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Every window in your home has some type of window covering, and after some time goes by, they can get dirty and all dusty. Obviously, their original purpose, which was to provide beauty and comfort in your home, is no longer being served. In addition to looking terrible, dirty window blinds can pose a health concern. As such, if you havent in a long time, its important to consider cleaning your blinds immediately. The good news is, cleaning window blinds is not really hard if you only know how to go about the process.
Window blinds are made up of different materials. They can be found as metal blinds, wood blinds, cane, fabric, and others. How you clean your window blinds will depend on what material your blinds are made of. Therefore, its key to follow all the cleaning instructions properly so that the quality of the blinds is not affected and its useful life is preserved.
The good news is, its not as difficult a task as it seems. Given the health implications of not cleaning your window treatments on a regular basis, this task should be given a higher priority than it has in the past.
To help you in your cleaning task, read on for some helpful tips:
Aluminum Mini Blinds
For your aluminum mini blinds, use ordinary clean and soft dust cloths. You can also use dust cloths which are chemically treated as well as the brush attachments of your vacuum cleaner. You may also find other household aids that you can use, which act in a similar manner. Make sure that you clean your aluminum blinds regularly so that dust is easily brushed off. Since the slats have a painted and smooth surface, cleaning it is quite easy.
If you want to use the vacuum for your aluminum blinds, use the brush attachment and make sure that you tilt the slats up first, and then down in order to reach the top and entire bottom surfaces.
You can also wash your mini blinds using a mild detergent and a damp sponge or cloth. Never use hot water. If you want to take down the blinds, do so and wash them in a tub of cold/warm water.
Wood Window Blinds
If you have wood window blinds at home, it will require extra care, especially if its true wood blinds. You should not wash the wood blind because even humid weather can discolor or warp the blinds. The slats of wood blinds are also soft and dust can be easily removed by brushing them. You can use soft dust cloths and vacuum cleaner in cleaning wood blinds.
By using the brush attachment on the vacuum cleaner, cleaning window blinds is very easy. However, for those individuals who don't own a vacuum cleaner, you can try your old socks or cotton gloves in wiping the blinds' slats. You can also use your small paintbrush to dust the window blinds' slats. If the dust can't be removed easily, then use a damp cloth and wipe them off.
Some are hesitant to take down their blinds because the strings may rot. If this is your problem, then soak your window blinds in vinegar. The blinds should be open to prevent slats from sticking together. Leave them for about thirty minutes. After the designated time, rinse your blinds thoroughly and hang the blinds outside. Wait until the blinds are dry and then wipe the blinds' slats with fabric softener. This way, dust build-up can be prevented.
Do yourself a favor, and clean your window blinds regularly. Not only does it make it easier, its also ensures a healthy living environment for your family. With the right tools, you can clean your blinds in less than an hour, all the while prolonging the life of your window blinds.
I know many within the “professional” yachting industry will say ‘Here we go again health and safety poking its nose into our industry why can't they just leave us alone?' well, I'm sure that for those who don't have to use the above product may say that, but lethargy and the inability of some people not to see the ‘wood for the trees' is no excuse for not ensuring the safety of crew or Day–Workers.
Some teak cleaners are assigned as dangerous goods to one of nine classes dependant on the main danger presented. Corrosive Materials (Class 8) are liquids or solids that cause full thickness destruction of human skin at the site of contact within a specified period of time; or a liquid that has a severe corrosion rate on steel or aluminum, some teak cleaners fall into the class 8 category
In the past 2 years I have seen 4 individuals who have been injured having used various teak cleaners. They all agreed that something should be done to stop deck crews from being injured by these cleaning products.
Just recently, 2 weeks after having delivered safety information to crew, a young deck-hand approaches me and shows me the chemical burn injuries he had sustained to both his knees and arms, asking him how he received them, he told me, he'd been asked to clean the teak deck with a well known cleaning agent without foot /hand/eye protection or product information when I asked why his reply was ‘I was told to just get on with it' he also said ‘you should see the state of the Bosun's hands' Obviously two wrongs do not make a right.
Another incident recently observed onboard was one where 2 deckhands came into the crew mess for their morning break, One guy said he had a terrible headache, which had come on through the morning, the other guy was OK, neither had been drinking the night before but both had been using teak cleaner through the fore-noon with no personal protection. They were both seemed quite happy that the hard skin had been removed from their feet but neither thought about the consequences of the substance entering their blood stream via absorption.
We know that various products attack different people in different ways, who knows what long term damage could be occurring to these individuals, lets just remember that smoking doesn't appear to kill immediately neither does asbestos, we class these substances now as dangerous as they produce long term damage to the body but, when they were initially being used, no evidence was around to support the consequences.
So, why do we let our crew, who we train and say we care about, work with substances without the correct protection???
I believe the main cause of these injuries is the inability of management to identify how a specific product should be used safely onboard. Cleaning teak for example seems to be known as a ‘Deckies pedicure' i.e. using a teak cleaner without protective footwear. I'm sure that if I asked is footwear available and worn the answer would be yes however, the visible injuries I see do not seem to support that answer.
The following advice should be taken when using all chemicals onboard:
1. Read the product Material Safety Data Sheet
2. Follow Management Company/Yacht's written safety procedures for the product which should include a Risk Assessment – if unsure check-up on the internet
The product advice for some teak cleaners is:-
Hazards to Health
Potential routes of entry or exposureIngestion and Absorption
Health hazards and effects of over exposureAcute irritation to skin and eyes
Emergency First Aid ProceduresInhalation - Remove to fresh air
Ingestion – DO NOT INDUCE VOMITING – keep the person warm and quiet and request immediate medical attention.
Eyes – Flush with copious amounts of water for at least 15 minutes, lifting upper and lower lids occasionally and request immediate medical attention
Special Protection Information
VentilationMechanical
Protective Gloves/BootsRubber – Eye protection - Goggles
Spill or Leak Procedures
Precautions to be taken if the product leaks or is spilledNeutralise with Baking Soda or Sodium Carbonate and flush with copious amounts of water
Special Precautions
Precautions to be taken when handling and storingStore between 40 and 120 degrees C
Any other precautionsDo Not Mix with – Ammonia – Bleach or Caustic Materials especially powders
If the rules are followed and you do ‘exactly as is say's on the tin' crew using the above product should be safe in the knowledge that all is being done to protect them.
If Personal Protective Equipment is available use it if it's not available get it before the work commences.
Ken Dales