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How to Clean Faux Wood Blinds That Have Yellowed

How to Clean Faux Wood Blinds That Have Yellowed

THIS POST MAY CONTAIN AFFILIATE LINKS. PLEASE READ MY DISCLOSURE FOR MORE INFO.

Blinds go in front of the window to keep out the sun and the glare of the sunrays. They in fact protect your home and furniture that could discolour your upholstery or carpets.

Waking up to natural light peeping into your room through your blinds is the most beautiful way to begin your day. Unfortunately, the beautiful moment is short-lived when you suddenly breathe in the dust that has accumulated on your faux wooden blinds. Keeping your blinds clean as part of your daily cleaning routine may seem like a boring and repetitive thing to do.

To clean your faux wood blinds that have yellowed you will need equal parts bleach to water. Fill a bathtub with the equal part mixture and place your blinds into the bath to soak and they will turn white again.

However, it’s surprisingly easy to wipe down your wooden blinds once you have the right equipment and cleaning routine for any room that has blinds covering the window.  Learning how to clean blinds improves the general air-quality of your home.  Once you have your blind cleaning equipment you’ll enjoy waking up to clean air and no sneezing.

Why do faux wooden blinds turn yellow?

Usually, faux blinds are made of polyvinylchloride (PVC), vinyl, or composite which is a mixture of polymers. The materials are resilient and don’t warp. You can identify faux wood by the similar and repetitive manufactured grain patterns on each slat. Generally, you can use most cleaners with faux wood.

However, it’s wise to avoid harsh detergents to clean faux wooden blinds.  

Your blinds are exposed to Ultraviolet light (UV), the UV light could turn the blinds a yellowy colour over time. Then there are indoor pollutants like the smoke from cigarettes that also affect the colour of the faux wood blinds.

Time turns faux blinds yellow over a period of time due to a chemical reaction that occurs when the blind is exposed to light, oils, and other chemicals present in the air. There are numerous ways to get rid of this discoloration and return your blinds to look as if they have been newly installed. The method you decide on will suit you and the specific blinds that you would like to refurbish.

There are different ways from easy to more difficult. Go through each method to find the right one for your particular project. There are some methods that are more practical when used on a larger scale and then others that are ideal for smaller projects.

Depending on why your blinds have turned yellow, you need to find the most suitable way of getting the desired result.

Regular maintenance of your faux wooden blinds will keep them looking good for a longer period of time.

Regularly Dust Your Blinds

Just as real wood, faux blinds require regular dusting. It prevents dust and dander accumulation over time. Use a soft cloth or microfiber mitt weekly. Alternatively, especially if you have pets, you can use a vacuum with a brush attachment. 

If your faux wood blinds are in a very active area like your kitchen or breakfast nook, you may want to clean them beyond just dusting.  Periodically wiping them down with a mild cleaning solution will keep them looking fresh and sparkling clean.

  • Create a regular cleaning schedule that includes dusting your blinds. 
  • For this, grab a soft cloth, microfiber mitt or feather duster. If really dusty with pet dander or carpet fuzz, use a vacuum with an upholstery brush.
  • Close your blinds so that the slats are flat against the window. 
  • Run your duster or vacuum on each slat-end to end.
  • Rotate the blinds to wipe each slat from the other side. Ensure you take time to dust each slat without causing damage. 

The Latest in Blind Cleaning Tools

Ergonomic Venetian Blind Duster

There are amazing new blind cleaning tools available for cleaning faux wooden Venetian blinds. Venetian blinds are a great option when it comes to blinds, but they can be especially difficult to clean. The Microfibre Venetian Blind cleaner is specifically designed to make your life really easy when it comes to cleaning Venetian blinds.

The clever design will clean the blinds very effectively without coming apart itself or causing the blinds to disintegrate.

It is also an affordable tool which means that buying it just to clean Venetian blinds won’t feel like an unnecessary investment. In short, this is a must-have if you have Venetian blinds in your home and especially handy if you want your faux wooden blinds to keep looking stylish!

Window Blinds Duster

This versatile and useful duster is especially useful if you want to reach spots that are at a height or far away. The 3 different types of dusters come in handy for different applications and pretty much cover all the bases when it comes to dusting or cleaning blinds. It comes with an extendable 2.5m pole that is long enough and sturdy enough for almost all home applications. The build quality is great, and the dusters can be hand-washed which means that this cleaning tool for blinds will last for a long time.  

How to regularly wipe faux wooden Blinds with a cleaning Solution

  • Prepare a mild solution of water and a little liquid dish soap. 
  • Dip a soft microfiber towel in the solution. Wring the towel. 
  • While faux blinds resist moisture better than real wood, avoid soaking them. 
  • If you have faux wood blinds in a kitchen, use a disinfectant. A one-part water and one-part vinegar solution is excellent for the job. 

Can you clean faux wood blinds in the bathtub?

Absolutely Yes!

Giving your faux wooden blinds a good wash in the bathtub will restore the colour and leave your blinds squeaky clean and germ free.

Follow these easy steps!

  1. Remove dust or debris from the blinds.
  2. Take the blinds off the window where they are fastened to the window or wall.
  3. Fill a bathtub with cold water and 2 or 3 cups of bleach.
  4. Completely submerge the yellowing blinds in the bath.
  5. Soak the blinds in the bath for at least 10 to 15 minutes.
  6. After soaking, wipe each slat of the blind with a cloth.
  7. Take the blinds out of the bath. Dry them with a towel or let them air dry.
  8. Put the blinds back on the window.
  9. Make sure you affix them correctly to avoid them falling down.

Can you clean wooden blinds with vinegar?

While vinegar is an excellent cleaning product for faux (PVC) blinds, it is not recommended for faux wooden blinds. However, you can use it on faux wooden blinds if you mix it with water first.

Recipe

  • Mix one-part vinegar and one-part water to clean your blinds.
  • First dust with a duster to remove any dust particles or debris
  • Before wiping any slat, wring the sponge or cloth thoroughly as you want to use a damp cloth and not a wet cloth.
  • This method of cleaning your faux wooden blinds with vinegar will not damage them in anyway.

How do you make yellow blinds white again?

White PVC blinds turn yellow quite frequently from sun exposure.

Bleach Method

Recipe

  • Chlorine bleach
  • Water
  • Bucket or large bowl
  • Gloves
  • Paper towels
  • Spray bottle

How to Whiten the Yellowed PVC Blinds:

  1. Fill a bucket or large bowl with one part bleach and one part water. Fill it enough so that it will cover the yellowed pieces when they are submerged. If the item cannot be submerged, only make a small batch.
  2. If the items cannot be submerged in the bucket, put on gloves, then soak paper towels with the bleach solution and cover the yellowed plastic with the wet paper towels. Press the paper towels firmly against the surface of the plastic and let them stay there until the plastic has whitened. Re-wet the paper towels with the bleach solution as needed to keep them moist. This can easily be done by putting the solution in a spray bottle, just be sure not to let the solution spray onto any surrounding areas or it may bleach them as well.
  3. If the items can be submerged, then put them into the bucket or bowl.
  4. Allow the items to soak until they return to the original white color.
  5. When they have reached the desired level of white, remove from the solution and rinse with clean water.
  6. Wash with a mild detergent and allow the pieces to air dry completely.

Peroxide Method

Recipe

  • Hydrogen peroxide (the regular 3% kind)
  • Oxy laundry booster
  • Sunshine or UV light
  • Water
  • Bucket or large bowl
  • Rubber gloves
  • Goggles

How to Whiten the PVC Blinds:

  1. Protect yourself with rubber gloves and goggles.
  2. Fill the bucket with hydrogen peroxide.
  3. Add ¼ teaspoon of Oxy laundry booster for each litre of peroxide.
  4.  If the items can be soaked, place them into the solution and allow them to soak. If they cannot be soaked, wet a paper towel with the solution, squeeze it out so that it’s not dripping, flatten it out again, and press it against the item. It should stick in place on its own, but if not, you can cover it with plastic wrap and tape the plastic wrap in place.
  5. Soaking time will vary with most pieces whitening in 2-6 hours. The mixture will last for up to four days before it needs to be replaced.
  6. Set the items under a UV light or out in the sunshine.
  7. When the item has reached the desired whiteness, remove and rinse thoroughly to remove any remaining cleaning product residue.
  8. If necessary, wash with dish detergent and water.

Using our tried and tested methods you will be able to enjoy the new look of your blinds as you know how to give them a good deep clean!

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