The Secret To Sparkling Clean Blinds Is Already Hiding In Your Kitchen Cabinet

Blinds usually only need light dusting, but every once in a while, they need something a bit stronger. Luckily, your trusty homemade vinegar cleaning spray can help.  All you need is white vinegar or cleaning vinegar, a bowl or spray bottle, and a microfiber cloth or paper towel. Vinegar is highly acidic, which makes it excellent at dissolving grit and loosening grime — including the light grease that can build up in kitchens or from little fingerprints — so it wipes away much more easily.

However, there are some materials you shouldn't clean with vinegar. If you have real wooden blinds, you need to be careful using any type of liquid cleaner. Wood can absorb liquids, damaging it. You should also take care when using vinegar to clean fabric blinds, because although it can be helpful for killing mold, some fabrics may become discolored or damaged by vinegar. Looking at the manufacturer's recommendations for cleaning and testing the vinegar on a small, hidden section are good ways to see if you can safely use vinegar. 

If you've looked at the different types of blinds in your home and determined that vinegar is safe to use, here's what to do next. Dilute your vinegar with water in either a bowl or spray bottle. If you're using a bowl, wear gloves to avoid soaking your hands in vinegar, and spraying vinegar should be done in a ventilated room to avoid inhalation. Spray the blinds directly, or dip your cloth or sponge of choice into the bowl, then wipe them down. For tougher spots, consider using a soft brush or an old toothbrush to scrub more effectively. To help mitigate the smell of vinegar, you can add some essential oils to the vinegar mix or spray an air freshener to mask the smell. Opening a window may also help the scent disperse faster.

For more stubborn grime, you can try soaking your blinds instead of wiping them down. This method is great for vinyl or aluminum blinds but shouldn't be used on any material that is sensitive to moisture. Fill a bucket or tub with warm water. Add vinegar, and optionally dish soap, to the water, then add your blinds. After letting them soak for a few hours, just rinse them off to remove any lingering soap bubbles, and you're good to go! Since the process is more involved, this isn't the most effective method for regular cleaning. However, if you've realized that your blinds are too grimy for a normal wipe-down, soaking can save you a lot of effort.