Part of traditional springtime cleaning is to tackle that puzzling project, cleaning window blinds. Window blinds are typically metal, plastic, fabric, or wooden horizontal or vertical strips connected together by a continuous string loop. They collect dust and need to be cleaned regularly to prevent grease and dust buildup. There are many suitable ways to clean window blinds. Here are just a few.

Cleaning options

Cleaning blinds need not be a dreaded task. Just follow these simple suggestions

1. Vacuuming the blinds is a good method to use if you vacuum your carpets regularly. Just use the soft brush attachment and move it back and forth gently over each slat. Vacuuming works especially well for fabric blinds.
2. You can use a glove or sock placed over your hand. Simply slide the slats through your fingers one by one. This is a time consuming method as you must clean the dust and dirt from each slat individually. If the blinds are especially dirty and neglected, you may need to use more than one glove or sock. Spray the glove or sock with a good quality dusting product and repeat periodically as you dust.
3. You can remove the blinds from their support brackets, in many cases, and place them in a laundry tray or bathtub. Let them soak for a brief period in warm soapy water. Scrub the slats gently with a soft brush, rinse them well with cool water, and lay them out in the sun to air dry. You can also hang them over a clothesline to dry.
4. Depending on the size of your blinds and the materials they are made from, you may be able to take them outside and rinse them with a garden hose. Be careful that you do not kink or bend the slats or damage the string harness.
5. A good old-fashioned feather duster works well to maintain your blinds in a clean state. You must use one regularly to avoid heavy accumulations of dust and a grimy buildup.
6. Another good regular dusting option is a lamb’s wool duster. You do not need to use a dusting liquid or spray with these because of the natural lanolin content.

Tips

Use extra care in cleaning aluminum blinds. Chemicals or vigorous scrubbing can damage the paint finish on the slats.

Soaking blinds in a tub or sink is a good way to clean them of dust and dirt but the water can damage or rot the string harness. It’s probably best to avoid this method of cleaning blinds that are aging or visibly worn.

You can spot clean fabric blinds after vacuuming by applying a fabric stain remover to the spot or stain. Follow the manufacturer’s directions.

If you remove the blinds for cleaning, be careful in using a stool or stepladder. Make sure it is securely supported or that you have a helper to hold it for you.

Cement drives accumulate stains over time due to leaking oil and other fluids like brake fluid and antifreeze. How do you clean up those difficult stains? There are several different methods you can use to clean stains from your cement driveway.

Mechanical

1. Sweep your driveway with a stiff bristle broom. This will remove most debris like moss and lichens.
2. You can also vacuum the driveway with a good shop vac.

Absorbent

1. Place a soft absorbent cloth over the stain and leave it for a short time. Do not rub the stain. That will only push the stain deeper into the pores of the cement. When you pick up the cloth, a good deal of the stain should come with it.
2. Sweep some fine sand or absorbent material like cat litter over the stain with a stiff bristle brush or broom and leave it stand at least overnight. When you clean up the sand the next day, most of the stain should be gone.

There are several methods to use in cleaning a cement driveway

1. Mix 1 part trisodiumphosphate with 6 parts hot water, Apply the paste to the stain with a brush and leave it for several hours or longer. When the paste is dry, scrape it up and the stain along with it.
2. You can also make a paste of liquid detergent and water and use it the same way as with the tsp.
3. You can purchase a number of different chemical solutions for removing oil and rust stains from concrete. Be careful to follow the manufacturer’s instructions and use safety gear like goggles and gloves.
4. Use a mixture of oxalic acid and water.
5. You can use a mixture of muriatic acid and water, as well.
6. You can mix sodium hydroxide (caustic soda) or sodium hypochloride (household bleach) with water and try them.

Tips

1. Be careful when using acid or alkaline mixtures to clean up stains. They can cause damage to surrounding surfaces.
2. Test your mixture on an inconspicuous area of your cement slab to make sure it is safe to use on the stain.
3. After using a chemical product on the stain, flush it away with plenty of clean water.
4. Always start with the simplest method first, like sweeping and using absorbents. If those do not work, then proceed to more aggressive methods like cleansers and chemical mixtures.
5. Oil and rust stains are very difficult to remove completely from cement driveways but if addressed as soon as they occur, you can usually eliminate most, if not all, of the stain and keep your driveway looking like new.
6. As always, prevention is the best remedy. Use drip pans or pieces of cardboard to catch suspected drips or leaks until they can be repaired.