Mini-blinds are my nemesis.

Dear Home-Ec101,
I live in an apartment and my mini-blinds are covered with the funk of thousands of tenants. Can you please tell me the best way to clean these?
Signed,
Dusty Shades

Ivy says:

I hate mini-blinds.  My cats break the ends off of them because they MUST sit in the window and they need plenty of space for that window-sitting. I also think they get dingy after awhile no matter what you do and I really hate that.  When I bought my house, I vowed to never have them, and I don’t. I use the cheap matchstick shades instead. I totally dig them.

Anyway, in an apartment, you’re stuck, so let me tell you the best method of cleaning them I have found. Take them down and put them in a bathtub with a little Dawn dishwashing liquid.  Let it soak for several hours. Then drain the tub and spray it off thoroughly with the shower head. Hang to dry (I usually hang it over the shower bar) and when it’s dry, re-hang them. Using this method you likely won’t have to actually scrub the blinds.

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