Outdoor blinds are a great option for your home or business if you want to get some protection from the harsh Australian weather while enjoying your patio or balcony. As they are exposed to sun, rain and wind all year long, it is important to preserve them and do some maintenance to ensure your outdoor blinds will last longer. Doing a proper cleaning will help to keep your cafe blinds working and looking great for years to come.

Depending on the material of the outdoor blinds, the cleaning process can vary. Let’s have a look at that:

Backyard of a house with outdoor blinds installed. — *Outdoor Blinds look fantastic in your home & business*

PVC Cafe Blinds:

PVC Outdoor Blinds or PVC blinds offer maximum weather protection providing a full-physical barrier against wind, rain and insects. They are great for year-round use keeping the winds out in the cooler months and, offer great shade protection throughout summer. Also, cafe blinds offer full visibility and can be tinted for added privacy.

However, the plastic surface of the cafe blind is porous, which means you need to conduct a careful cleaning process on them. Here are some tips that will help you to preserve the quality of your cafe blinds outdoor:

PVC blinds also make the heat problem in the summer way worse. As the plastic creates a greenhouse effect like windows do in a car in the glaring sunshine. We highly recommend the specialist mesh blinds instead. Although PVC blinds are good for dealing with wet weather, and so are mesh blinds, as the specialist fabric is exceptionally strong and weatherproof.

When rubbing your outdoor blinds, be careful to avoid scratching them.
Always use a soft microfiber cloth.
Do not apply any detergents or strong cleaning products.
Always hose cold water to wash and let them air dry before rolling them up.
We recommend using VuPlex on both sides of the cafe blinds. This product forms a barrier on the blind surface to preserve it longer and boosts its clarity. You can find VuPlex in any Bunnings across Australia.

Pile of microfiber cloths. — *Always use a soft microfiber cloth to clean the Outdoor Blinds*

Sunscreen Mesh Outdoor Blinds or Alfresco Blinds

Mesh blinds offer fantastic protection against wind, rain and insects while allowing some air flow that provides the relief of a cooling breeze through the summer months. Outdoor blinds are made from hi-tech mesh that contains a high-strength polymer that gives the blind extraordinary tensile strength and durability to hold out against the different climate seasons without compromising your view.

To preserve the quality of your alfresco blinds and make sure they will last longer, follow these steps:

Don’t leave dirt elements such as bird droppings to stand for long periods on the blind surface. Try to remove them ASAP.
You can rub your outdoor blind using a sponge or a soft brush.
Even though the material of mesh blinds is more resistant than the one from the cafe blinds, we strongly recommend using microfibre cloths and don’t put strong pressure on them when wiping down their surface.
As we said before, you can use a hose to wash your blinds with cold water and leave them dry off completely before rolling them up.
Don’t use high-pressure hoses when rinsing them. That can compromise the quality of the blind.

As you can see, these are easy steps you can follow and that don’t take a long time to complete but definitely will help on making your outdoor blinds last longer. Remember to follow these tips so you don’t affect your guarantee!