How to Clean Different Types of Window Shades - By: Allan Michael Taylor

Cleaning is a task that many people try to avoid, but it's unavoidable if you want something to last longer. The same holds true for your window roller shades—you must keep them clean at all times since they gather dirt over time. Otherwise, your window will look as though a dirty piece of cloth is hanging on it. Worse, failure to clean your shades will cause their parts to deteriorate, resulting in a faulty window shade operation. Remember, shades are an important investment. Failure to clean your shades regularly is as good as wasting the money you have spent for them.
The following are some cleaning tips to help you deal with the dirt and dust that have built up on your window shades.

- Wood Shades. It is quite challenging to clean shades made of wood since this task requires a lot of care. Avoid washing the shades or wiping them with damp cloth because the wood may fade or warp when wet. Simply wipe away dust from wood shades' surface with a dry cloth, soft nylon brush, or feather duster. You also need to clean wood shades regularly using a vacuum cleaner. Before vacuuming the shades, take them down and put them on a towel or old newspaper.

- Aluminum Shades. Spray a mixture of water and mild detergent onto a lint-free towel. Then wipe the shades carefully, trying not to apply to much force. Wipe also the other surface of the shade. If the aluminum shade has accumulated much dirt and dust, you will have to take it down before cleaning it. Then follow the steps mentioned earlier.

- Cellular Pleated Shades. These window shades are low-maintenance window coverings. To get rid of dust, all you need is a vacuum cleaner. For thorough cleaning, wipe away dirt and dust that have gathered on the shade assembly's surface using a soft cloth drenched in lukewarm water. Wipe the shades gently especially if they have an opaque style to avoid forming wrinkles or creases on the surface. Spot clean stains on pleated shades with mild liquid soap or detergent.

- Pleated Cloth Shades. Like wood shades, pleated cloth shades are hard to clean. You must avoid using just any cleaner or detergent on pleated cloth window shades because it can form stains easily. Instead, you can use vacuum cleaner on the fabric shades to remove dust clinging on their surface. Or you can use a damp micro-fiber towel or sponge to wipe the fabric shades. Just make sure that you remove excess moisture from the shades.

- Vinyl Shades. Shades made of vinyl are the easiest ones to clean. You simply wipe dirt and dust away with damp cloth, and you're done!

- Fabric Roller Shades. Vacuum clean both the front and back areas of the shades weekly to prevent dust buildup. Noticeable stains can be removed through spot cleaning, which is done using lukewarm water and soft cloth. Every year, clean your fabric shades with a mixture of ammonia and water.

About the Author

Jessica Jarit is a home designer type, a fashionista who writes about a highly sought after home & office planner, she discusses roller shades, with all of her window shades clientele. See her shop for info.

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