Blind cleaning is a great add on service to any window cleaning company. Blinds out number drapes 10:1 and drapery cleaners out number blind cleaners 16:1. That being said keep in mind that roughly 50% of all household dust is dead human skin. Nasty! That is not even counting the mold, dust mites, and pollen.
One piece is real wood and the other is faux wood. Both require a different cleaning solution. Even though they look similar they are very different. A wood blind needs to be oiled and a faux wood blind does not. Faux wood is made of a composite wood, wood and epoxy, or plastic depending on quality. Faux wood blinds are a rather low cost blind with easy maintenance. They are easily cleaned with a damp rag and plain water, wiping the dirt and dust gently off each blade. A few drops of dish soap in water can be used for heavily soiled faux wood blinds. Wood blinds require Oiling. The best option time wise is “Murphy” oil/soap. Mix ¼ cup oil to a gallon of water and you are ready to go. I use a squeeze bottle to apply oil to a rag and wipe each blade free of dirt. It is very important not to use oil on a faux wood blind. The material will not soak in the oil causing a greasy looking blind that will be 10 times harder to clean next time.
These are examples of wood blind slats from the outside edge. You should be able to see a wood grain.
These are examples of faux wood blind slats from the outside edge. The ends will not look like the wood. Some will have a spongy look to the center and most will have a PVC coating around the edge. One exception to the spongy appearance is bamboo Blinds. These will not have a PVC shell but will have a spongy type looking center. These do require Oil and same cleaning method as the wood blinds.
Cleaning a wood or faux wood blind in this fashion can bring in $15.00- 45.00 per blind depending on size.
cool cool. I have one more for wood blinds and then I will get to the other stuff. I’m trying to get the stones to show my ugly mug on camera. the test videos did not turn out so pretty lol. I never knew my eyes could move in the opposite direction away from the camera. it was creepy.
Yeah Scott if these guys can handle my face you have no wories! Great stuff by the way! It looked like those slats weren’t sealed on the bottom. Is that common? If so do you recommend sealing them w/ the Murphy’s oil upon cleaning?
I knew it Scott, i knew that you’ll take the time to share your experience in this field, thank you for that.
That’s why I love these forums, I was certain about the differences in between the 2 types of blinds, but needed confirmation from someone with “credentials”
You know that mistakes of that kind can be expensive.
Thanks again and keep 'em coming.
You can wipe each edge with the murphy’s oil for the wood blinds. The oil does not do much other than to help clean and help protect the wood from warping. Quality wood blinds will be heat treated for their area of country. this also helps with warping of the slats. Most of the slats will not be sealed. When the slats are constructed the material ranges from 12-18 feet long. Each piece is cut to desired size and then the holes are drilled. in order for the manufacture to get the most out of the product they use a computer to calculate the needed supply of wood. one strip or length could be cut multiple times for multiple blinds. That will depend on the order itself. dye lots and colors vary so one order will be filled from one set of wood.
Wow, thats a trip. it always amazes me how many people I meet that are from here or lived here. When I first came to this board Steve told me his parents live here. small world
I saw the advanced blind cleaning thread, which I think will price me higher than I want to be, but I was wondering if you could share (or maybe you have somewhere else) how you clean blinds quickly in place, or on site rather than pulling them apart.
I think the advanced blind cleaning is gold, but I don’t know if I can pry the compensation out of too many of my customer’s hands (at least this year…).
You probably need to look at ultrasonic then. You can take it onsite and clean blinds and you dont have to take apart the blinds. There is a barrier to entry with cost. But you can find them used reasonable.
I haven’t with with mobile yet as I am still trying to figure out what to do when its 20 degrees outside. However I have seen some guys mobile units in the South and it is very slick what they can perform onsite.
Other than doing it by hand I would have to agree with Mike.
I am currently looking at going mobile. I think it will cut down on time to and from the site cleaning. Seems like all the time I save with the ultrasonic cleaning I am wasting with the travel time.
Also for me and I say ME, I dont like the image that is portrayed by hand washing or the pressure washing method that I have seen. It may be every bit as effective and if its in a shop of your own the customer dont care as long as you dont damage them. However, for mobile cleaning I really like the look and feel of ultrasonic.
There is nothing wrong with any of the methods this is a Mike Draper opinion and should be considered as all opinions they are biased and free
I would just love to have a trailer with my own space to work in. even a nice little toy hauler with a bathroom would rock. big dreams…I always thought the toy hauler would be great. you could go mobile long distance. lol
Yeah thats what i want eventually also. (Not a toy hauler) but a trailer that everything is in. One guys that I seen had everything in place all he had do was add water which was plumbed through an outside spicket on his trailer and electricity which was run on the outside of his trailer.
So drop the ramp put some racks out, plug into water and electricity and your makin money.
Now if I could figure out how to do this without leaving my bed
the toy hauler is just my brain saying “maybe I could use this to do long distance work trips and go fishing at the same time”. Really I am only looking for about 16 foot long enclosed trailer. outfit it with gas generator, lights, heat/air, maybe a power wash set up.
Yes it can be. water is involved in the cleaning process. Some manufactures say you can use it for wood some say you can’t. I’ve tried a few times and I sit about 75/25 success. the water can cause the wood to warp and expand where the draw string holes are and on the ends where it has been cut to size. so time in the tank is crucial. Faux wood not so much of a problem seeing that most of it’s composition is epoxy.
Time tank is definately the issue. I usually just dip and get them right back out and then make sure to dry them down real good. I agree Faux Finish no problem.
I think…:o
