How should I clean my window coverings?
Many manufactures such as
Hunter Douglas,
Kathy Ireland and
Comfortex design window fashions to require minimal care and cleaning. You won't have to do much to keep them looking like new, aside from regular dusting and periodic vacuuming. Their products are dust, soil and stain resistant. They exhaustively research cleaning solutions for spot-cleaning, from mild soap to lemon oil to wood preservatives, so that we know what works best with each product.
Recommended Cleaning Methods
Dusting - regular light dusting maintains a like-new appearance of most
blinds, shades, shadings,
plantation shutters and sheers.
Vacuuming - for deeper cleaning, vacuum gently with the brush attachment of any vacuum cleaner. Most products may be vacuumed using a vertical stroke with the exception of certain
Privacy Sheers.
Compressed air or hair dryer (non-heat setting) - use to blow dust off selected window coverings.
Spot-cleaning - spot-clean shades and blinds with soft cloth or sponge moistened with lukewarm water. Add mild detergent if needed. Blot gently to avoid creasing or damaging the fabric. Rubbing can damage fabrics. Spot cleaning may result in cleaner areas.
Stain-finished wood blinds – water may damage the surface, so use lemon oil or wood preservative to clean.
Aluminum horizontal blinds – use an over-the-counter blind cleaner with a soft cloth.
Vinyl and aluminum vertical blinds - reduce build-up of static electricity by applying a very thin film of detergent on all slats and vanes.
Bathtub cleaning/water immersion - this method is used for
Faux Wood Blinds and Shapes, Modern Precious Metals® aluminum (
metal blinds,
mini blinds) horizontal blinds and most, but not all, honeycomb fabrics (see the manufacturer’s Care and Cleaning Charts).
1. Immerse the entire shade assembly in lukewarm water with mild detergent. Wash for five minutes by gently moving liquid around with your fingers.
2. Rinse with clear water.
3. Close the shade before removing from rinse water.
4. Hold rails and tilt the shade to allow excess water to drain off.
5. Re-install the damp shade into window opening.
6. Lower the shade all the way to allow it to dry completely.
Note:
Honeycomb shades should be dried in the fully lowered position. Certain honeycomb fabrics should not be immersed in water. Please consult the Care and Cleaning Chart for more specific information.
Avoid dry cleaning - most soft alternative window treatments do not require frequent cleaning. A light dusting with a vacuum cleaner brush attachment on a regular basis will keep them looking new for years.
Ultrasonic cleaning - professional ultrasonic cleaning is recommended for several products. Do not use this method
for: Alouette® Light Louvers; Country Woods®
wood blinds; EasyGlide®; UltraGlide®; PowerRise® and LiteRise® systems; Jubilance® Roman shades; EverWood®; WoodMates®; Silhouette® Bon Soir™, The Matisse Collection® and Trés Vue™; motorized systems; Skyrise®; Simplicity™; Vertiglide™; Nantucket™ Misty Harbor™; metallized-backed shades or fabric-covered headrails.
On-Site injection/extraction cleaning system - this type of cleaning injects a cleaning solution into the fabric and extracts the dirty solution in the same motion. It is a very effective way to deep clean your window treatments. The service is typically performed in the home so there is no need to remove the window treatments. One of the leading companies that provides this service is On-Site Cleaners. They have a national network of trained professionals that can clean any soft, fabric-based Hunter Douglas product including Luminette Privacy Sheers; Alouette LightLouvers (translucent Clair fabrics only); Silhouette window shadings (except The Matisse Collection); Nantucket and Vignette® Modern Roman Shades; and Duette® honeycomb shades. Dry method is recommended for certain fabrics.
Steaming - steaming can be done to remove wrinkles from some fabrics. A hand-held travel size steamer that provides continuous steam is best. Heavy-duty steamers are not recommended.
PVC,
Faux Wood or
Vinyl Products
To reduce static cling and help repel dust, wipe the product with dryer sheets. Do not use abrasive cleaners or chemical solvents, as they will scratch or damage the surface.
Wood Products
Clean using a dry and soft feather duster, clean cloth, dust cloth or dusting mitt. A vacuum with the soft brush attachment can also be utilized.
Ultrasonic cleaning or use of chemical solvents and scrubbing cleansers are not recommended. They will damage the product. Protect all fine wood products from exposure to steam or high moisture areas, rain or outside irrigation systems to ensure their long life.
When cleaning any window, spray glass cleaner on a cloth rather than spraying directly on the window. This will prevent damage to the wood finish by splattering cleaner.
Cloth Tapes - spot-cleaning with fabric cleaning wipes found at your grocery store is recommended for all tapes. These will typically not leave a stain or discolor the tapes. We suggest a cleaning test on the underneath side of the blind where the tape wraps around the bottom rail where any stain would be the least visible.
100% polyester tapes can be spot-cleaned with cool distilled water using a clean white cloth. Support the trim from behind using another clean cloth that is dry. Use a gentle blotting action to clean the spot or soiled area. Rinse by blotting with clean distilled water. Let air dry. A gentle detergent can also be used on the 100% polyester trims. Spot-cleaning may result in cleaner areas. If the tape is shiny or has a luster, DO NOT USE WATER. It is most likely rayon or acetate. The result will be a water stain. Wipes are the best for all fiber contents.
Fabric Shades or Shadings
Do not spot-clean
Silhouette® or Nantucket™ window shadings.
Do not use electrostatic cleaning devices, such as Pledge Grab-It™ or Swiffer™, on Silhouette or Nantucket window shadings, or on Vignette® EveScape™ room-darkening fabrics.
Do not use magnetic cleaners such as a dusting mitt on room-darkening fabrics. This will cause damage to the room darkening backing.
Do not use the injection/extraction method to clean Silhouette or Vignette fabric-covered head-rails. Vignette fabrics used as cut yardage may be laundered in home washing machines on a delicate wash cycle using delicate detergents. Dry the fabrics in home dryers on the cold, delicate setting. Fabrics may also be dry cleaned, if desired. (Under no circumstances should finished Vignette shadings be laundered.)
When cleaning any window, spray glass cleaner on a cloth rather than spraying directly on the window. This will prevent damage to the fabrics by splattering cleaner. While some fabric window covering products may seem perfect for an outdoor setting, all are recommended for indoor use only.
Sheers
When choosing an
ultrasonic cleaning technician for
Luminette® sheer fabrics, be sure to ask:
• Have you ultrasonically cleaned Luminette Privacy Sheers for other customers?
• Do you have the proper equipment and Luminette product knowledge? The ultrasonic cleaning process requires the sheers to be removed from the home and transported back to the cleaning facility. And, sheers should be rolled on a tube during transport to minimize wrinkling and damage.
• Will the temperature of the bath water exceed 90°F? If the water temperature is higher than the recommendation, oxidation will occur in Evening Star® vanes.
• Is your tank long enough to accommodate the length of the sheer? (Very important.) The tank used should be at least as long as the height of the sheer to allow for cleaning without folding and wrinkling the vanes.
Where can I have my window coverings repaired?
Blind repair?
For
blind warranty service and/or repair service, please contact the dealer from whom you purchased the product. The dealer will work with the fabricator who assembled the product to promptly repair and/or replace any defective parts or components. If your dealer is no longer in business or you inherited your window coverings (perhaps they came with your new home) and need to find a local Hunter Douglas dealer, visit Where to Buy to find a dealer near you.
What warranty do I have with my product?
Manufacturers warrant our products which will be free from defects in materials and workmanship for as long as the original retail purchaser owns the product. It is important that you register your product purchase with the manufacturer.
Measuring for blinds - How do I measure for an
inside mount,
outside mount?
While we recommend you contact your local dealer to arrange for a professional to measure your windows, if you'd like to do it yourself, below are some general guidelines:
Inside Mount (IB)
Measure the width inside the window opening at the top, middle and bottom. The top measurement is critical because the
headrail must fit! Record the actual dimension of the shortest width to the nearest one eighth of an inch.
Measure the height inside the window opening at left, right and center. Record the actual dimension of the shortest height to the nearest one eighth of an inch. Also measure the window on its diagonals. If the two diagonal dimensions are not exactly the same, it may be necessary to specify an outside mount for optimal fit, light control and privacy.
The ordered width should ensure a precise fit for the head-rail and allow proper operation of the shade. If widths in the window vary, order the minimum width if necessary to allow the shade to raise and lower properly.
The ordered height should ensure clean operation at the base of the window as well as provide maximum
privacy and
light control.
Be sure the window opening is deep enough to install the mounting bracket.
Outside Mount (OB)
Measure the desired width and height. To minimize light leakage, the shade should overlap the window opening at least 2" on each side and at the bottom.
When measuring the height, take into account the requirements for mounting the bracket attachment.
I have young children and safety is a big concern for me. What Hunter Douglas products should I consider?
All Hunter Douglas products are designed with safety in mind, and provide standard or optional safety features. If you select a window treatment in the Our Products section, you'll see information about what lifting systems and motorization options are available for that product. Also, you can visit our Safety page, which is located inside Getting Started, for information about our innovative safety
How do I find what levels of
energy efficiency,
UV protection, privacy and
lighting control my window coverings provide?
When you select a Hunter Douglas product from within the Our Products section, you'll be able to see what levels of energy efficiency, UV protection, privacy and lighting control are available for that treatment. For more information about these functional considerations, be sure to stop by Consider Your Needs.
I'm looking for
window treatments with a motorized lifting system. What Hunter Douglas products should I consider?
Motorization, remote control, and innovative manual lifting systems are available for many Hunter Douglas window treatments. If you select a window treatment in the Our Products section, you'll see information about what lifting systems are available for that product. Also, you can visit our Easy Operation page, which is located inside Getting Started, for information about all our lifting systems.
Where can I get product samples?
Contact your dealer. Many dealers are
shop at home services and will come to your home or business with samples of their products.
I see your products offer something called "
UV protection." What's that?
UV stands for the sun's ultraviolet rays. When we test our products for how well they filter out the sun's UV rays, and the heat associated with those rays, we consider two important variables: R-value and shading coefficient. R-value is a measurement of a product's ability to resist heat flow. The higher the number, the better the insulation. Shading coefficient is a measurement of a product's ability to shade against heat. The lower the number, the more effective it is in preventing heat gain and reflecting heat. To learn more, visit our UV Protection page.
What is the difference between Duette® Architella® shades and
Duette honeycomb shades?
Duette Architella is similar to our standard Duette honeycomb shade except that it has an inner layer of fabric—what we call our "honeycomb within a honeycomb construction." This new design offers many benefits, including superior energy efficiency and a softer look and feel. The extra layer of fabric also gives the color of the shade a richer appearance, as it prevents bright sunlight from washing out the exterior fabric color. Our original Duette honeycomb shade offers various opacities, a wide array of fabric and color options in single, double or triple honeycomb cells.
When a window fashion is called "energy efficient," what does that mean?
At Hunter Douglas, an energy efficient window fashion is a product that helps to conserve energy inside a home. How well a product does this depends on three important properties: its ability to insulate room interiors from extreme exterior temperatures; its ability to flexibly control the flow of heat generated by the sun (solar energy flow); and its ability to provide optimal daylighting, which minimizes the need for electrical lighting. All Hunter Douglas products help to conserve energy inside a home. Our highest rated energy efficient window fashion is our
Duette® Architella® honeycomb shade.
