Most householders do their best to keep the environment around them reasonably clean and tidy, both inside and outside. After all, no one wants to live in a rubbish tip, with all the inherent health hazards that would involve. What we often forget, however, is that not all dirt, rubbish and grime is immediately visible.

What We Don’t Notice Often Causes Problems Later

We do the floors, change the bed linen, clean the stove and perform a dozen other regular tasks, and with a quick glance, we are satisfied that our homes are clean. However, we don’t notice the dust particles drifting through the air until they have settled into a visible layer on the surfaces that don’t attract regular cleaning, such as window dressings and blinds.

Dirt is Unhealthy, Especially for Children

What many people don’t realise is that any type of dirt in our living quarters is not only unsightly; it is a significant health hazard, especially to babies and young children. Where blinds are concerned, dust and other allergens such as pollen attach themselves to all types of blinds, whether venetians, verticals, roman, oriental or roller blinds.

We are specialists at Blind Concepts, cleaning blinds using our ultrasonic technology. We bring the blinds to our workshop for cleaning, and then return them to you when they are finished. If your blinds need cleaning, there is not just an aesthetic reason for contacting us but a health reason as well.

Young Immune Systems Still Developing

Babies and very young children are still in the process of developing a fully-functioning immune system, so they are more susceptible to the respiratory conditions and allergic reactions that are worsened by dust and pollen. Another culprit that can be mistaken for dirt is mould, and this is even more dangerous.

Mould on Blinds is Easy to Miss

Mould is sometimes not obvious as such, as it does not always look fuzzy. It can be present on walls or blinds as a type of stain, a smudge or just a discolouration. It could be one of those nondescript marks that a householder might notice and dismiss as something to be cleaned off during the next major cleaning cycle. In a young child’s bedroom, it could silently grow and cause nasal congestion, sneezing, coughing and make any pre-existing respiratory condition worse.

Cleaning Process Needs to Also Remove Bacteria

In cases where the blinds have not been cleaned for some years, it is difficult for a householder to get them completely clean. Our process not only cleans; it also sanitises and deodorises the blinds, removing not only dirt and grime, but also any bacteria living there. Getting your blinds professionally cleaned is a small price to pay to protect the health of all your family members, especially the youngest ones.

Street appeal is one of the most highly desired attributes a property can possess, according to most real estate agents. First impressions are often the most lasting, and a property that is untidy loses much of its original appeal. It also loses its value, which is a major issue if the property is for sale.

Check your blinds

The same goes for your own property, whether it is an apartment, townhouse, duplex or a free-standing dwelling. The lawn may be freshly mowed, the gardens tended and the fencing in top condition, but if the window blinds are broken and need repairing, the property will not look its best.

This does not mean that all the blinds need replacing, especially if you have some experience with hand tools. Many of the problems can be repaired, and in this era of the internet, the do-it-yourself enthusiast has only to follow some video instructions.

Do your Venetians have a broken slat? Open the blinds and remove the two plugs at the bottom that hold the lift strings. Remove the lift strings only as far as the slat you are repairing. Replace the broken slat and move the bottom of the blind up by one space. Rethread the string and tie it off at the base. Sounds easy!

Have you got a roller blind that won’t stay down? You will need to remove the roller from the bracket, take off the metal cap on the end and use a can of air or a brush to clean and remove the dust and dirt from the ratchet. Lubricate any moving parts with household oil, replace the cap, return the roller to its brackets and check the tension to make sure it is fixed.

Roman blinds, verticals, timber venetians, oriental and Holland blinds as well as blinds made from aluminium, wood composite and lacquered or oiled cedar blinds are the most popular and there will usually be a web site that explains step by step how to fix your type of blind. If, after checking out the relevant instructions, you don’t have the confidence to do it yourself, there is an alternative.

We are Blind Concepts, a Brisbane company that specialises in repairing and refurbishing old and damaged interior blinds. We can clean and repair all these types of blinds, using the latest in cleaning technology. We take the blinds to our workshop, clean and repair them and then return them to you usually within 24 hours. If this sounds easier than the do-it-yourself option, give us a call.

With our cost of living still rising with no end in sight, most Australian households are on a mission to save money and reduce living expenses wherever possible. We have always been a do-it-yourself populace and the current economic situation spurs us on to greater efforts. If a task needs doing, and we have the resources and skills to tackle it ourselves, we are onto it.

Window Blinds Essential in our Climate

Whatever our living situations, in our climate we all have window blinds. Even the “grey nomads” who criss-cross the country to see our natural wonders before they settle into retirement, have blinds on the windows of their mobile homes. They are essential in our climate to control the weather extremes.

Are You a Do-it-Yourself Practitioner?

As we all know, any type of window blind looks great when it is first installed, but before long, it will need cleaning and perhaps some repairs to keep it sparkling. If you are an avid do-it-yourself practitioner, you can give it a try, provided you are not afraid to climb the odd ladder or two.

At Blind Concepts we offer an alternative solution if you are having second thoughts. At our one-stop service shop, we repair and refurbish old and damaged interior blinds. Verticals, roman blinds, oriental, plain or exposed batten, Holland blinds and Venetians can all be renewed with our ultrasonic cleaning technology. However, if you still want to go it alone, we offer you a few tips.

Gentle Wash on the Clothesline an Easy Clean for Venetians

Even with regular dusting, Venetians eventually get to the stage where they need a good wash. The quickest way to do this is to take the blinds down, hang them on the clothesline, wash with a gentle detergent, rinse gently with a garden hose, allow them to dry and then rehang them. Be careful with timber Venetians, however, as excess water will cause them to warp.

Follow Manufacturer’s Care Instructions for Fabric Blinds

Plastic blinds will respond to cleaning with detergent and water, but fabric blinds require caution. You should always check the care instructions before attempting to clean them. Only use the recommended cleaning method for the best results. Make sure they are completely dry before closing them.

Besides DIY, the other task we have become good at is outsourcing. Our hectic work and social calendars don’t leave much time for cleaning the blinds. If it seems like too much hard work and you would rather spend your weekends at the beach or pool, then check out our services and let us do the hard work for you.

As a society, we are all struggling with the choices we make as consumers and the way those choices impact on the environment. We know that our natural resources are being depleted and we are looking for sustainable alternatives to reduce our carbon footprint. From small beginnings, sustainability has grown to become an important contribution to countering the effects of climate change.

Lots of Choices Available in Sustainable Products

Choosing sustainable products is becoming easier as more and more alternatives become available. For example, window coverings are an area where eco-friendly materials are now offered as a viable alternative to traditional materials. Blinds and curtains protect structures from the elements, reducing the amount of energy needed for heating and cooling. When these blinds and curtains are made from eco-friendly materials, the environment wins twice.

Our Process Reduces Waste

At Blind Concepts, our business is based on getting the most out of your window coverings by cleaning and repairing them, so they look like new. Blinds that have been through our process look so good that any thought of throwing them out and buying new ones disappears. We have an excellent record of preventing unnecessary waste, and our cleaning process uses very little water or detergents.

Eco-friendly Materials Look Great on Windows

There are several materials now being used by manufacturers that are kind to the environment and look sensational on your windows. Hemp, recycled paper, bamboo, timber from sustainable plantations and natural fibres such as organic cotton are all being used to make blinds.

Roller Blinds a Perfect Choice for Sustainable Fabrics

The uncomplicated design of roller blinds is a perfect example of how a fabric made from hemp or bamboo or even recycled paper can be made into a product that would grace any window. With the advanced manufacturing techniques now available, such fabrics are indistinguishable from traditional types.

Ancient Bamboo Still in Favour

Bamboo blinds have been traced back to Ancient Eastern cultures, with these early peoples using whatever natural resources were available to them, in the absence of an organised manufacturing industry. Bamboo is still being used today to make blinds, although these most likely are finished with a level of precision and quality that would not have been available to the ancients.

Ultra-Cleaning Process Gentle on Eco-friendly Materials

Our repair and cleaning process is already being used with great success on timber blinds. Because ultra-sonic cleaning uses little water, with most of the work being done by high frequency sound waves, it is proof that eco-friendly blind materials can withstand cleaning. This is an important point to make when marketing these materials, as people may think that eco-friendly means fragile.

Next time you are shopping for blinds, ask about eco-friendly materials and do the environment a huge favour.

It seems that everyone is super busy these days, working, looking after family, volunteering in community organisations, pursuing leisure activities and trying at the same time to keep their homes clean and tidy. Cleaning the window blinds is just one of many tasks that home occupiers once did themselves, but, with time being such a precious commodity, they are now looking for outside help to get things done.

Want Your Blinds to Last? Regular Cleaning is the Answer

It has been proven that regular cleaning prolongs the life of blinds considerably, but with all the different types of materials now being used in blind manufacture, it is important for home owners to get the right type of cleaning product. People these days are almost more environmentally aware than previous generations, and they are reluctant to use cleaning products that will end up in our rivers and oceans, and impact on our wildlife.

Blind cleaning is a large part of our business, and based on our many years of experience at cleaning and renewing blinds, and positive feedback from our customers, we know we are on a winner with ultrasonic cleaning technology. Blind Concepts uses this method for all blind cleaning, because we know it is effective and environmentally responsible.

Sound Waves and Energy Bubbles – Cleaning Magic

Ultrasonic cleaning technology uses high frequency sound waves in conjunction with water-based cleaning solution to lift dirt from every part of the blinds. These sound waves generate millions of tiny energy bubbles, and when they implode, they remove every trace of grease, grime, dirt, insect residue and anything else that has found its way onto your precious blinds.

No Scratching – No Damage

There is no hard scrubbing that can damage the surface, and the bubbles are so small that they find their way into even the smallest space, lifting away dirt that previously was almost impossible to access. New blinds that are cleaned right from the start, using this method, will never be subjected to brushes that can scratch and damage, but this method is just as effective on older blinds.

Kind to the Environment

The water-based solution we use has a tiny amount of bio-degradable detergent added that is so gentle, it is suitable for the most delicate parts of the blind, including the cords. We also don’t need to use a lot of water with ultrasonic cleaning, so we are not only keeping our waterways clean, but also conserving one of our country’s most precious resources.

We return your blinds within 24 hours, clean, sanitised, deodorised and lubricated, ready for re-hanging. Even old and worn-looking blinds will look so good, you will forget about replacing them, saving you buckets of money, and that is the best part.

Choosing the right style of blind to suit the windows in your home is an important decision because they add to the street appeal of the property. The correct choice adds value to any property, whether domestic or commercial, but a poor choice detracts from its appearance just as much as an untidy yard, rubbish left lying around or a peeling paint job.

Here in Australia, there are several styles of blinds that are always popular and while colours and patterns go in and out of fashion, these styles are at the top of every decorator’s list. Venetian, Roman, roller and block out blinds are the top choices of most property owners. If you are just starting the search for your ideal blinds, one of these will be the right style, either for a specific room or for all your rooms.

At Blind Concepts we are no stranger to these styles, as much of our business is to provide our clients with blind cleaning and repair services. We offer an ultrasonic cleaning method that is cost effective and environmentally friendly, and uses minimal amounts of chemicals and water.

Versatile Venetians – Timeless Look, Modern Materials

Venetian blinds are very versatile and nowadays they are available in a range of materials including PVC, timber, plastic and aluminium. They are enjoying a resurgence of sorts, due in part to these new materials, which are easier to clean than those of some years ago. The sleek lines and narrow blades of the new style of venetians suit modern décor, and all but the timber ones are suitable for wet areas.

Soften a Harsh Vista with a Roman Blind

Roman blinds are made of fabric and are a popular way to add a splash of colour to a room. Their wide, horizontal panels have a softening effect on both a window and the rest of the room. They are often paired with curtains in the same fabric, creating an elegant, co-ordinated effect, and their insulation qualities make them suitable for colder climates.

Keep Costs Down with a Roller Blind

The ever-practical roller blind was once kept to the bedrooms and kitchen, but new fabrics, fashionable colours and trims have given it the style to grace any room. The easy up and down motion lets in maximum light and breeze, and its unobtrusive presence allows the furniture to set the style for the rest of the room. Choose a light-filtering, block-out or sunscreen fabric and you have the elements under control.

Getting the right style to suit specific rooms, climate aspects and window shapes needs some thought, but it is worth the effort for the comfort of the occupants and the street appeal of the property. When it comes time to clean your blinds, regardless of what style you have chosen, give us a call.

For many years, no self-respecting home owner would dress their windows with blinds unless they were accompanied by curtains. In fact, blinds were the poor cousin to curtains of all fabric types, lengths, styles and colours. Blinds existed just to control the light and curtains were able to strut their stuff in every window of the dwelling, which included the toilet.

Can Blinds Replace Curtains? Yes, if You Choose Well

The wheel has turned full-circle and these days, curtains are optional, an extra that may not be needed because the range of blinds available today are not only functional, but also elegant, stylish and in many cases, simply beautiful. No other window statement is needed if you get the right blind to suit the window.

Naturally, with a business name like Blind Concepts, we know quite a lot about blinds, especially about keeping them looking like new. We clean and repair various types of blinds so that you get the maximum value out of them, instead of replacing them when they begin to look shabby. We do the work on our premises so there is no disruption to your household routine.

Perennial Favourite – Roller Blinds

Roller blinds are functional for most areas, especially utility areas such as kitchens, bathrooms and laundries. They are easy to clean, and available in sheer, semi-sheer, opaque and block-out fabrics, giving you complete control of the amount of light entering the room. They also come in a range of colours and patterns to suit your décor.

Romans for Classical Elegance

Smooth when opened and neatly folded when closed, roman blinds have been around forever, and have a classic look that suits a minimalist decorating style. They look good in any type of room, and come with a cord that allows you to choose how much area you want covered.

Modern Venetians are Versatile

A Venetian style of blind nowadays comes in many different materials. People who had them in their homes fifty years ago remember them being hard to clean. Modern venetians are much improved with thinner, more elegant slats that are coated to resist dust. Available in several different types of timber including cedar and wood-composite, as well as aluminium and other materials, they are versatile, attractive and suit most types of windows.

The Newcomer – Honeycomb Blinds

Modern additions to the range are honeycomb or cellular blinds. They are excellent at filtering light, with the bonus of being an efficient insulator of both heat and cold. This helps with energy costs and the cells, from which they are made, come in different varieties and sizes, allowing you to choose what best suits your windows.

There are other styles available, so decide what you want from your window blinds before you purchase. When they are ready for cleaning, just give us a call.

We have seen many changes over the years to home decorator features, but the window blind has outlasted the fads and fashions. Apart from a few changes brought on by improved technology, the basic design of each different type of blind remains unchanged. Venetians, verticals, Holland blinds, wood composite and other types of blinds are relatively unchanged and still providing privacy and protection from the weather.

The Vacuum Cleaner Makes Things Easy

However, window blinds gather dust over time and require a regular dusting regime. The vacuum cleaner is the first line of defence and should be used weekly on your blinds. Using the brush attachment, start at the top and work down, moving the cleaner over the whole blind. This removes the surface dust and reduces the amount of effort needed to get the blinds completely clean.

Horizontal and Vertical Blinds

When the times comes for a more thorough clean, there are no trick techniques, but some blinds require more work than others need. For horizontal and vertical blinds, wash them over using a microfibre cloth and some warm, soapy water. There is no need to take them off the window if you are careful. Open the window when you are finished and let them air dry.

Fabric Blinds Need Some TLC

Fabric blinds need a little more care and attention, especially if regular vacuum cleaning has been neglected. Wash both sides with warm soapy water using a sponge, rinse with clean water and wipe over with a clean towel to remove the excess. If they are badly discoloured, you may need to take them down from the window to do this, but if you can clean them in situ, again, open the window and let them air dry.

Blinds with Wooden Slats

Even though these types of blinds may have been vacuumed regularly, they eventually trap dirt in hard to reach places. First remove as much of this accumulated dirt as possible using a dry cloth by wiping the top and bottom of each individual slat. Stubborn areas will need scrubbing with a wet cloth, followed by drying off with a clean, dry cloth. This is important as leaving water on the slats may make them warp.

An Easier Alternative

If this is too time-consuming or difficult, we can offer an alternative. At Blind Concepts, we have a blind cleaning service using the latest ultrasonic cleaning technology. This uses high frequency sound waves as an alternative to hard scrubbing that can damage the blinds. We take your blinds to our workshop to clean them, and return them ready to hang.

Keeping your blinds looking new and fresh is a much cheaper option than replacing them. Regular cleaning will extend their life and your windows will look sensational.

If you are a sufferer of hay fever and asthma, keeping the home free of dust is essential to your overall health and comfort. There are various triggers that can start a bout of either condition such as exposure to some pollen and other allergens. However, you probably know that household dust mites are one of the most common causes.

Careless Dusting Technique Contributes to Hay Fever Symptoms

This makes cleaning an unpleasant task, especially if you are careless about your dusting technique. Dust cloths and feather dusters are notorious for flicking dust particles into the air where they are inhaled by everyone in the house. These particles also cling to curtains, blinds and other household furnishings, keeping the hay fever sufferer in a never-ending cycle of sneezing, itching eyes, runny nose and tickling in the back of the throat.

Is There an Alternative?

We have another alternative to these traditional cleaning methods when it comes time to clean your window blinds. Not only will there be no dust floating around the furnishings, but also you will not have to raise a finger to get your blinds cleaned. We will pick up your blinds from your home, put them through our process at the Blind Concepts workshop and return them to your home within 24 hours, ready for re-hanging.

Ultrasonic Cleaning – Just a Little Water and Sound Waves

Our process is called ultrasonic cleaning, and it works by using high frequency sound waves that produce millions of tiny imploding energy bubbles. These bubbles remove all the dirt, grime and grease that have become embedded in the blinds over time. There is no harsh scrubbing that can damage the surface of your blinds, and the bubbles get into every nook and cranny that brushes often don’t reach.

A Friend of the Environment

This process is also environmentally friendly. It uses a water-based solution that is safe and gentle to use and only the tiniest amount of bio-degradable detergent is needed. During the cleaning process, the blinds are also sanitised, deodorised and lubricated, restoring them to an almost-new look at a fraction of the cost of replacing them.

Spotless Windows – Blinds Look Brand New

While your blinds are away being cleaned, take the opportunity to clean the windows and wipe away any built-up grime or dust on the window sills and frames. If you have curtains on these windows as well as blinds, make it a clean sweep by taking them down and wash them yourself or have them dry-cleaned.

Say Goodbye to Irritating Symptoms

When we return your blinds to be hung at your now spotless windows, you will have the whole job completed and the dirt and dust will have disappeared. You will appreciate not only the pristine look of your window coverings but also being free of those irritating symptoms of hay fever.

There are some people who have so little interest in keeping their living space clean that friends need a bio-hazard suit to visit, and there are others who clean everything every day. Somewhere in the middle there is a comfortable, balanced state where the home is comfortable, clean and tidy, and a place where friends and family feel welcome and safe.

Cleaning Frequency Dependent on Exposure Levels

Professional cleaners usually perform a range of cleaning tasks to a schedule that is part of the contract between their staff and the owner or lessee of the buildings they clean. Tasks are done daily, weekly, monthly, three-monthly, half-yearly and yearly so that in any given year, every part of the premises has been cleaned. The duration between each clean is dictated by things like the amount of use, the level of exposure to dirt and dust and other similar factors.

Private Homes Set Their Own Cleaning Schedules

In most dwellings, high-traffic floors other than carpets may need to be swept daily and washed weekly. Toilets and bathrooms could be a couple of times a week, kitchen benches and sinks should be daily not just for looks but for basic hygiene and insect control. Dusting furniture could be done daily if you have the time, but like most of our cleaning regimes, it all depends on the number of people living in the dwelling.

Vacuum Cleaners Make Light Work of Blinds

Vacuum cleaners were invented to make housework easier, especially cleaning carpets. A quick run-over with the cleaner and they look like new, but can the same be said of all your window treatments? The doyen of American housekeeping, Martha Stewart, recommends that all window treatments, including blinds, be cleaned once a month.

Anyone who takes Martha’s advice and washes their curtains every month has far too much time on their hands and should go to the nearest charity and volunteer for something. However, blinds are a different story. They are easily kept dust free with a quick whisk over with a duster followed by our friend the vacuum cleaner once a week.

When Extra Cleaning Effort is Needed

There comes a time, however, when your blinds will need something extra to keep them looking good and to prolong their life. This is where Blind Concepts can help with our ultrasonic cleaning technology. This technique uses high frequency sound waves producing millions of energy bubbles that lift the dirt, grease and grime out of your blinds without the hard scrubbing that can damage the surface.

The process is environmentally friendly, using very small amounts of a water-based solution. Cleaning takes a few hours in our workshop, and once we have picked them up from your home, we will have them back to you within 24 hours, cleaned, sanitised, deodorised and lubricated. Call us for a quote.