05/23/2024
🆑 talk
On how to “think” you’ve actually cleaned the blinds, until the Alberta dust settles
57 seconds later. Then your arms hurt.
1. Vacuum them with a closed canister/bagged vacuum with a brush attachment when the air is SUPER dry. Can’t have any humidity at all or it smears the dust in. If they’re in a bathroom, blinds have to be removed for days and ideally put into sunlight to really dry out first. If it’s anything less than bone dry you’re gonna make mud.
2. Wipe down with dry dry dry microfiber cloth to get the dust the vacuum didn’t get.
3. Just the oils from hands and the heat from someone’s breath as they’re being opened and closed is enough to make dust mud, so even with biweekly vacuuming you’re going to have to eventually follow the first two steps and then wet wipe them down. I’m a strong advocate of a good old fashioned rough terry cloth rag with hot water. Don’t use any soap of any kind, because if any gets left behind at all you’re just adding fuel to the dust mud fire.
4. Realize that steps 2-3 are impossible in your allotted time and try to compromise by offering to vacuum them, and rewrite your contacts that anything more is added hours to your service as a deep cleaning type specialty option.
5. Realize that no amount of money is worth the pain and suffering of dealing with blinds because it is quite literally IMPOSSIBLE to really do by hand, and write all blind cleaning beyond a quick vacuuming out of your contracts, even as a specialty offering. Give your current and future clients referrals for companies that specialize in blind deep cleaning, and explain to them that blinds were invented by the devil himself and that cleaning them fully is a nigh-impossible task, and that the only way to really accomplish it is to hire a company who will literally take them off the windows and dip them whole into an ultrasonic solution that vibrates the dirt out of the cracks and crevices and strings before drying them in a specialty kiln so they hopefully don’t warp.
6. Come to terms with the fact that you must now pay it forward by spreading the truth about the evils of blinds like a modern day housekeeping Paul Revere, staying brave and true to your truth no matter how many people attack you with specious arguments about how they’re pretty or classic looking for their home style or blah blah blah
7. Buy stock in companies that make modern fabric smart shades