insights
insights
Three, for every blind.
A dry microfibre cloth weekly, top to bottom, before anything wet. Dust plus moisture is mould.
Monthly, a cloth wrung almost dry with a few drops of dish soap, then a clean-water pass. No bleach: it degrades UV coatings, discolours wood and weakens honeycomb adhesive.
Leave a roller hanging fully extended until bone dry. Humid coastal rooms are where this rule earns its place.
Extend fully, dust downward, damp-wipe monthly, spot-treat with a baking soda paste tested on a hidden corner. Sheer fabric: vacuum on the lowest suction with a brush; it is too delicate for friction.
Never roll up dampSlats three-quarters closed, wipe side to side, flip and repeat. Kitchen grease: equal parts warm water and white vinegar, then dry. Deep clean: soak in a bath of warm soapy water for an hour, rinse, hang to dry.
The most forgivingVacuum on the lowest suction with a brush; higher suction collapses the cells. A hairdryer on cool blows dust out of the chambers. Blot spots with a damp cloth. Never submerge.
Low suctionTreat like furniture. Dust along the grain weekly; a barely damp cloth monthly and dry immediately. Never soak.
Never soak03 Shutters
Shutters look clean from across the room while dirt collects in the channel where each blade pivots against the frame. Open the louvres fully, work an old toothbrush along each groove, then wipe every blade front and back with a damp cloth: mild soapy water on PVC and aluminium, a wood-safe cleaner and immediate drying on timber.
Holiday homesLeave the blades angled a few degrees open when the house is closed up. A sealed room with no air movement grows mould behind the louvres.
Sun, wind, rain and salt. Rinse before dirt bonds.
A fact of life in humid homes, from the KZN coast to a Cape Town winter bathroom.
Equal parts white vinegar and water. Leave ten minutes.
A clean cloth; a soft brush on vinyl or aluminium for stubborn spots. Dry thoroughly.
Weekly dusting removes what mould feeds on. In humid rooms choose aluminium venetians, PVC shutters or mould-resistant sheer fabric, and ventilate.
Some things a microfibre cloth cannot fix.
SignsA bottom bar hanging unevenly, a blind that will not roll straight, a cracked chain, light at the edges where there was none, or staining that survives repeated vinegar. Those are the mechanism, the fitting or the fibre, not dirt. Replacements are made to your measurements with free delivery.
Dry-dust weekly with a microfibre cloth and damp-wipe monthly with mild soap, matching the method to the material: soak aluminium and PVC venetians if needed, never soak wood, bamboo or honeycomb, and never roll a blind up wet. Custom Blinds Shutters & Awnings supplies replacements nationwide when cleaning is past helping.
A light dry dust weekly and a damp wipe monthly. On the coast, where humidity speeds up mould, the weekly habit matters most.
Yes. Extend fully and wipe top to bottom. Remove them only if heavily soiled.
Open the louvres fully and run a small brush along the groove where each blade meets the frame, then wipe every blade front and back.
No. It degrades roller fabric UV coatings, discolours wood and weakens honeycomb adhesive. Diluted white vinegar does the job.
When staining will not shift, slats are bent, fabric has faded, cords are worn or the mechanism has seized. Cleaning cannot restore any of those.
Content reviewed by the Custom Blinds Shutters & Awnings team. Visit the online shop for current pricing.
Custom Blinds Shutters & Awnings | South Africa’s trusted blinds, shutters and awnings specialists since 2010.