How to Clean and Maintain Your Clear PVC Outdoor Blinds

The Coastal Challenge: Salt and Sun

Clear PVC blinds (you probably call them Bistro or Café blinds) are awesome for Sunny Coast homes. You get to keep your view while totally blocking out the wind and rain. But if you live out near Mooloolaba, Noosa, or Caloundra, you know how brutal the salt spray and UV rays can be. If you don't look after them, that clear plastic goes downhill fast.

The good news is, a bit of basic maintenance is all it takes to keep them looking fresh and clear for years. We build a heap of these out of our Warana factory, so we know exactly what it takes to keep them in top shape.

What You'll Need

Before you start scrubbing, grab the right gear. Using the wrong chemicals or a dirty rag is the quickest way to ruin your blinds with scratches and cloudiness.

• Get some clean microfibre cloths or a soft chamois.
• Use a really mild soap (like VuPlex, specialized PVC cleaner, or just a tiny bit of dishwashing liquid in warm water).
• Have the garden hose ready on a gentle spray.
• NEVER touch them with glass cleaner, bleach, ammonia, or harsh sprays. That stuff will turn your clear PVC yellow and brittle faster than you'd believe.

How to Wash Them

First up, hose the whole blind down. Don't skip this—hosing off the loose salt, sand, and dust is a must. If you just wipe a dry, dusty blind with a rag, you're going to grind all that dirt into the plastic and scratch it up.

Next, grab your soapy water and a clean microfibre cloth and give them a gentle wash. Use nice straight wipes instead of scrubbing in circles. If a bird's left a mess on there, just dab some soapy water on it and let it soak for a minute rather than scrubbing it off.

As soon as you're done washing, give them a good rinse with fresh water so the soap doesn't dry out and leave ugly streaks.

Drying Them Properly

You can let them air dry, but if you want to avoid those annoying hard water spots, gently buff them dry with a clean chamois or dry microfibre cloth. They'll look a million bucks.

How Often Should You Do It?

If you're right on the beach at Maroochydore or Peregian, give them a quick hose down every week to get the salt off, and a proper soapy wash every month. If you're a bit further inland around Palmwoods, a good clean every couple of months will do the trick.

Don't Forget the Tracks

While you're at it, show the aluminium tracks some love. Once they're totally dry, spray a tiny bit of pure silicone spray inside the channels. That keeps everything gliding nice and smooth so you don't end up tearing the welds.