Cleaning Wood and Faux Wood Blinds, Safely

Two Materials That Look Alike

From across the room, a wood blind and a faux wood blind can be hard to tell apart. Both have wide slats, both come in white and wood tones, and both tilt the same way. The difference matters the moment you reach for a damp cloth. Cleaning wood blinds is mostly a dry job, because real wood and water do not get along. Faux wood is a different story: it is made to shrug off moisture, so it can take a proper wipe.

So before anything else, work out which one you have.

How to Tell Which You Have

There are a few easy clues.

Look at the grain

Real wood shows grain that varies from slat to slat, even under paint. Faux wood often has a very even surface, or an embossed grain that repeats.

Feel the weight

Lift the bottom rail. Real wood blinds are noticeably lighter for their size. Faux wood is heavier and feels more solid.

Check the room

Faux wood is the usual choice in kitchens, bathrooms and laundry rooms, because it copes with steam. If the blind hangs over a sink or beside a shower, there is a good chance it is faux wood.

If you are still unsure, treat the blind as real wood. The gentle method is safe on both.

Why Water Is the Line

Real wood takes in moisture. Wet a slat, and it can swell, warp or lose its flat shape. Water can also lift or cloud the finish, leaving a dull patch or a mark where drips dried. Once a wood slat bows, it no longer closes flush against its neighbours, and the blind never looks quite right again.

Faux wood is made from a material that does not take in water. It will not swell or warp from a wipe, which is why it suits the rooms where steam and splashes are part of daily life.

The cord and the ladder tapes that hold the slats are the same on both. They are fabric, and they can stain or shrink if soaked, so keep water off them whichever blind you have.

The Weekly Dusting Routine

For either material, regular dusting does most of the work. Cleaning wood blinds this way takes a few minutes and avoids the need for anything heavier.

1. Lower the blind fully and tilt the slats closed, so they form a flat surface.
2. Dust from the top down with a microfibre cloth, a soft duster or a vacuum with the soft brush attachment.
3. Tilt the slats closed the other way, so the other face of each slat is showing.
4. Dust that side from the top down in the same way.
5. Wipe along the headrail and the bottom rail, where dust settles.

A clean, soft cotton glove worn on one hand lets you run along each slat between finger and thumb. It is a slow method but a thorough one.

Wiping Faux Wood

Faux wood can take more. When a kitchen blind gathers a light film of grease or a bathroom blind picks up water spots:

• Use a soft cloth, wrung out in warm water with a little mild washing-up liquid
• Wipe each slat on its own, holding it between cloth and fingers
• Rinse the cloth often, then wipe again with a cloth wrung out in plain water
• Dry each slat with a clean towel, so no spots are left
• Keep the cloth clear of the cords and ladder tapes

Avoid scourers, abrasive powders and strong solvent cleaners. They can dull the surface or scratch it.

Caring for Real Wood

Real wood asks for a lighter touch. Dust is the main job. For a mark that dusting will not lift:

• Use a cloth that is only barely damp, so it leaves no water behind
• Wipe gently along the grain and dry the slat straight away
• Never spray water or cleaner straight onto a wood blind
• Never take a wood blind into a bath or shower, or leave it to soak

Cleaning wood blinds should never involve more water than a barely damp cloth carries.

How the House Changes the Job

The houses we work in put different demands on these blinds, and change what cleaning wood blinds involves from room to room.

Kitchens and bathrooms in the 1950s capes and ranches across Somerset and Seekonk often have a single window over the sink or the tub. Those are classic spots for faux wood, and those blinds will need a damp wipe from time to time. A wood blind that ended up in one of those rooms by mistake often shows it first, with slats warping near the bottom where splashes land.

The mill-era three-deckers and Victorians in Fall River and Pawtucket often have wood blinds in the front rooms, over radiators. Warm air carries dust up the slats, so a quick weekly dusting keeps them looking fresh.

In the cottages and shingled capes near Mount Hope Bay and the Sakonnet, damp sea air finds its way indoors. Real wood here benefits from dusting with a dry cloth only, and a faux wood blind is often the more relaxed choice for rooms that face the water. In the historic houses on College Hill and Newport’s Point, a fine stained wood blind is worth keeping dry and dusting gently, so the finish lasts as long as the trim around it.

When Cleaning Is Not the Answer

Some problems are not about dirt, and no amount of cleaning wood blinds will fix them. If a blind will not stay level, the cord has frayed, the wand has snapped or the headrail sticks, that is a repair rather than a clean. We do restringing, cords, wands and headrails on blinds you already own, and our blind and shade repair page covers it. When slats are warped, cracked or badly faded, replacing the blind is usually the better choice.

Choosing the Right Blind for the Room

The easiest blind to look after is the one that suits its room. When we measure in your home, we look at which rooms deal with steam, splashes or damp, and suggest faux wood there and real wood where it will be happy. For a kitchen window over the sink, cafe-style shutters are another tidy answer.

You can see and handle wood and faux wood side by side in the Swansea showroom, including the Norman range the store carries.

Blinds and Shutters We Make

Custom blinds

Wood, faux wood and aluminium blinds made to each window.

Custom blinds

Norman blinds

The Norman range of blinds, shades and shutters, on show in the showroom.

Norman blinds

Plantation shutters

Louvred panels made to the frame, for kitchens and living rooms alike.

Plantation shutters

Blind and shade repair

Restringing, cords, wands and headrails on blinds you already own.

Blind and shade repair

Book Your Free Quote

Use the call button to book a free quote, arrange measuring in your home or ask about installation. We will help you put wood and faux wood in the rooms that suit each one. To compare the two materials in your hand, visit the Swansea showroom.