Let’s face it. We live in a disposable culture.
When we have limited time, and limited funds, restoring our soiled or aging household items can seem like more trouble than its worth. Instead of repairing or rejuvenating our belongings, we tend to default to tossing them away and replacing them with something brand spanking new.
Take window blinds, for example. For most people, the idea of taking them down and getting out the bleach seems like an unforgivably daunting task. And although the advent of ultrasonic technology has made professional cleaning a popular option for many, cost considerations and logistics can motivate many to simply throwing them away and starting over.
Sometimes stuff needs to be replaced. Everything has an expiration date, and when your blinds are cracked and weathered beyond repair, they need to be traded in. But how do you know when it’s worth it to refurbish them? When is getting a professional cleaner worth the investment?
That depends. There are several considerations to make when the restore or replace debate arises.
Cost: Blinds can be costly, especially if you have a lot of window coverings to consider. Cleaning services can add up, as well, so sometimes it is merely a matter of simple math.
Let’s take the following example. Say you have ten conventional 2” vinyl blinds that have collected significant dust and grime. The blinds on each window are 36” by 48”.
New 2” vinyl blinds would run about $250 per window, adding up to $2500 for the set of 10. Add on installation costs, which generally run, on average, at $50 per blind set. The total for a ten-window new blinds project would be over $3000.
Cleaning costs for these blinds, on average, $6/foot (measurements taken on the diagonal). Restoring existing blinds for ten 36” by 48” windows would cost approximately $300– a savings of $2000. The savings only grow as more luxury window coverings are considered.
Convenience: It may be that you are certain you don’t want to throw your blinds away, but you have no interest in washing each slat by hand. Professional blind cleaning services can easily take away that stress, and mobile services can pull up right to your front door and take care of the process within an hour or two.
Most significantly, if replacing or cleaning is up for debate because of a concern of moving the blinds themselves, a good blind cleaning company will remove and replace the blind without stressing the existing mounting hardware. When old blinds and their hardware need to be removed, and new blinds installed, it is often an additional cost to the client. And new blinds will most likely have different mounting brackets needing new holes drilled in your window casing.
On-site (mobile) cleaning services are able to maintain privacy by not leaving your windows bare for any significant amount of time. When your on-site service provider cleans your blinds, they are only taken down for the cleaning process, which usually only takes a few minutes. Once clean, they are quickly reinstalled, minimizing any inconvenience.
Sentimentality/Aesthetics: Your windows may have the same coverings they had when your home was previously owned, but for a lot of people, blinds are chosen deliberately to match personal preferences and aesthetics. Replacing blinds can be tricky if you want to maintain the same design of your home, and finding similar styles isn’t always easy. Keeping blinds you love means caring for them, and cleaning can keep them lasting for years to come.
Responsibility: Protecting the environment is a popular topic these days, and for many, it is more than a political hot button. There’s no question that our landfills are overcrowded, and much of our waste comes from our attitude toward disposability. Responsible decisions about waste can be difficult when we have a lot on our plate, but choosing to repair or restore can make more of a positive impact than we are aware of.
Whatever your reason for wanting to clean or replace your window coverings, PULSE can help. Try on-site blind cleaning today!
