OMG...I Can't Believe How Dirty They Are...
By twoey68
@twoey68 (13627)
United States
October 7, 2007 12:07pm CST
Well, I started cleaning the mini blinds in our apartment and OMG I can't believe how filthy they are. They don't look like it till you start washing them. Below is a picture of the bath water after only two mini blinds were washed.
Thankfully we only have 5 windows-1 in the kitchen, 2 in the living room, 1 in our bedroom and 1 in the office. The bath water is from the kitchen blind and 1 of the living room blinds. I've changed the water and am starting on the other living room blind and then the bedroom blind. Then I'll change the water a third time and do the one in the office since it'll be the worse b/c of Hubby's cigarette smoke.
I'm also washing down the window ledges and taking the curtains down to wash too. It's alot of work but it does look really nice. I just can't get over how dirty they are.
I wanted to thank everyone for the suggestions on how to clean the blinds. I decided to go with the bathtub and I'm using hot water and Oxy cleaner...it seems to be working great.
This is day 1 of my fall cleaning!! So, are you doing fall cleaning? What kinds of things do you have to do when you fall clean? Have you ever been surprised at how dirty something is?
**AT PEACE WITHIN**
~~STAND STRONG IN YOUR BELIEFS~~
10 people like this
27 responses
@Polly1 (12645)
• United States
7 Oct 07
Are you having fun yet? You are so brave to show us your dirt, hehe. I just got done steam cleaning my carpet the other day, the water was black, yuck. Its amazing how dirty stuff gets. I also think its amazing how some peoples houses never seem to get dirty or disorganized. I don't know how they do it. To top it all off, I have my own business cleaning houses, its easy to do when you get paid for it. I tell my customers, if they could see my house, I would be fired. They all thing I am joking, but its the truth. Most of the time we are a mess. We are not too bad right now, we have been cleaning, we had a baby shower here yesturday. Take care and have fun.LOL
4 people like this
@twoey68 (13627)
• United States
7 Oct 07
I know I've been to ppl's houses and I swear, no one lives there it is that clean. Our apartment isn't spotless but I try to keep it picked up and decent.
Well, I am done!! All the blinds have been washed, the curtains have all been washed and the curtains re-hung. Man, I am sore!! My back is aching and my ankles (from climbing up and down) feel like their ready to fall off. You can tell I don't do this stuff too often. Twice a year, that's it.
Thanks for responding!!
**AT PEACE WITHIN**
~~STAND STRONG IN YOUR BELIEFS~~
1 person likes this
@catskisses (434)
• United States
7 Oct 07
Rofl, no, I would not be too surprised. It's like the old adage about the mechanic whose wife has a car that barely runs.
3 people like this
@jeweledbluerose (3061)
• United States
7 Oct 07
Started my fall cleaning back at the beginning of September and still doing it. It's been slow going since we are also making repairs to the house as we go along as well. I'm hoping to have it all done by at least the end of this month, but well we'll see where that leads to..lol!
Good luck with your cleaning.
@jeweledbluerose (3061)
• United States
7 Oct 07
We were just going to do the cleaning thing, but figured that if we didn't do the repairs now, they would just get worse and be more troublesome to repair in the future. At least this way we won't have to worry about them until other's pop up.
We are trying to pace ourselves as much as possible, especially with me being sore already from all the cleaning and moving of heavy boxes of stuff we are getting rid of. So though the end of this month seems a fair deadline, at this point it may take a bit longer..lol!
4 people like this
@twoey68 (13627)
• United States
7 Oct 07
Thankfully, I don't have to worry about repairs in our apartment. I just got the last blind washed and now I just have to clean up the mess, wash out the tub and wash the curtains and re-hang them.
I don't mind doing fall or spring cleaning I just have to pace myself so I don't overdo it.
Thanks for responding!!
**AT PEACE WITHIN**
~~STAND STRONG IN YOUR BELIEFS~~
2 people like this
@twoey68 (13627)
• United States
7 Oct 07
I can see why you want to get the repairs out of the way while your cleaning...they can be a pain in the butt.
I have to pace myself otherwise come tommorrow I won't be able to hobble around. My back is already killing me and I still have to finish washing the curtains and re-hang them. I also have to go make Hubby something to eat...he says he's starving. LOL
Thanks for responding!!
**AT PEACE WITHIN**
~~STAND STRONG IN YOUR BELIEFS~~
3 people like this
@Grandmaof2 (7579)
• Canada
7 Oct 07
I no longer have mini blinds which I am thankful for. I'm old fashioned and I love my simple curtains that don't require hooks or anything and they are georgous yet simple to clean. I put them in the washing machine on gentle. The thing that gets me is the living room carpet. It always looks clean but I have a steam cleaner and when I clean carpet I can not believe my eyes the water is black every time. Carpet has to be the filthies thing going in my opinion. Take care my friend.
4 people like this
@twoey68 (13627)
• United States
7 Oct 07
Our apartment came with them and we're not supposed to remove them :( Otherwise I'd probably just go with curtains as well. Mini Blinds will definately be the once a year chore as I don't think my back would take doing them every 6 months.
Our carpet needs to be steam cleaned but first I have to get a good steam cleaner. It's on my list of "Need To Buy" right up there with one of those big mixers and a bigger George Forman grill LOL
Thanks for responding!!
**AT PEACE WITHIN**
~~STAND STRONG IN YOUR BELIEFS~~
3 people like this
@Grandmaof2 (7579)
• Canada
7 Oct 07
Christmas is coming, maybe you should be making a list my friend !!!hehehe
3 people like this
@BayleighGray (4334)
• United States
7 Oct 07
Ugh is it that time to clean again!? lol Well its offically been one year here and Im afraid to take my blinds down and clean them. I clean them in the tub as well, and I have seen water that dirty from my blinds! lol
Funny Twoey, we have exactly 5 windows in our apt as well! Just like you described! The only window without a blind is the office, I have curtains up. I actually have a blind to fit the window, but I havent put it up!
I try and use my Swifter duster to go over the blinds from time to time, it helps, but like your hubby we smoke too and Im sure the Swifter isnt getting all the nicotine off the blinds. Its still hot where we live, so I have planned to clean windows and blinds when it starts to cool off some more. Seems its nicer to do it when its cooler in late fall or early spring. Those are the only times a year I clean windows outside and blinds. hehe
Bay xx
4 people like this
@twoey68 (13627)
• United States
7 Oct 07
Yup, it's that time again LOL We moved in a year ago this past June and it's high time I get to cleaning them. There's no way I'd attempt to clean them in the middle of June. Your right...if you have to do it, do it in the fall or spring. As it is, I turned on the Air while I'm doing them so I don't overheat and have a stroke LOL
I have blinds and curtains in all 5 windows although we didn't have curtains up for the longest time.
It is funny that we both have just 5 windows LOL Maybe the same architect built both LOL
Thank you for responding!!
**AT PEACE WITHIN**
~~STAND STRONG IN YOUR BELIEFS~~
3 people like this
@catskisses (434)
• United States
7 Oct 07
Ok, twoey, it's all your fault.. I'm holding you responsible.. Now I am looking around at how much my own house needs cleaning. So I guess I aam going to dod some extra lol. Went to the fridge to get cream for my coffee and yep, the darned thing needs clearing out and a real cleaning, not just the wipe and go type. All your fault. I might have ignored it for a while longer.
See, I learned long ago to try not to be the house for the holidays, that way I could hold off the Big Clean until spring when I prefer to do it. I like to do mine in the spring because I do it the old way, everything dragged out into the yard to air and everything that can be washed washed and dried in the lovely spring air. by the time spring comes I am eager to be outside and I can motivate myself to get the stuff out for some sun and fresh air. my family laughs at me cause it'll look like the spring cleaning episode of The Beverly Hillbillys for the first few nice 'weekends' (my weekend is midweek, not saturday and sunday) as one room after another endures my kamikaze cleaning binge. When I lived in town I laughed cause folks were stopping by thinking I was having a moving sale lol.
4 people like this
@catskisses (434)
• United States
7 Oct 07
I am a spring cleaner and yep, unendingly shocked at how dirty stuff is lol. But now that your blinds are going up all nice and clean, here is a little hint. When you dust them while hung, use a fabric softener sheet. Fabric softeners help cut down static which makes your clothes cling to you. Wiping blinds with them will help the dust not to stick so badly. use ones that have been used once in the dryer or cheap new ones that have been lightly rinsed with water and dried. Good for tv screens too.
Perhaps the most icky are my furniture cushions. When I wash those in the spring I try to do it outside, I am shocked at how dirty our bottoms must be lol. It almost looks like we sit on them without our clothes on. The covers are bad enough, but the cushions!! I rinse them with a garden hose two or three times and the water is almost black the first time or two. But it is worth the trouble, after they are cleaned and dried in the sun, the couch and chair sit almost like when new and smell so nice. My tv screens also seem to get so dirty, not just dusty. I wash them monthly and when they are dry and I cut them back on any missed spots show right up. I sometimes wonder how we see the picture through all that ick.
4 people like this
@carolbee (16230)
• United States
7 Oct 07
It's been awhile since my blinds have been washed. We replaced all the blinds just a few months ago. When I stop being lazy, I also put them in the tub and use an old sock so I don't remove any fingers!
Have fun and good luck. Am sure everything looks nice.
3 people like this
@Lakota12 (42600)
• United States
7 Oct 07
Ya know the blinds a re dirty but it is so slow to get that way ya just dont realize it till ya clean and Like you I get surprized ever time at how dirty they got from one time to the next just seems like every particle of dirty goes righ to them.
3 people like this
@maddysmommy (16230)
• United States
7 Oct 07
Thanks for reminding me about cleaning blinss aargh, i have to do that with ours too - total of six windows to clean and just from looking at them now, i can see they need a thorough clean.
I need to clean out our storage area downstairs and get rid of all the stuff we don't need or use anymore - its filthy down there and I am not looking forward to cleaning it but I know it has to be done.
@susieq223 (3742)
• United States
11 Oct 07
I do know how dirty they can get because mine used to be like that! I quit using mini-blinds and went to shades. They don't get as dirty and are much easier to clean! I would much rather spend time posting on myLot than washing blinds or doing any house cleaning for that matter!
3 people like this
@worldwise1 (14885)
• United States
7 Oct 07
I'm glad you found a workable solution for your problem, twoey. Now I can go ahead and have mine taken down to clean. I will be starting on my fall cleaning tomorrow morning. Thank goodness my youngest daughter is coming over to give me a hand. I don't think I could do it all by myself.
4 people like this
@Perspectives (7131)
• Canada
7 Oct 07
YIKES...this discussion and your photo gives me reason to go around to the numerous mini blinds we have in our house and give them the white glove test! Neither my hubby or I smoke and with our 5 cats and 2 dogs in the house we have multiple air purifies going in every room so they may not be that bad. However, maybe I am deluding myself and need to check. I appreciate the heads up.The idea you have of putting them in the tub seems like a good one to me and I will do that even if they do not appear that bad. Who knows until you try!
We have already started our fall cleanup. My hubby and a friend did a massive throw away session from along the side of the house and shed and we'll be tossing unwanted items from the basement. We have seasonal sections down there for putting the garden ornaments and Christmas decorations. Cleaning the windows is another fall ritual, raking leaves, burning the scrub, placing mulch around the roots of perennials...whew there is a lot to do! Better get started..so long for now.
Good chatting with you again twoey...and hope your fall cleaning continues to go well. You are right it even though it is a lot of work it feels great when you finish!
Best regards,
Raia
@AeroChickie (459)
• Canada
7 Oct 07
Ugh - I hate cleaning blinds! When we first moved into an apartment, we had mini blinds on all the windows. It took a couple of days to clean every slat by hand. They were horribly dirty. And you're right - they don't look dirty when they hanging on the window. But once you start scrubbing them, all the stuck on crud comes off. It's crazy how dirty those things can get!
@larry21 (20)
• Canada
8 Oct 07
my mom started washing the blinds in our new house and i cant beleive how dirty they were. the water was like grey after my mom finished washing them. i dont like doing chores and cleaning and stuff. so if i had my own house the blinds would probably never be cleaned.
3 people like this
@bestisyettocome (1531)
• United States
8 Oct 07
I just hate to clean blinds! I use the bathtub or outside patio to clean mine. I spray on Scrubbin Bubbles and let it sit a bit. Then I hose 'em down. No scrubbing or anything. And we smoke!
@blackbriar (9076)
• United States
24 Oct 07
We haven't done any major cleaning since we moved into our new house 2yrs ago. Had to clean to get all the drywall dust off so we could paint. Since we have and use the fireplace as a primary source of heat, best time for us to do major cleaning would be springtime. Think I'll just put some money aside every month and hire a maid to do the walls and woodwork next spring. Oh and the windows as well. lol I'll never paint this house again, that's for sure. I'll friggin' hire a professional to do it when that time comes again. This is a manufactured home so when we ordered it, it came with mini-blinds and curtains. Surprisingly, they are still white. lol Just dusty.
2 people like this
@irishmist (3814)
• United States
9 Oct 07
I agree doing windows are the hardest thing in a house. Because they get the least attention. The cleaning people at the retirement home that I work at have been been doing the same thing. The whole window as well, and it is alot of work. I will be cleaning blinds when I move in my new apartment in a few weeks. I do spring and fall cleaning.
2 people like this
@CatsandDogs (13963)
• United States
9 Oct 07
If in a rented place, it's rare that the blinds get cleaned if at all. So that said, I'm not surprised in the least. My parents just moved and mom cleaned all the blinds in her new house too and she has A LOT of windows so it took her some time to do them all but it's an owned house and the previous owner didn't do much cleaning - obviously. But they're all clean now as well as the curtains and windows. It looks so much better now.
2 people like this
@violeta_va (4831)
• Australia
24 Oct 07
if you think thats dirty I should have taken photos of my curtains when we moved in I swear they were never washed since the day they were put in. I had no money (since we just bought the house) to get new once so I had to wash them. The water was black and I used a whole olimpic pool worth of water to clean them.
2 people like this
