When it comes to energy efficiency and ease of use, nothing beats a Bali Cellular Shade. The cellular shade’s special design insulates against heat and cold—and that means savings on your heating and cooling costs. Cellular shades even help to dampen sound for a quieter room. The neat even pleats look great, and huge range of fabrics lets you find exactly the right shade for your home.
All that energy efficiency and good looks comes with very little necessary maintenance. In fact, most homeowners simply dust their cellular shades ever month or so—and that’s it. When you keep up with that simple routine, you’re ensuring that you get many years of worry-free use from your cellular shades.
In this article, we’ll talk about the best ways to dust your cellular shades and how to clean more serious spots and stains. But first, we’ll talk about what makes cellular shades so special.
The Special Cellular Structure
Cellular shades have a three-dimensional structure that traps air. From the side, it looks like a series of honeycombs. This shape creates long tubes of air that protect against heat, cold, and sound and gives cellular shades the firmness and neat, even structure that so many homeowners and designers love. It’s no surprise that cellular shades are one of the most popular window treatments in the world.
Four Cell Sizes
Cellular shades not only come in a variety of colors, they offer four different cell sizes.
9/16” single cell
Sleek, classic profile for smaller windows.
½” double cell
Made for standard windows. Best insulation.
¾” single cell
Made for large windows.
1 ¼” single cell
Made for large and extra-large windows.
General Cleaning Tips for Cellular Shades
Cellular shades should be cleaned on a monthly basis. This cleaning could involve a dusting with a feather duster or a gentle cleaning with the upholstery attachment of your vacuum cleaner. Does that sound too simple? Well, that’s really all it takes to keep your cellular shades looking clean and working flawlessly.
Benefits of Cleaning
Cleaning can help to lengthen the life of your shades. That’s because when you remove dirt, you’re removing mold and fungus spores as well as dust and other airborne debris. When you remove all that dirt, you’re taking away food for those molds and fungi.
When a dirty shade gets wet, it can stain. That’s because the dirt and grime on the shade mixes with the water to stain the shade. If this happens, there are ways to remedy the situation.
Spot Cleaning Cellular Shades
Spot clean your cellular shades using a mild soap—using your solution of warm soapy water sparingly. Use clean clothes and avoid any motion that might smear the stain. Use a blotting motion. Do not rub the fabric—this can stretch the fabric or create pilling.
It’s a good idea to thoroughly vacuum your shade before doing any spot treatments—a dirty shade dabbed with any liquid might get further stained.
What Not to Do
You’ll find a lot of different cellular shade related cleaning advice online. Our fabric experts have found that spot removers, dry cleaning, and mild detergents such as Woolite may harm your cellular shades. Harsh detergents and other cleaning products should not be used. We also do not recommend soaking your shades in a bathtub or any such treatment that completely soaks the shades. All spot removal should be done gently.
For deep stains or soil on your shade, contact a cleaner from the certified network of ultrasonic cleaners. How do you find them? Contact Bali Customer Service for one in your area.
Because this article is entirely focused on the cleaning of cellular shades, you might get the impression that cellular shades demand a lot of cleaning. This couldn’t be further from the truth. They are perhaps the easiest of all shades to maintain. A simple feather dusting once a month is all it takes for most people to have shades that provide many years of worry-free use.
Other Cleaning Tips
Some cellular shades are made with sheer or delicate fabrics and should be handled gently. When cleaning, always be sure to use a dabbing or blotting movement. Rubbing or rough handling of the delicate fabrics can cause stretching or can disrupt the even pleats.
Single-cell and double-cell shades can be cleaned in the same ways described above—monthly dusting and spot cleaning with mild soap and water. When working with double-cell shades as well as single-cell shades, use caution not to crush or stretch the fabric.
Cellular shades are one of the easiest shades to own. Keep them clean with a monthly dusting or vacuuming. Spot clean them with mild soap and water. And if they become badly stained or dirty, seek a professional who can get your shades clean again.
Learn more about cleaning cellular shades and any other window treatment.
