Many people in Singapore have roller blinds in their homes and offices. Generally, roller blinds end up with accumulated dust on them. If you do not do something about the dust that will keep on building upon the roller blinds in your home or office, adjusting the blinds will eventually cause all that dust to become airborne.
If all that dust becomes airborne in your home or office, it could trigger allergy and even symptoms of asthma, which is the reason you should clean your roller blinds regularly.
Although you can carry out touch-up cleaning using a damp cloth, you will have to use a steam cleaning unit for a more thorough cleaning. Not only will the dust be lifted by the hot steamy vapors, but any mites and mold will also get killed.
Yes! Roller Blinds Can Be Clean Using A Steam Cleaner
Many Singaporeans fear that they will damage their roller blinds if they steam clean them, but that is not the case. Steam cleaning is actually the best way of cleaning roller blinds as long as you take specific factors into consideration.
It is very important to consider the type of fabric the roller blinds are made of. Different roller blinds are made of different fabrics and you should clean them accordingly. For instance, you can simply use a damp cloth to clean roller blinds that are made of hard fabric. However, if your roller blinds are made of a softer fabric, then you will most certainly have to clean them by steam cleaning. Often, water does not saturate certain fabrics and so, there is no other option but to steam clean them in order to remove dirt spots.
How To Steam Clean Roller Blinds?
1. A funnel should be used to pour water into the steam cleaner in order to fill it up. The reservoir should never be overfilled. Some manufacturers suggest that distilled water should be used with their steam cleaner, which can be confirmed by consulting the owner’s manual.
2. Most steam cleaner models accept attachments so the correct brush attachment should be attached to the hose.
3. The steamer should be plugged into an outlet and the cleaning unit should be turned on. It may take some time for steam to be produced by the steamer. Different models have different heat-up times. Usually, steam begins to be produced in 10 minutes or so.
4. A hidden area of the roller blinds should be pre-tested to make sure that they will not get damaged or discolored. Unlike metal or wood roller blinds, fabric and vinyl ones are more vulnerable to damage.
5. The brush should be moved across the roller blinds so that the dust gets loosened up by the steam. The top of the roller blinds should be cleaned first and smooth, steady strokes should be used, from one side to the other, working down the blinds. If you have vinyl roller blinds, then the steam cleaner should be moved more rapidly.
6. A clean cloth or towel should be used for any dust and moisture that remains on the roller blinds.
7. The blinds should be rotated and the other side should also be cleaned using the brush attachment. This side of the roller blinds should also be wiped using a cloth or towel.
8. The water level should also be monitored. If the reservoir runs out of water, then steam will no longer be produced by the steamer. When necessary, the steamer should be refilled. However, before the cleaning unit is refilled, it should be allowed to cool down completely. Although it varies from one model to another, generally steam cleaners have a cooling time of 15 minutes or more.
Tips & Warnings
— If attachments are not accepted by the steam cleaning unit, roller blinds can still be steam cleaned to kill any dust mites and molds that are present. As mentioned, once the steamer has loosened the dirt, the blinds should be wiped using a clean cloth.
— Burns can be caused by steam cleaner parts, steam, and water. So, the unit should always be kept upright so that any dripping water does not result in burns on the roller blinds or yourself. Always make sure that the steam is directed away from yourself, or anyone else who is in the vicinity. The steam cleaner should be unplugged when it is filled with water.
Conclusion
Thus, there is absolutely no harm in steam cleaning roller blinds; in fact, it is the best way of ridding these blinds of dirt, dust, and mold. However, keeping in mind the above complications and considerations, it is often best to leave the task to professional cleaners.