describe the process for you below. And yes, the process below works for all types of blinds; vertical, Venetian, horizontal, and others. Here we go:
- Prepare your machine by adding the recommended amount of water to the reservoir. Always use distilled water because it’s safe for all types of steam cleaners.
- Connect the provided brush attachment to the end of the hose and plug in the machine to start heating the water. Wait for around 10 minutes for the water to heat to the right temperature.
- Perform a test on a small section of the blinds to ensure that there won’t be any damage.
- If you’re dealing with horizontal blinds, move the steam cleaner across in a distinct pattern to ensure that you cover the whole surface in the end. For vertical blinds, use up-to-down movements.
- Wipe down any residual dust and moisture remaining on the surface of your blinds after cleaning using a clean piece of towel.
- If you’re done with one side, turn to the other side of the blinds and repeat the process. In case water inside the steam cleaner is depleted, add more and repeat the steps from ‘1’ above.
Best Steam Cleaners For Blinds
There are various types of steam cleaners for use in different cleaning situations. For window blinds, we recommend the following types:
1. Steam Cleaners With Detail Brushes
Steam cleaners that come with different types of detail brushes are the best. They help you disinfect your blinds faster and more efficiently. Always remember to attach a detail brush that does not destroy the fabrics of your blinds and do the scrubbing carefully.
2. Steam Cleaners With A HEPA Filter
A HEPA filter increases the cleaning capabilities of your steam cleaner by removing very small particles from the surface. When the steam cleaner is done loosening dirt, grime, and other small particles, the HEPA vacuum will pick them up.
The advantage of this filter is that it can pick up even the smallest particles, including pollen, mites, and allergens. That’s why recommend it.
3. Vacuum And Brush Attachment
A vacuum and Brush attachment works best to get rid of the most stubborn dirt and grime. You should get a steam cleaner with this type of attachment, especially if your blinds are always exposed to more dust.
Can I Use Vinegar with A Steam Cleaner For My Blinds?
Some people use steam cleaners with vinegar to enhance the machine’s cleaning capacity. But most manufacturers do not recommend this as steam alone has enough power to remove all types of dirt, dust, and bacteria. What’s more, vinegar has corrosive effects on some surfaces, like the surface of Venetian blinds.
We advise that you use distilled water only to clean your window blinds. But if you strongly feel that steam alone may not remove the dirt, check with the manufacturer before using any type of chemical solution on your machine.
The Bottom Line
You can clean your blinds by dusting, vacuuming, washing, and steam cleaning. Of course, steam cleaning is the best of all as it not only cleans but also sanitizes and deodorizes your blinds. It’s also the fastest method as you don’t have to put down the blinds before cleaning, and very little effort is needed for the process. Do it regularly and you’ll make your blinds look new again while making them live longer.
