Huge venetian blind

[Wilfred Xavier Pickles]

In my little brick bungalow in a midwest US city, I've got an old style (~1954) venetian blind measuring about 8' wide and 6' tall, and with many years encrusted grime. Seems to be made of metal, maybe aluminum.

I can't figure how to clean it. It's too big for the bathtub. I can't find a space on an exterior wall with ready water supply to clean it outside.

It costs about $60 to have it cleaned if I drop it off. Another $65 if they pick it up.

Do they have reasonably priced plastic blinds to replace such large blinds? I tried HD web site, couldn't even find sizes listed (dunno why).

Any info, suggestions etc much appreciated.

Will

[Hell Toupee]

Couldn't you just tackle it with some 409 and a soft brush? Otherwise, what about buying a cheap kiddie pool, filling it with soapy water, and dropping the blind in there for a few hours? Let it soak, spread it open on the lawn, wipe it down. Repeat if necessary.

[Norminn]

Pressure wash at the car wash. Works great. Spray first with Formula

409 or some such if crud is stuck on. Stand them up with slats vertical to drain, dry with old towel if fussy about water spots.

I have also laid blinds out on sidewalk or lawn, pre-spray as above, hose off. Can lay an old sheet under them to keep mud splatters off.

One of my chores as a child was to dust v. blinds with vacuum. Yuck!

[Retired]

Lowes web site shows a 96 x72 ROLLUP blind, if you don't need tiltable slats, for mere $20

[tangerine3]

Come on, be a little creative. Do you have a tree? Clothes lines? There has to be something in your yard to hang it from. Or buy one of those blue tarps. A 6x8 is about $5. Lay tarp on lawn, lay blind on it, and use your hose or a pressure washer. Any day I'd spend $60 to have it cleaned they can shoot me.

Plastic blinds are pretty crappy and dont last long from what I've seen.

On the other hand, blinds are for blind people, and blind people dont see dirt :)

[Dave M.]

Wilfred,

Unlike the other respondents, I think your problem is the lack of water, no outside tap. First thing would be to ask friends whether they have an outside tap and a hose. You may need to supply beer. If you are truly tapless, some kitchen faucets are threaded. Buy an adapter to fit a garden hose. If this is your house perhaps you should install an outside tap. This isn't a big DIY project.

[Kuskokwim]

aluminum:

[NotMe]

Hunt around (or if all else fails) buy a section of PVC pipe with a diameter big enough to hold the blind and let her soak. If you cut it in half length wise you can both soak and scrub the blind.

We had to treat some fence wood and used that to submerge the wood to get a full absorption we could not get with a spray or a paint brush.

We found ours at a construction site where they had tossed a section that had a cracked end.

[Wilfred Xavier Pickles]

This is something I should have thought of.

I checked out a couple car wash today. Can't figger how to hold monster blind in place while I blast with power wash.

Worth consideration.

Thanks, Will

[Wilfred Xavier Pickles]

Nope.

Nope.

Nope.

I'da felt the same 30 years ago. Now I'm plenty old and my low back is like a train wreck. I could spend half the afternoon bending over the blind and wind up in the hospital.

I've been replacing regular size window blinds with them for years. They're so cheap they are throw-aways: might dust 'em but never clean 'em. But it's entirely different for the huge sizes.

Thanks, Will

[Wilfred Xavier Pickles]

I've got a water tap out back, but I don't have an empty 8 x 6 ' space on the masonry to mount the blind. The wall is full of windows, wires, garden hose reel, etc.

Will

[Stormin Mormon]

Got to be some pipes, or garage door rollers, over head. Bring a couple length of clothes line.

Christopher A. Young Learn more about Jesus

.

Worth consideration.

Thanks, Will

[Stormin Mormon]

Hire local teenagers to do the physical work?

Christopher A. Young Learn more about Jesus

.

Thanks, Will

[Stormin Mormon]

Who needs empty? The windows, and such, won't mind a bit of refreshing water. It all gets rained on.

Christopher A. Young Learn more about Jesus

.

Will

[Norminn]

Bring along an old bath towel or some such, lay towel on ground, lean the blinds against the wall with slats vertical and standing on towel. Easier to clean (assuming yours are as dirty as mine were) if you spray with Formula 409 or similar. Blinds will fly around if the nozzle is too close, of course, but just need enough pressure to rinse off the detergent. Let them drain dry, wipe dry if you are really fussy. Good to stand them in the sun or at least breezy place to let innards dry well. I have also just laid them on the ground and used a soft scrub brush (with fuzzy nylon bristles) to clean them, hose off with clean water and stand 'em up for a while to drain. Lay down a towel or sheet to keep from scratching or picking up dirt.