Clean Dirty Blinds

How to Clean Aluminum Blinds Safely

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If you have aluminum blinds on your windows, you know how great they can look and how effective they are at filtering the light for your home or office. Aluminum blinds in Thousand Oaks are sturdy, long-lasting and beautiful, keeping your carpeting and furniture from fading and letting the light in where you want. Unfortunately, everything gets dirty over time from dust particles and other airborne debris. When you are ready to clean your aluminum blinds in Thousand Oaks, here are the tips you need to keep them looking fresh without any damage to them.

Clean Dirty Blinds

Ways to Clean Aluminum Blinds

Dusting Your Blinds

Dust is insidious. It gets everywhere. And your blinds are perfectly positioned to catch dust particles as they float through the air. You can keep your blinds dust-free by following these tips:

  • Dust blinds regularly or use the small head of your vacuum to gather up the loose particles from each slat.
  • If your blinds are horizontal, it is best to work top to bottom because dust from the top slats may fall on lower ones.
  • For vertical blinds, work left to right to remove dust particles.
  • Use a microfiber cloth, brush attachment on your vacuum or any duster that can fit in between the slats and collect the dust on the duster.
  • If your blinds are hung incorrectly, they may pull off while you are cleaning them. Just be aware, and you will not be surprised when this happens.

 

Cleaning Dirty Blinds effectively

Washing Your Blinds

Okay, you have removed the dust. Now it is time to wash the blinds. Oils and dirt can collect on blinds and form a sticky residue. If you dust regularly, you will have less residue to clean because it won’t have time to settle and attach to the blinds. Here are some tips to help you wash your blinds.

  • Wash the blinds two or three times a year to keep them at their cleanest.
  • To create a mild cleaning solution, take three drops of dishwashing liquid and put it into a bucket. Then fill the bucket with warm water.
  • Using a small microfiber cloth, soak it in the solution then ring it out until it is damp.
  • Twist the blind so that the slats are lying flat, slightly facing upwards in your direction. Then starting at one end, pinch the microfiber cloth around each slate to wipe it clean.
  • You can also use an alternate method of starting in the center of each slat and then moving to each end while cleaning.
  • You may be surprised at how dirty your blinds have gotten! For stubborn dirt such as nicotine stains, grease or food-born residue, add a tablespoon of baking soda to the solution and it should break it up.
  • Using this method, you can clean your blinds while they are hanging, and not worry about taking them down and re-hanging them.
  • This cleaning method also works on vinyl mini blinds and full sized blinds.
Mini Blinds Santa Barbara Home

Why You Should Choose Mini blinds For Your Home in Santa Barbara

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The culture in Santa Barbara has a feel of casual sophistication, and resident like to carry that feeling into their homes by choosing the right mini blinds that will convey their style. Mini blinds are a popular option because of their versatility to fit in nearly any windows, look great either as stand alone window coverings or paired with curtains, and are fitting for a variety of budgets.

Mini Blinds Santa Barbara Home

Living in Santa Barbara

For those who enjoy spending time outdoors, there are few places that are more ideal than Santa Barbara.The average temperature throughout the year hovers near 70 degrees, and it boast views of both the mountains and the sea. The vast majority of the time it is sunny in Santa Barbara — as many as 300 days in the year. Rainfall typically adds up to 15 inches throughout the year and would be ocean storms tend to be broken up by the Channel Islands, which are 20-30 miles off the coast.

Popular activities include whale watching, winery tours, trolley rides, biking, kayaking, surfing, horseback riding and visits to the Botanic Gardens or Santa Barbara Zoo.

Finding the Best Blinds

Some people think if horizontal blinds and recall crooked and bent white aluminum blinds that may have hung in their first apartment. While these mini blinds in santa barbara still exist, no one should have to settle for them when there are better options available that are still affordable.

Blinds come in many styles and materials including vinyl, fabric, wood, and other alternative materials. Flexibility is a great characteristic of both horizontal and vertical blinds. Shades and curtains, while still great choices, expose a single block of window space when they are open or partially open. Mini blinds use overlapping louvers that can be spaced to let in however much light is desired at the moment, while still maintaining a level of privacy. Blind cords have also become safer, and many can be made without cords at all by making the blinds motorized where they can be adjusted from across the room. Some are even programmable to adjust at different times of the day, which may help deter would be thieves when homeowners are on vacation.

Wood and Faux Wood Blinds

Wood blinds are the most expensive, and certainly carry a feeling of sophistication with them. Still, even though they may cost more upfront, many consider these type of Santa Barbara blinds a must have due to their high durability, easy maintenance and beauty that lasts for many years.

Those who love the look of wood, but still need to find budget blinds in Santa Barbara often look to faux wood blinds to create the look at a lower cost. They are also highly durable, provide additional insulation, and come in many different textures and finishes. When custom made, homeowners can choose the width of the louvers in order to define the look. Many like to highlight the look of their blinds with cornice boxes and valances in colors to fit their decor.

Vinyl and Other Materials

Vinyl mini blinds in Santa Barbara are especially budget friendly, and are great for rooms with more moisture, such as bathrooms, kitchens, and laundry rooms. But any room can look great with vinyl mini blinds, which come in both horizontal and vertical varieties and are easy to clean.

Fabric and Levolor blinds are a popular choice for those who want the richness and warmth of fabric in the decor of their Santa Barbara home, while still keeping the control of blinds. Hybrid blinds, made with a mixture of fabric and vinyl will keep some of the rigidness of vinyl blinds while incorporating the softness of fabric.

In some areas, reflecting the light may be the most suitable option. Mirrored blinds are great for these areas and can add a real contemporary flair to a room.

With many options to choose from, it is always good to have direction from professionals that know the benefits of different window coverings and how they work within a home. Whatever style is chosen, having blinds custom made and professionally installed will ensure that they will work as intended.