Cleaning wooden blinds can be a bit of a challenge, but with the right techniques and materials, it’s definitely doable! Here are some tips on how to clean your wooden blinds:
1.Start by dusting the blinds with a microfiber cloth or duster. This will help remove any surface dirt or dust that has accumulated on the blinds.
2.Next, use a mild soap and water solution to clean the blinds. You can either use a sponge or cloth to do this. Just be sure to rinse the blinds well afterwards so that no soap residue is left behind.
3.If the blinds are still looking dirty, you can try using a vinegar and water solution. This is a natural way to clean and disinfect the blinds. Just be sure to rinse the blinds well afterwards so that no vinegar residue is left behind.
4.Once the blinds are clean, you can vacuum them with the brush attachment to remove any remaining dirt or dust.
5.Finally, polish the blinds with a clean microfiber cloth to restore their shine. It is vitally important to ensure that you employ the use of the correct type of microfiber cloth when cleaning, so as not to damage your blinds.
With these tips, you’ll have your wooden blinds looking clean and polished in no time!
So, you’ve decided your home needs a fresh look or a bit more privacy, and blinds seem like the perfect solution. Great choice! Blinds not only improve the look of your windows but also offer practical benefits like light control and privacy. But with so many options out there, where do you start?
We have compiled a list of all the types of blinds you’ll find and explained where they’re best suited to help you get started.
Understanding What You Need
Before jumping into the many options, let’s clarify what you want your blinds to achieve:
Light Control: Decide if you want to soak your room in sunlight or keep it cosy and dim.
Privacy: If your main goal is prioritising privacy while still letting light in, certain blinds handle this beautifully.
Looks: Blinds are part decor, too. They should match your home’s style and make it more beautiful.
Budget: Prices vary a lot, so know what you’re willing to spend ahead of time.
Safety and Cleaning: If you have kids or pets, cordless blinds can be a safer choice. Consider how much effort you’re up for in keeping them clean, too.
Blind Styles
The first decision is blind style. The most popular options include:
Venetian
Venetian blinds are great for controlling and filtering the amount of light in a room for your needs. Made of metal horizontal slats that tilt to control light levels and come with a varying choice of slat width to further control light. They are a great fit for offices, schools and in the home.
Roman
A more luxurious option, Roman blinds are great for rooms that can get cold or chilly. They are raised and lowered by a chain you can personalise, and feature soft folds of fabric available in different styles, patterns or materials. But because of their fabric design, it is worth noting that they don’t work well in bathrooms, where they are prone to dampness. However, they are ideal in living rooms, kitchens and bedrooms where a sophisticated touch is needed.
Roller
A straightforward approach, roller blinds do what they say on the tin and are one of the most popular blind types because of it. Essentially a sheet that rolls up and down the space of your window, you can craft your blind from a variety of fabrics for your own special touch, and adorn them with elegant patterns to make them stand out. They work well in all environments to complement your room and provide full privacy and lighting adjustment.
Vertical
The classic design perfect for use anywhere in your home – from the living room to the conservatory – or in offices or schools, vertical blinds offer pure privacy and also filter light very effectively. Glare reduction materials make them great for south-facing windows which feature in a room where you’ll be undertaking a lot of written or computer-based work.
Panel
Used also as room dividers, panel blinds offer a contemporary take on blinds that can add an extra level of colour and dimension to a room. Patterned panels act as the most ideal form of this type of blind as they then can also act as a centrepiece of your room, not just a blind.
Skylight
With an impressive range of patterns and colours available, skylight blinds partner excellently with Velux windows which will be fitted perfectly to the frame. Blackout fabrics can help plunge your room into darkness, but other materials will simply filter the light. Coloured fabrics will allow for a specific shade of colour to flood your room, so get creative.
Wooden
Bringing a softer, more organic touch to the table are wooden blinds, be they faux or not. The design most often involves horizontal slats that are tilted to adjust light levels in the room. Wooden blinds do not go well in bathrooms, but faux wood blinds can withstand moisture a whole lot more.
Pleated
Pleated blinds are ideal for injecting a stylish and modern feel into your room. They are made of honeycomb or concertina folds of fabric that tuck away neatly or extend out when you pull the cord or tab to raise the blinds or lower them.
Blackout
Ideal for those who work nights and need their sleep in the daytime, blackout blinds are the type of blinds that block light from entering a room. You can transform some of the blind types above into blackout, but where blackout blinds work best is when they perfectly fit in the window frame, such as in the case of a skylight, where the light will be fully blocked out of the room.
Custom Features
Next, consider special features like:
Cordless lift operation: Safer for homes with pets or kids. Allows blinds to be raised and lowered smoothly.
Motorisation: Electric motors to raise, lower and tilt blinds automatically on a schedule or with the touch of a button.
Insulated fabrics: Help reduce outside noise and maintain comfortable temperatures. Perfect for bedrooms, media rooms or family spaces.
Custom sizes: Get a perfect fit for any uniquely sized or shaped windows. Precision measurements ensure proper light control and appearance.
Making the Choice: Blinds vs. Curtains
If you’re torn between blinds and curtains, consider this: blinds offer more flexibility in light and privacy control, they’re generally easier to clean and can be more cost-effective. Plus, they give a modern look that can complement any decor.
Finding Help Locally
For those feeling unsure, reaching out to local blind specialists can be a game-changer. At Paul James Blinds, we can offer personalised advice, help you measure, and even install them for you. We can guide you through the blind-buying journey, ensuring you end up with windows that look and function just how you want.
Wooden blinds have always been a firm favourite blind choice due to their elegance and the feeling of luxury they can bring to a room. However, when choosing between real and faux wooden blinds, you need to consider how and where your blinds will be used.
When choosing between real and faux wood blinds, there’s no definitive right answer, even though many will claim real wood is the superior choice. Your surroundings and circumstances influence the choice. Real wooden blinds aren’t suitable for all environments, making the faux counterpart a better choice than the real thing for some windows. Here are some of the considerations to bear in mind when choosing between real and faux wood,
Budget
Real wooden blinds are a lot more expensive than faux wood, and if you have a lot of windows the price can soon add up. If you’d like to control your budget a bit more or just aren’t sure about making such a large financial investment just yet, faux wood blinds make for a great alternative.
Aesthetics
Real wooden blinds are aesthetically more pleasing than faux wood. The colour options for real wooden blinds are much more varied as the beautiful and unique wooden grain can be left natural, polished or even painted to suit any room. Real wooden blinds also require fewer ladders than faux wood so have a sleeker design.
Humidity
When it comes to humidity, faux wood is the superior choice. Real wood isn’t suitable for bathrooms as the constant moisture can cause warping and cracking, ruining the blinds completely. Faux wood is mostly a vinyl compound and, therefore, not prone to weather wearing.
Durability
Faux wood is more durable than real wood so for blinds that will receive high use, faux wood is the better option. This is also a consideration if you have children or animals that live at home and can damage the blinds.
Weight
The compound that makes up faux wooden blinds is much heavier than real wooden slats so faux wood can be too heavy for large windows. The weight will make the blinds very hard to raise and lower and can put too much strain on the mechanism.
Care
Faux wooden blinds are much easier to clean than real wood because you can use any cleaning product without fearing that you’ll damage the wooden grain. This is an important factor to consider when selecting kitchen blinds as you’ll find a grease build up can occur which would be very difficult to clean off real wooden blinds.
Paul James Blinds offer a range of high quality, made to measure blinds to suit any home. Our wooden blinds are available in a variety of styles, including vertical blinds and wooden shutters. Our free measuring service and expert fitters ensure that your blinds look great every time. Get in touch with our friendly team for more information.
For more than 40 years, Paul James Blinds has served customers across Suffolk and North Essex with high-quality, bespoke blinds and shutters. Our team prides itself on delivering unrivalled value across everything we do - from initial consultation and window measurement to blind and shutter supply and installation.
