Care and maintenance is a big part of ownership for any product, and your window coverings are no exception. Lets face it, window coverings can be a big expense, so we would like to share with you some tips and tricks to keeping them looking and working their best for years to come!
Just like your windows and carpets, its important to keep your window coverings clean and free of dirt and general soiling.
Honeycomb, Cellular Shades and other soft treatments, including Solar Shades
These shade products are made of man made or natural fabrics and are susceptible to stains, mildew, water spots etc. It is important to keep these products clean for the longest possible life.
Fabric window coverings should be vacuumed regularly to keep them free from the buildup of household dirt and allergens.
Spot cleaning with a mild detergent or soap solution can keep them free of moth spots, pencil marks or other small household stains (sticky fingers, grease etc.)
Larger stains or overall soiling should be address by a professional. The Ultrasonic Blind Cleaning method we use is safe for most soft products and makes removing most stains and environmental soiling fast with great end results. Read more about this service.
Inspect for damaged cords or worn plastic guides annually. If wear is noted on cording or visible grooving is noted on plastic guides or wear surfaces, the product should be professionally inspected and repaired. We provide repair services and are happy to help you with your repairs. You can trust our expertise in repairing your window coverings.
Inspect for broken or poorly fitted child safety tassels. Most tassels these days are break away style, which means they are two parts designed to break away in the event a child or animal becomes trapped. DO NOT tape, glue, or solidly attach the two components. If your break away tassels are no longer connecting properly, please contact us for replacements.
Mini Blinds, Faux Wood Blinds
Mini blinds and faux woods with their horizontal slats are like magnets for dust. When new, most contain treatments to reduce the static attraction, but as they age these treatments fade and become ineffective.
We recommend a regular dusting routine to reduce dust collection on horizontal surfaces. There are special products you can buy to assist in the dusting effort, but we do not recommend them as hand towels or ordinary dusting tools work great with no added expense.
Tassel cords get a lot of use, and will often soil where hand contact is made. We recommend a spot cleaning of these cords with a degreaser (Simple Green works great) and a Terry towel as needed, to keep those cords looking fresh!
Open headrails on these products collect lots of dust, bugs and household “stuff”. We recommend a yearly removal of the blind and vacuuming of the internal headrail area to keep the mechanisms clean and free of obstruction. This also allows for an in depth inspection of the internal mechanisms.
If you have waited too long, and the dust seems insurmountable, Ultrasonic Blind Cleaning works amazing on these products and will quickly eliminate dust and dirt and bring back the shine of most metal and faux wood products!
Inspect for damaged cords or worn plastic guides annually. If wear is noted on cording or visible grooving is noted on plastic guides or wear surfaces, the product should be professionally inspected and repaired.
Once again, it’s important to inspect for broken or poorly fitted child safety tassels. The design is similar to shad tassels in that newer models will break away in case a child or animal is trapped. DO NOT tape, glue or solidly attach the two components. If your break away tassels are broken, please contact us for replacements.
Wood blinds/ Shutters/ Natural products (i.e. woven woods)
Because wood is a natural material, we recommend limiting water or cleaning agent exposure of these products, which means no submersion into water, tubs or letting any cleaning solution sit on the product for more than 60 seconds. If the finish of wood blinds or shutters are older and have started to “check” (small hairline cracks visible), they will absorb water and the remaining finish can flake away when the wood dries.
Hand cleaning is the only safe method for wood products and usually involves a thorough dusting with a follow up of a degreaser wipe (degreaser on a towel, that has been well rung out so it’s not too wet.) Natural products can be very labor intensive to clean, and we are happy to assist when needed!
Inspect for damaged cords or worn plastic guides annually. If wear is noted on cording, or visible grooving is noted on plastic guides or wear surfaces, the product should be professionally inspected and repaired.
Inspect for broken or poorly fitted child safety tassels. Most tassels these days are break away style, which means they are two parts, designed to break away in the event a child or animal becomes trapped. DO NOT tape, glue or solidly attach the two components. If your break away tassels are broken, please contact us for replacements.
Motorized products
Many products today are motorized for safety and user comfort. They are great products and when maintained can last a long time.
Motorized products should be inspected annually for proper function. Since most residential motorized products are battery operated, batteries should be inspected at the same time as your condition check. Replace batteries that are corroded, swelling or showing signs of weak power output.
Spot cleaning is the best method for cleaning motorized products since these products should NOT be submerged in an Ultrasonic Blind Cleaning tank.
If you have any questions regarding the care and maintenance of your motorized products please call us or contact us.
With the proper use and care of your products, your investment can last many, many years. If you have any questions regarding proper maintenance , please do not hesitate to contact us. We stock repair parts for most products and are experts in cleaning and restoration of your window coverings. If you feel more comfortable sending your product in for repair, learn about our mail-in repair program.
