Aluminum Blinds

Aluminum blinds are fantastic window treatments for those who love color or those who are decorating on a budget. They are relatively cheap, sometimes costing little more than curtains, and come in a wide variety of pastels, jewel tones, and sparkly colors. Aluminum blinds are also a good choice for those in climates with harsh sun as they resist fading and physically block the sun’s heat and UV rays.

The relative opaqueness of aluminum blinds makes them great for use in bedrooms or rooms that have televisions, where a person would want to minimize sun glare on the screen. This is because most aluminum blinds have a feature referred to as the “De-Light Feature.” This means, they have no route holes, or holes to route the guide strings for the blinds. Also, when incorporating aluminum blinds into your home décor, try to use horizontal blinds as opposed to vertical blinds, which tend to be noisy.

Cleaning aluminum blinds is a simple two step process. First, vacuum the blinds. If they are horizontal, vacuum horizontally; if they are vertical, vacuum vertically. After that, you can use any household cleaning fluid sprayed on cloth to clean the individual slats. Many people use an old sock to do this. For a deep cleaning, aluminum blinds can be taken down and washed in the bathtub in a soapy solution. Be careful not to bend the slats in the tub, and never use hot water. Any stain remover can be used to clean the cord.

Aluminum blinds generally come in two gauges, eight and six gauge. Get the eight gauge blinds as they are heavier and less prone to bending from kids and pets. One thing to be especially watchful of with aluminum blinds is pets. Cats particularly love to sit in windows and have no qualms peeking their little heads through the flexible aluminum lats to soak up some sun or take in the view. The lats can be bent back into place, but eventually, the repeated bending will do irreparable harm to your aluminum blinds. If you have curious pets, it is best to get wood blinds, which can handle the abuse. If you can only afford aluminum blinds, make sure to pull them up and out of your pets’ way during the day. As well, spring-tempered aluminum blinds are designed to resist kinking.

Contrary to popular belief, aluminum blinds are a beautiful and durable addition to your home décor. They are also inexpensive and low-maintenance making them a great choice for anyone who wants a stylish home without spending a fortune.