The Holistic Causes of Cancer If you found this article interesting, you will love Jon Barron's newsletter!Home / Housekeeping / General / Quick Tips & Tricks For Washing Mini-BlindsQuick Tips & Tricks For Washing Mini-Blinds  11 Comments    Print     EmailMini-blinds may be a nice window treatment, but they sure can be a pain to maintain since each slat has to be washed one by one.There’s no way around that but here are a few quick tips to help make the job easier…Before getting started:First remove loose surface dirt and dust by either vacuuming the slats, or wiping them with a foam paint brush, sweeping with a paint brush or feather duster. More ideas: try a pastry brush, shaving brush or a makeup brush.With the slats turned down and at their full length, clean with desired method from the top down then reverse the slats and wipe again.Wipe each slat (from side to side) with a soapy wet sponge (excess water squeezed out), or try one of these methods to make the job a little easier:Wrap a piece of cotton or flannel around a wooden ruler.

Spray with cleaner then run the ruler back and forth across each slat.Put a cotton sock over one hand, apply some cleaner then wipe as noted above. Dry with another sock.Rv Rental Chatham OntarioWearing a soft cotton or knit glove will also work (mentioned previously on this page).Homes For Sale In Mossyrock WashingtonIf they are really dirty or greasy, a good soak can do the trick:Lay a towel on the bottom of the bathtub and fill with warm water, add a good squirt of liquid dish detergent. Hotel Design Eco Down ComforterRemove blinds then lay them on top of the towel, the water level should be deep enough to cover them completely.Let them soak for about 30 minutes then holding them by the top frame, plunge them up and down in the water.

Wipe each slat with a sponge or scrub gently with a soft nylon bristle brush. A toothbrush will get into small nooks easily. If the grime doesn’t come off, soak longer and try wiping again. Empty the tub then rinse well with clear water (you can use the shower head if you have one). Wipe dry with a soft towel.Another option: Instead of soaking in the tub, you can lay them out on the grass on a hot sunny day, squirt a bit of soap on them then spray with a garden hose. Flip them over and spray again. Scrub with a soft nylon bristle brush if needed. Rinse with clear water. To dry: hang them on a clothesline or let them dry on the grass (flip them over so they dry on both sides).Grime Busters:All you need is a quick squirt of liquid dish detergent in a bucket of warm water or spray with a general household cleaner. If you need more grime-busting power, here are a couple things you can try:Recipe: 1 cup ammonia & 1 cup warm water.Add 1 TBS of automatic dishwasher detergent to a pail of warm, soapy water (can also add a scoop to the bathtub water if using that method).

Tips: Sweep or vacuum them regularly and you’ll only need to wash them once or twice a year. After washing, you can treat them with dusting cloths (mix 1 cup hot water and 2 TBS lemon oil), this will help repel dust.Note: The soaking or spraying methods should work for vinyl, aluminum and plastic varieties but check manufacturer’s information first just to make sure. Avoid using the ammonia recipe if slats are aluminum. Print     Email Published: March 7, 2012Lead Poisoning Prevention Project activities and resources include: Lead poisoning is dangerous to the growth and development of young children. A child with lead poisoning can have trouble learning, paying attention and behaving. Most children with lead poisoning do not look or act sick. The only way to know if your child has been poisoned by lead is to have your doctor or health care provider test your child. All at-risk children under six years old should get a blood test. The most common way that children get lead poisoned is through lead dust in the home.

Tiny particles of lead from old lead paint become part of house dust. The lead dust gets on children's hands and then into their mouths, resulting in lead poisoning. Lead hurts many parts of the body, but especially the growing brain and nervous system of the young child. The most common place where lead is found is in the paint on older buildings. Lead was used in house paint until 1978, and the older the home, the more lead in the paint. In Contra Costa County, about 45% of homes were built before 1970, and in some parts of the county over 80% are that old. Is There Lead in or Around Your Home? Remodeling or repairing a lead-painted home can release dangerous amounts of lead. Hire a contractor certified by the State of California to do lead work. If you must do the work yourself, get information about how to do the work safely. Parents who work with lead on the job can contaminate their car and home with lead dust carried on body, clothes and shoes. Some jobs that may expose a worker to lead include auto radiator repair, construction, painting, and metal salvaging.

Workers should change clothes and wash up before coming home, and wash work clothes separately from the family laundry. Most fishing sinkers are solid lead. Keep lead fishing sinkers and tackle boxes out the reach of young children. Never melt lead to make your own sinkers. Consider switching to sinkers made from other metals. Some dishes and clay cookware contain high levels of lead in the glaze or decoration. Terra cotta bean pots and dishes from Mexico are especially hazardous and should be used only for decoration. A lead test kit, available at the hardware store, can be used to test ceramics for lead. Imported vinyl (plastic) miniblinds manufactured before 1996 were made with lead. The lead creates dust on the surface of the blinds that children can get on their hands and then in their mouths. Washing the blinds will not make them safe; they should be removed. Parent safety note: cords on window blinds can be a strangulation risk for young children. Large amounts of lead are contained in traditional products used in some cultures.