Last update: 7 days ago
Venetian blinds are one of the most widely used window coverings. These blinds can make your home look splendid and add class and elegance to it. Unfortunately, while these are very useful and convenient, they require regular maintenance. To keep them in top condition, you need to clean them regularly. This article will give you directions on how to clean your Venetian blinds to achieve that goal.
But don’t think for a second that this is a regular, how-to cleaning article. This complete Venetian blind cleaning guide covers every type of blind and connects them to the appropriate cleaning method.
How to lightly clean your Venetian blinds
You can use this method for regularly sprucing up your blinds every week or two, especially if you live in a highly dusty location.
- Step 1: Close the blinds flat – Start by tilting the blinds so they sit completely flat — not open, not angled halfway. This gives you a smooth surface to work with instead of chasing individual slats at weird angles. It also stops them from bending while you clean, which happens more easily than you’d think. Take a second to check the direction. You’ll clean one side first, then flip them later.
- Step 2: Dust with a microfibre cloth or duster – Grab a microfibre cloth (or a proper blind duster if you have one) and run it gently across each slat. No need to press hard — the goal here is to lift dust, not grind it in. Work from top to bottom. Dust falls downward, so if you start at the bottom, you’ll just undo your own work. If the blinds haven’t been touched in a while, you’ll notice the dust comes off in that slightly fluffy, grey way. That’s normal… just a bit grim.
- Step 3: Use a vacuum for faster results – This step is optional, but if you want to speed things up, use a vacuum with a brush attachment. This is especially handy if you’ve got wide blinds or a lot of windows to get through. Keep the suction on the lower side and move gently across the slats. Too much force can rattle or bend them, especially older aluminium or PVC ones. It’s not essential, but it does make the job feel a lot less tedious.
- Step 4: Flip and repeat – Once one side is done, tilt the blinds the other way and repeat the process. This part’s easy to skip, but it makes a difference — dust settles on both sides over time, even if one side looks cleaner. Give them a quick once-over again, and you’re done.
This whole process takes maybe 5–10 minutes, and it’s the easiest way to keep blinds looking decent without turning it into a full cleaning job.
Deep cleaning your Venetian blinds the easy way
This is where a quick dust just doesn’t cut it when cleaning your Venetian blinds. If they feel a bit sticky, look dull, or have visible marks, you’re dealing with build-up — not just dust. It’s still an easy job, just a bit more hands-on.
1. Dust first
It’s tempting to jump straight in with water, but don’t. If you skip this step, you’ll turn dry dust into a muddy mess that smears across every slat.
Give the blinds a quick once-over using a microfibre cloth or vacuum first. It doesn’t have to be perfect — just remove the loose stuff so you’re not making things worse in the next step.
2. Prepare a simple cleaning solution
You don’t need anything fancy here. A bucket of warm water with a small amount of dishwashing liquid works perfectly.
If you prefer a natural option, a bit of vinegar mixed with water does the job too — especially if there’s light grease involved. Keep it mild. Strong chemicals might seem like a good idea, but they can damage the finish or leave weird streaks.
3. Wipe each slat properly
Dip your cloth (or an old sock — surprisingly effective), wring it out well, and start wiping each slat.
The trick is to clean both sides at once. You can pinch the slat gently between your fingers with the cloth and slide across. It’s quicker and feels less like a chore.
Work methodically from top to bottom. If you jump around, you’ll miss spots — or worse, clean the same ones twice.
4. Remove stubborn spots
Some spots won’t budge on the first pass — usually where there’s grease or built-up grime.
Go back over those areas with a slightly firmer wipe, but don’t scrub aggressively. Venetian blinds aren’t built for that kind of treatment, and it’s very easy to bend a slat without meaning to.
A second pass usually does the trick.
5. Dry each slat
This part gets ignored all the time, and it shows. Leaving blinds damp leads to streaks, water marks, or even mould over time. Use a dry cloth to go over them lightly once you’re done. It only takes a couple of extra minutes and makes a noticeable difference.
How to clean Venetian blinds in the bath
Sometimes the blinds are just too far gone. Dust, grease, mystery spots… all layered together. At that point, wiping each slat feels pointless. That’s when the bath method makes sense.
It’s more effort, sure — but it gets them properly clean in one go.
- Step 1: Take the blinds down carefully – Before you do anything, take a minute to remove the blinds properly. Don’t rush this part. Unclip or unscrew them gently and keep the cords from tangling. Venetian blinds can be a bit awkward, and if you twist or yank them, you’ll end up with bent slats or a mechanism that never works the same again. Lay them flat once they’re down so they don’t warp.
- Step 2: Fill the bath with warm soapy water – Fill your bathtub with warm water and add a small amount of dishwashing liquid. Nothing too strong — you don’t need a bubble bath situation. Warm water helps loosen dirt and grease, which is exactly what you want at this stage. Make sure there’s enough water to fully submerge the blinds.
- Step 3: Let them soak – Place the blinds in the bath and let them soak for about 20–30 minutes. This is where the magic happens. The soaking does most of the hard work for you, loosening built-up grime so you’re not scrubbing for ages later. If they’re especially dirty, you’ll probably see the water change colour fairly quickly… not the most satisfying sight, but a good sign it’s working.
- Step 4: Gently clean and rinse – After soaking, go over the blinds lightly with a soft cloth or sponge. You’ll notice most of the dirt comes off easily now. Once done, rinse them thoroughly with clean water — either using the shower head or fresh bath water. Leftover soap can leave marks, so don’t rush this part.
- Step 5: Dry completely before reinstalling – This is the step that really matters. Lift the blinds out carefully and let the water drain off, then dry them with a towel and leave them somewhere airy to finish drying completely. If you put them back up while still damp, you’re asking for streaks, mildew, or even damage over time.
How to clean different types of Venetian blinds
There are many sorts of Venetian blinds, and all of them require a specific cleaning approach. To make things easier for you, we have divided the types of Venetian blinds by material and described a step-by-step process to clean them. So, let’s start with the first type:
Wooden Venetian blinds
Cleaning wooden Venetian blinds can be a difficult task. These kinds of blinds are made out of natural wood that is usually finished with a coat that is often oil-based. This means that it will be difficult to remove the dust and dirt from this kind of material. However, complicated doesn’t mean impossible. With that in mind, here is how to safely clean your wooden Venetian blinds:
- Use a clean and damp microfiber cloth. Do not use something that is either abrasive or too wet. Make sure that it will not leave any streaks when you use it on the blinds, as well.
- Start cleaning from the top of the blinds and then slowly work your way down until you have cleaned all of them. Make sure that you are doing this carefully, as any amount of force can cause some damage to the wood, which is something that you definitely don’t want.
- Use the dry side of this cloth for the dustier areas of the blinds, and then use the wet side for those areas that have become dirty. They may be covered with fingerprints or some other greasy substance that has been left there by mistake.
- If the blinds are REALLY dirty, consider using a specially made cleaner that will help you clean and preserve your wooden Venetian blinds. These different types of cleaners usually clean all sorts of surfaces, such as glass or wood.
Faux wood blinds
Next, come the Faux wood blinds, which are not any harder to clean. Here are some pointers to follow:
- Start off by turning the blinds inside out so you can easily clean the fabric on the back of the blinds, then vacuum them thoroughly using a long hose attachment. It is important to vacuum them prior to washing so that the dust will be removed.
- After you’ve removed the dust from the blinds, it’s time for the heavy-duty cleaning. Mix a bit of dishwashing detergent with a small amount of warm water. It is a good idea to wear rubber gloves for this process just in case it gets too messy.
- Start by wetting the blinds using a spray bottle and then apply the detergent and water mix liberally on the blinds
- Scrub the blinds down with a sponge. Do this until you feel that they are clean. It’s important not to overdo this part in order to avoid damaging the wood slats.
- Remove the soap residue. You can use a wet rag and wipe down the blinds until they are clean.
- Finally, you’ll want to make sure that everything is dry, so take a dry cloth and run it through each swab.
Aluminium Venetian blinds
Cleaning aluminium Venetian blinds is a bit of a tricky process, especially if you have never done it. But if you follow these steps, you should be able to do it with no problems.
First, you should clean the inside of the blinds with a cloth that has been dampened in warm water and detergent. This will remove any dust and dirt build-up that might have accumulated over time, so it is very important to do this step correctly.
Once you have cleaned the inner sides of the blinds, it’s essential to clean the external sides, too. All you need to do is repeat the same process that we’ve just described for the outer parts.
After you have cleaned the Venetian blinds, you will need to get a specifically used cloth for cleaning glass. You can then use this to wipe the outside of the aluminium slats down, and it should remove any smudges or marks that have been left.
Takeaways
- You need to be extra careful when cleaning your Venetian blinds – you don’t want to damage the material, regardless of what it is.
- Always dust the blinds before you apply any kind of moisture.
- Use mild detergents, again, so you don’t end up with stained or mouldy spots.
- Make sure to dry off your Venetian blinds as best as you can before using them again.
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