Spring Cleaning for Your Blinds

The gloom of winter is finally lifting away for the brightness of summer. Now is the perfect time to open up windows for fresh air and clear away the last stronghold of winter dreariness: dingy window coverings.  Your shades have been down all winter, keeping the cold out of your home, and they too may need a little TLC. Here’s a breakdown of the “how-tos” for the most common dirty-blind culprits.

Vinyl Vertical Blinds and Faux Woods:

Because these are usually made of PVC or a PVC-Wood Composite, the size of faux wood and vinyl vertical blinds needn’t stop you from cleaning them up. A rag and some warm water will easily clean up lingering dust. If you’re wiping them down and notice a thick layer of grunge that resists your efforts and just sticks to the blind, constantly being pushed forward by your rag, don’t despair! This is usually the result of oils from fingers, hair, and airborne skin particles sticking to the surface, and can happen anywhere. Add a few drops of mild dish soap (not dishwasher detergent!) to your warm water and watch the grime lift away.

Mini Blinds:

Although they are dust resistant, aluminum blinds still collect dust over time. However, aluminum blinds are exceptionally easy to clean. In fact, most mini blinds can be taken outside and sprayed off with your garden hose. If you do this, be sure to avoid spraying the headrail directly and to allow your blinds to drip-dry on the grass or open the window your blinds hang in so they can dry out quickly. While the aluminum won’t rust, the headrail may if not properly dried. Don’t want to take your blinds down? Most feather dusters work great for a quick cleaning, and the tips above on dealing with greasy spots on your blinds also work for vinyl and aluminum minis, with one added step. Because mini blinds use a thinner slat than faux wood or vertical blinds, they bend more easily and need a more gentle touch when scrubbing the slats. Make sure to rinse and dry them off thoroughly after using soap and water.

Wood Blinds:

Wood blinds are a thing of beauty: all they truly need is a good dusting. However, if you live in a dry climate, you can restore some beauty and add extra protection against the splitting that can occur over time in any wood product with wood polish. Pick your favorite: they are safe on stained woods and will add a luster and shine to your home in keeping with your spring cleaning goals. It should be noted that these cleaners aren’t meant for painted woods, only stained woods. The paint on a white or cream wood blind offers all the protection you need. For spots, use a damp cloth and dry thoroughly.

Cellular Shades:

Cellular shades can collect reasonable amounts of dust, especially in the winter. After long months of being down to keep you warm, the first time they’re raised you may see little poufs of dust press out of the pleats, leaving you wondering about the inside of the honeycomb. There’s good news though: most fabrics can be cleaned in your home with no professional help. Using a feather duster, start at the top of the shade and run the duster horizontally across the blind and work your way down the shade in rows. Shake off the duster over a trash can and repeat the process on the back of your blind. Then, lowering your blind as far as you can, run the duster up and down on the shade to knock out any dust bunnies that were hiding in the crease. If you need a deeper clean, use a vacuum cleaner with an upholstery  attachment. Don’t use the brush attachment, as it may damage more delicate fabrics. If you know the inside of the honeycombs need cleaning, call the manufacturer. Some fabrics can be submerged in your bathtub, while others can be cleaned through injection-extraction cleaning, and you’ll need the manufacturer’s opinion on which should be done. Injection-Extraction cleaning is done in your home by a professional without taking down your shades, so you won’t need to carve out too much time for the process.

Are you shopping for blinds and shades? Check out the “Details and Specs” tab on each product for cleaning and care information to choose the blind that’s right for your needs.

When properly cared for, your window coverings will create exceptional beauty and privacy in your home. So don’t skimp your windows this spring cleaning, and enjoy the beauty of a fresh and bright view for years to come.

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Walkin’ in a One Day Wonderland

When it comes to windows, there’s nothing worse than having to drape a sheet over a window for holiday guests. But what do you do when the holidays sneak up on you and that window is still embarrassingly bare? The answer is simple and affordable: One Day Production Blinds and Shades from BlindSaver.

One Day Production products are just that: production is completed in one day (typically the day after you place your order and ships within 24 hours). This means that instead of ordering your shades, hoping everything goes off without a hitch, and forking out the hefty fees for next day air, most customers simply place their order and receive it in less than a week and a half.

One Day Production wood blinds, faux wood blinds, and cellular shades are available in a variety of colors to make it easy to coordinate with any room. So make your holidays less hectic this year, and put that sheet on the bed where it belongs.

This year, your guest room is welcoming and warm.

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Choosing the Correct Slat Size for Faux Wood Blinds

If you are looking for the elegant look of wood window blinds but can’t squeeze them into your budget or the window is exposed to a lot of moisture, consider faux wood blinds as an equal alternative. Some faux wood styles even mimic the texture of natural wood. Faux wood blinds are available in a variety of natural white tones as well as a whole range of replica wood tones and matching valance is included with every order.

Faux wood blinds have adjustable slats that come in two sizes: 2 inch or 2-½ inch, and each size serves a different need.

Two-inch slats, the most popular size, offers privacy and light control which is important for bedrooms and bathrooms. Many brands offer upgrades for faux wood blinds to eliminate more light by hiding or disappearing visible route holes for a smoother appearance and increasing sound absorption. Another option available to cover the route holes are 1 ½ inch tapes which add a decorative embellishment to enhance your décor.

If you are worried that window blinds will obstruct your external view, you may prefer the 2 ½ inch slats to let in more light and maintain a clear vista. Larger slats are also a better choice for larger windows. If you like the look of shutters, some window blinds are available with 2-½ inch shutter style slats, which are beveled and have a tasteful and unique look. Faux wood shutters are also now available at BlindSaver.com.

Benefits of faux wood blinds include moisture resistance and easy care. The moisture resistant feature makes them ideal for rooms with high humidity such as bathrooms, laundry rooms and kitchens. Faux wood blinds are also easy to clean with a light duster, vacuum attachment or a damp rag without worrying about causing water damage or warping. The faux wood blinds work to insulate and reduce energy costs and many are made with recycled material.

Take advantage of low pricing on Levolor and Bali composite and faux wood window blinds and Comfortex Wood Winds. BlindSaver.com offers free one day shipping on BlindSaver One Day 2″ Faux Wood Blinds. Give your home the elegance and style it deserves without breaking the bank.

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How to Remove Old Blinds Without Damages

You’re excited to finally get rid of those dirty, bent, tacky blinds from 1988. Put down the pry bar for a minute and read this article before you accidentally damage your wall or window frame. Removing mini blinds, roman blinds, and wooden blinds without damage can all be accomplished by taking your time and using the right tools.

Before starting the removal process, you will need a few tools: a screwdriver, pliers, joint compound, a small putty knife, a sponge, paint that matches the wall’s current color, a paint brush, and wall primer if you think you need it. The wall primer is optional.

Step 1: Raise up the blinds all the way before doing anything. This makes them easier to handle.

Step 2: Some products use a valance or cornice to cover the top rail and brackets.  Next you will want to remove this valance.  Be very gentle for this step. Grab the bottom of the valance and push it toward the direction of the window so that you create a slight gap between the top of the valance and the top of the clips. Very carefully push the valance in an upward and outward motion at an angle until it is not touching the clips anymore. Make sure to remove the valance gently or the clips will break off.

Step 3: On a door mounted blind the hold down brackets need to be removed. These brackets are the ones that attach the bottom part of the blinds against the wall. Sometimes the end cap portion of the bottom rail has hold-down pins. If this is the case, remove the hold down pins before removing the hold down brackets. Next, use your screwdriver to unscrew the hold down bracket screws. For extra tight pins and screws, remove them with a set of pliers and use a power screwdriver instead of manual screwdriver.

Step 4: On wood, faux wood, and other horizontal blinds, you will unlatch the mounting brackets from the front and slide the head rail out. If the blinds are heavy or bulky, you may need help with this step. Wooden blinds tend to be heavier.  Roman shades and cellular shades brackets are often times spring loaded or require a or tab is loosened behind the shade.  You may need to refer to the product installation instructions to determine which type of bracket your blind uses.

Step 5: Remove the side and center mounting brackets with a screwdriver. If there are wall anchors, you may have to remove them with needle nosed pliers.

Step 6: The screws probably left small holes in the wall. Get out your joint compound and patch the holes using your putty knife. While it’s still wet, smooth out the joint compound with a sponge and let dry. Get paint that matches the current color on the wall and paint over the newly smooth area after the joint compound is completely dry. I like to save small glass food jars from pickles and salsa and stuff. I use them to store a little bit of paint for quick touch-ups like this.

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What Window Treatments Would Santa and Mrs. Clause Choose?

Ho, ho, ho, if you traveled up to Santa’s North Pole workshop and home, what window blinds do you think you would see? Every room at the Claus homestead has a need for light control, privacy and a splash of color or warm wood tones to keep that good cheer going year round.

Mrs. C knows beauty and function and keeps Santa happy with blinds that can take the heat and cold like the faux wood blinds she had installed in Santa’s Workshop. Plus, the faux wood blinds keep the Top Secret work that goes on there safe from prying eyes. To solve the problem of 20 hours of sunlight a day during the summer, the clever Mrs. Claus has decorated their bedroom windows with pleated blackout shades. Santa needs his sleep all year long to keep the toy factory going. Adding blackout shades in the elves’ rooms helped keep them focused on their work too.

In Santa’s Study, you will find his trophy sailfish (from his beach house in Acapulco of course), a mini fridge, and his favorite recliner with ottoman. For this manly retreat, Mrs. Claus selected wood blinds to bring a warm, natural look to the room. Wood blinds also provide excellent cold weather energy efficiency and remind him of Christmas trees all year long.

And what could be sweeter for The Doll Room than cellular blinds? With their unique structure, Mrs. Claus knows the pleats in these delicate-looking but sturdy cellular shades provide year-around energy efficiency, and come in a rainbow of decorator colors. For safety’s sake and ease of operation, she upgraded to the free cordless lift for windows near the baby doll cribs.

She selected roman blinds, of course, for the toy soldiers at The Guardhouse. The reindeer almost opted for roman blinds, too, but Mrs. Claus talked them into roller shades because they are easier to use for those without opposable thumbs and easy enough, well, for even Donner and Blitzen to use (there’s a reason they are last in the sleigh lineup).

However, the Most Famous Reindeer of All wanted something a bit different. So Rudolph chose sheer honeycomb blinds– to let his famous glow shine through, why else? And, being Numero Uno, he pulled rank to get a skylight installed for viewing the Northern Lights. So for his stall, Mrs. Claus ordered specially designed honeycomb blinds, which operate on sloped or totally horizontal windows like skylights.

It is not always all business at the Pole. The Clauses do manage to leave the ice and snow behind after the busy season, sneaking away on vacation to some place warm, usually their condo in Acapulco. It is rumored that Santa likes to catch a few rays without his suit, so privacy is a must. This is why Mrs. Claus thoughtfully chose top/bottom roman blinds for seclusion, while letting the sun shine in through the tops of the windows. For their large picture windows, the Claus’s chose solar shades to keep the sun glare out and their ocean view in.

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