Wooden Blinds vs. Plastic Blinds- Are they Worth the Cost?
No other kind of blinds can bring functionality and beauty to a room more than a wooden blind can. These blinds, used for centuries, are still a favorite among homeowners. One reason for this is because these blinds are easy to use plus it’s very good at keeping warmth inside the room on winter time. Wooden blinds are most often more expensive than most other blinds. That’s the bad news. The good news is that if you take care of these blinds, they will literally last you and your home for dozens of years..
A few pointers about wooden blinds would be good to note. First, do not put wooden blinds on areas with high humidity. Places like kitchen and bathroom can easily fade the color on your blinds and make the wood weak. Although these kinds of blinds sometimes are offered with moisture resistant stains and materials, you wouldn’t want to take the risk and regret it later.
Cleaning Wooden Blinds
One would need to take extra care when cleaning blinds made of wood. Remember that these blinds cannot be washed or even be brushed with water and soap. You can opt to wipe the wooden slats using slightly damp cloth or a magnetic dust cloth instead. You can also use the end brush of your vacuum cleaner if you want. Never use dusters to take the dust off, though, as this will simply transfer the dust to other things in the room which will require you to clean again later. For the more stubborn dust, you can use a paint brush to properly clean the wooden slats. Just remember to put a big cloth underneath to catch the dust.
Protect the wooden slats of your blinds. Remember to polish the blinds with a proper wooden polish every few years to keep them good as new. These polish come in different shades so you could match the polish with the shade of your wood.
You can use at least three drops of lemon or olive oil to polish the wooden slats of your blinds. Furniture oils that are wax-free can also be used, although they cost more and are usually not as effective. Never use water-based floor cleaners for polishing your blinds, as all they do is provide temporary shine, which could discolor the wood finish.
As stated above, cleaning wooden blinds is as easy as A-B-C. Just remember the basic rule which is to never, ever use water. Cleaning your blinds can be done at least every once in a week. There is no need to clean your blinds every day, as they actually don’t get dirty that easily. Remember to take extra care of your blinds, as they can amazingly last for a very long time if given the proper care.