How to Clean Blinds and Window Tracks

That Cleaning Girl · Deep Cleaning

Blinds and window tracks are two of the most-skipped jobs in any house, and two of the most noticeable once they're done. Blinds collect dust slat by slat, and tracks collect grit, bugs and pollen in places a vacuum barely reaches. After the fans and vents in How to Clean Ceiling Fans and Air Vents Without Making a Mess, blinds and windows are the next stop as you work down the walls.

Why blinds are such dust magnets

Blinds have a lot of surface area packed into a small space. Every slat is a little shelf, and static helps dust cling to vinyl and faux-wood slats. In kitchens, a light film of cooking grease makes the dust stick even harder. Spring and fall in North Texas bring waves of pollen and dust through every cracked window, and blinds catch a lot of it.

Know your blind type

The method depends on the material:

• Vinyl and aluminum: tough and washable; can handle a damp cloth or even a soak.
• Faux wood: wipe with a damp cloth; avoid soaking.
• Real wood: dry dusting and a barely damp cloth only; water can warp and stain.
• Fabric and cellular shades: vacuum with a brush attachment and spot clean gently.

Dusting blinds the quick way

Close the blinds so the slats lie flat, facing one way. Dust or vacuum them top to bottom with a brush attachment or a microfiber duster. Then flip the slats the other direction and do the other side. That covers most of the dust in a few minutes per window.

For a slightly deeper clean, wear an old cotton sock on your hand, dampen it slightly, and pinch each slat between your fingers as you slide across. It's slow but thorough, and it's the best way to get every slat clean on vinyl and faux wood.

Deep cleaning vinyl and aluminum blinds

When kitchen or bathroom blinds are sticky, a wipe won't cut it. Take them down. Most come off their brackets with a small latch at the top. Lay an old towel in the bathtub, put the blinds in and fill with warm water and a little dish soap. Let them soak for twenty minutes or so, swish them around, then wipe each slat with a soft cloth. Rinse with clean water and hang them back up while still extended so they can drip dry. Put a towel on the sill underneath.

Skip this method for wood and faux wood. Water will warp them.

After the blinds, wipe the window sills. Sills hold dust, dead bugs and sometimes condensation spots from cold mornings. A damp microfiber cloth with a little all-purpose cleaner does the job. If the sill has peeling paint or a soft spot, note it; that can be a sign of a leak worth checking.

For fabric shades and real wood blinds that can't get wet, stick to a dry microfiber cloth and the vacuum brush, and spot clean marks with the barest touch of a damp cloth. Small marks on fabric often lift by blotting with a cloth dampened in water and a drop of dish soap. Test first in a corner that won't show.

Cleaning window tracks

Window tracks are the gritty channels the window slides in. They gather sand, dead bugs, pollen and red dirt that blows in from the yard. Here is the simplest method we know:

• Vacuum loose debris with a crevice tool first.
• Sprinkle a little baking soda along the track.
• Spray a mix of white vinegar and water over it and let it fizz for a few minutes.
• Scrub the corners with an old toothbrush or a small detailing brush.
• Wrap a cloth around a butter knife or a flat stick to wipe out the narrow grooves.
• Wipe dry with a clean cloth.

Clean the weep holes, the small drain slots at the bottom outside of many windows, with a pipe cleaner or a toothpick. Clogged weep holes let rainwater collect in the track instead of draining out.

Sliding doors get the same treatment

Sliding patio doors have the same kind of track, just bigger and dirtier, especially if pets go in and out. Vacuum, use the baking soda and vinegar method, scrub and dry. A clean track also helps the door glide more easily. That's a nice bonus after a summer of dust and a few muddy spring storms.

Keeping them cleaner

• Dust blinds every couple of weeks while you're dusting the room.
• Vacuum window tracks once a month, especially during pollen season.
• Keep windows closed on high-pollen days if you can.
• Wipe sills when you dust.

If your windows have screens, pop them out a couple of times a year and rinse them with a garden hose. Dusty screens let pollen blow straight onto clean sills, and clean ones make the whole window look clearer.

Let the light in

Clean blinds and windows change how bright a room feels. It's the kind of slow, careful work that's easy to put off, and it's exactly the kind of work we do on deep cleans across the south DFW area. To see everything that's included, visit our deep cleaning services.