Blinds collect dust on both faces of every slat, and the reason they look dirty again a day after cleaning is that most people clean one side. The second reason is technique: a wet cloth smears dust into the slats, which then sets into a film.
Dry first — always
Close the slats and dust them from the top down with a microfibre cloth, a duster or a vacuum brush attachment, then turn them the other way and repeat. Only after the dry dust is gone should you use any liquid, and only a damp cloth at that.
Prices are Freshway catalogue prices as at 16 September 2026 and are subject to change. Confirm the current price, and whether GST applies, before quoting.
The three passes that actually work
- Pass one — closed slats, top down. Close the slats flat and wipe along them with a microfibre cloth or a dusting mitt. Most of the dust comes off here.
- Pass two — reverse the slats. Tilt them the other way and repeat. This is the step that is usually skipped, and it is why blinds look dirty a day later.
- Pass three — damp, not wet. Wipe with a cloth dampened with a neutral cleaner and water, then dry immediately with a second cloth. Never leave the slats wet: on timber and aluminium they spot, and on fabric tapes they stain.
Tools that make it quicker
| Item | Use | Price |
|---|---|---|
| 32 mm telescopic vacuum rod | Vacuuming high slats without a ladder | A$26.50 |
| 35 mm telescopic vacuum rod | The same job on a 35 mm hose machine | A$26.00 |
| Edco cobweb brush with handle | Soft dusting of slats and frames | A$20.00 |
| Oates flexible cobweb broom | An alternative handle-and-head combination | A$36.00 |
| Sabco cobweb duster | Round head for frames and ceiling areas | A$28.07 |
Very dirty blinds, and blinds that have not been cleaned in years
Start with the vacuum rather than a cloth: a brush attachment lifts the loose layer without pushing it into the slats. Then work through the three passes above, and expect to change or rinse your cloth several times.
Where the film is greasy — kitchens, restaurants — add a diluted degreaser to the damp pass, and wipe it off with clean water afterwards. Grease left on a slat attracts a fresh layer of dust within days.
Metal, timber and fabric-taped blinds
- Aluminium and PVC. The most forgiving; a damp cloth and neutral cleaner is enough.
- Timber. Use a barely damp cloth and dry immediately. Water raises the grain and dulls the finish, and the slats cannot be sanded like furniture.
- Fabric vertical blinds and tapes. Dry-clean or vacuum only, or use a fabric spot cleaner on stains. Water marks fabric tapes permanently.
Doing it on a commercial round
In offices, blinds are usually the dust source that keeps a room looking tired. Two approaches work: a quarterly deep dust with the three-pass method, or a monthly vacuum pass with the brush attachment and a deep clean annually. The vacuum pass is what keeps the interval long, because it removes the layer before it bonds.
Where a building has timber blinds, put the dry method in the specification. Cleaners who wet timber slats with a mop or a heavy spray cause damage that no cleaning budget covers.
Vertical blinds, timber shutters and venetians
Vertical blinds are the fastest of the three to clean, provided you work with the vanes closed: dust both faces with a microfibre cloth or the vacuum brush, and spot-clean fabric vanes with a fabric spotter rather than water. Wet fabric vanes mark, and they hang wet for hours.
Timber and plantation shutters are the slowest, because every louvre has two faces and a frame around it. Use a barely damp cloth, dry immediately, and work one panel at a time so you can see progress. Where a shutter set has not been cleaned since installation, expect the first pass to be dust-only and the second to be the one that makes the difference.
Questions we get asked most
- What is the best way to clean very dirty venetian blinds?
- Vacuum first with a brush attachment, then work the three passes: closed slats, reversed slats, and a damp wipe dried immediately. Change the cloth often rather than pressing harder.
- How to clean blinds that haven’t been cleaned in years?
- Expect two rounds. The first removes the bonded layer and looks disappointing; the second, with the same method, is where the slats come back. For greasy film, add a diluted degreaser to the damp pass.
- How to clean Venetian blinds without taking them off?
- All three passes work with the blinds hung, using a telescopic handle or a step stool for the top slats. Removing them is only worth it for fabric tapes or heavy grease.
- How to clean dirty aluminium Venetian blinds?
- Aluminium is the forgiving material: vac, then a damp cloth with a neutral cleaner, then dry. Avoid abrasive pads, which scratch the finish and leave hazy slats.
- Can I wash blinds in the bath or shower?
- For PVC and aluminium, yes, and they need to dry fully before rehanging or the tape and the headrail stay wet. Never soak timber or fabric-taped blinds.
References
High windows and blinds across a site?
Tell us the ceiling height and how many windows, and we will match the reach tools and the method so nobody is working off a chair. Browse cleaning chemicals or ask our team.