Remodeling, Repair and Maintenance

Care When handling venetian blinds that are painted metal, use care not to bang slats against woodwork or each other to prevent having paint scratched. Chipped paint will expose the metal, detracting from the appearance and shortening its life.

Never separate or bend slats to peek through, to see outside. Use cords to tilt slats. Once a metal slat is bent it cannot be rebent, but whole blind must be restrung and a new slat added to replace the bent slat.

Cleaning with Vacuum 1. Tilt slats of blind so they are closed.

2. Have a step stool handy, if window is high. Start at top of blind.

3. Place one hand on blind to hold it steady (to prevent banging against woodwork and chipping paint).

4. In other hand, use dusting brush of vacuum cleaner attachments; brush from center to right tape and to left tape, dusting the center section of about 8 inches of slats.

5. Repeat brushing from tape to edge of slats on right side, then on left side. (Brushing all the distance from end to end will cause blind to bang against woodwork and chip paint on woodwork as well as on blind slats.

6. Repeat vacuum dusting for each group of about 8 inches of shades until bottom is reached.

7. Reverse the tilt of the slats and repeat on other side of slats.

Cleaning without Vacuum Using the same caution not to bang slats against woodwork, dust each tilted slat with a soft, dry cloth. (A damp or oily cloth will cause streaks on the surface.

Clean, soft cotton gloves may be worn on both hands for dusting surfaces of slats.

This information is for educational purposes and is reprinted from the MSU Extension. This information is public property upon publication and has been printed with credit to MSU Extension.