''YOU ought to see how long people wait to bring in their Venetian blinds for cleaning,'' Louis Manganiello said. ''I've got to put gloves on to pick them up.'' Mr. Manganiello is the manager of Strachman Venetian Blinds, a 78-year-old company on the Upper West Side that specializes in cleaning and repairing blinds. Anyone can, of course, clean blinds at home by soaking them in a bathtub filled with a mild detergent solution (except for wooden blinds, which may warp if immersed in water). But that can be a tedious job. ''It's a lot of work,'' Mr. Manganiello said. ''You're on your knees. If the blinds are really long, you can't fit them in the tub. And then you've got to let them dry. Mr. Manganiello said Venetian blinds should be cleaned once a year. ''If you have them cleaned periodically, they'll never get that bad,'' he said. After a professional cleaning, blinds that are not rusted should ''come out like new,'' he added. In between yearly cleanings, blinds should be vacuumed, dusted with a feather duster, or wiped with a damp cloth.

Mr. Manganiello's company also repairs one- and two-inch blinds by replacing tapes, the tilt gear, cords and cord locks. Prices are determined by the number of tapes on the blind. For example, a cleaning, new cords and new tapes cost $30 for a one- or two-inch blind with two tapes. The cost includes picking up and rehanging the blinds in Manhattan, Co-op City in the Bronx and the New Rochelle area. The work takes four days to a week. Mr. Manganiello neither cleans nor repairs half-inch blinds, vertical blinds or wooden blinds. Strachman Venetian Blinds is at 662 Amsterdam Avenue (92d Street); 212-724-6159. Hours are 9:30 A.M. to 5 P.M. Tuesday through Friday and 10 A.M. to 3 P.M. Saturday. The Active Venetian Blind Laundry in Long Island City, Queens, washes and repairs half-inch, one-inch and two-inch Venetian blinds. The company will also clean vertical blinds made of aluminum or plastic. Here, too, prices are determined by the number of tapes. For two-inch blinds up to 72 inches long, cleaning and retaping costs $4 per tape;

a cleaning, new cords and new tapes cost $11 a tape. Pickup and delivery are free in all five boroughs, Nassau County and lower Westchester County if the job costs more than $30. Work generally takes a week. Active's address is 40-20 22d Street, near 40th Avenue, in Long Island City. The telephone number is 718-392-7373, and the hours are 8 A.M. to 4 P.M. Monday through Friday. Photo of Louis Manganiello (NYT/Fred R. Conrad) vacuum with soft bristle brush Most of the time, there’s no need to move your books when you dust here. You can just use a microfiber cloth to dust the tops and and spines of books while they’re still on the shelf. But your spring cleaning session is also a great time for a deep shelf clean. To do this, remove all of your books, wipe down your shelf with a damp, soapy cloth and dry it with a clean cloth. Use this as an opportunity to audit your books. What can you donate? What can you sell? Getting rid of books can be a little painful, but it’s a great way to reduce clutter.

Knowing that dust is partially made up of fabric fibers, it makes sense that your closets are basically dust factories. If things have gotten really bad, it’s probably worth doing a full closet overhaul right now. But if you’ve stayed on top of your closet dust this year, wiping down any shelves with a damp cloth and a quick vacuum sesh will probably suffice.air duct cleaning nyc If your carpets are wall-to-wall, vacuum regularly to get rid of dust. best way to clean exterior shuttersIf you have rugs, take them outside and hang them on a clothesline, fence or other sturdy object. vacuum cleaner deals black friday 2013Then use a stick, broom or even a tennis racket to give your rug a thorough beating. best cleaner for teak furniture

Dust will fly away. The rest of the year, vacuum your carpets regularly. Grab a small hand duster or a clean, soft-bristled paint brush, and sweep along the baseboards so that you remove any loose dust. Dip a soft cloth in soapy water, and then wipe the cloth along the baseboards, rinsing it out in your bucket as you go. clean laptop fan from dustIf dust is stuck in the baseboard crevices, dip a cotton swab in the soapy mixture and use it to clean any hard-to-reach crevices or awkward corners along your baseboards. dryer vent cleaning youtubeOnce the dust is gone, wipe the baseboards down with a dry cloth. If you feel like dust collects almost immediately after you dust, you can probably blame your air vents. If your air vents are coated in dust, you’re basically just spraying it throughout your house every time the air blows.

Using a screwdriver, remove your air vent covers. Dip a soft cloth in soapy water and rub the cloth along the vents until all of the dust is gone. This one is pretty quick, but you may need a stepladder or stool to reach your fans. Spray an all-purpose cleaner like Mrs. Meyer’s Multi-Surface Everyday Cleaner on a soft cloth, and wipe the top of the blade until you’ve thoroughly removed the dirt and dust. Repeat this step for each fan blade. Your window sills are basically a lovely little shelf for dust. To clean them, run a vacuum’s soft bristle brush extension along the sill to get rid of any loose dust. Then dip a soft cloth in soapy water, and run the cloth along the sill to pick up any stuck dust. Dip a thin, old paint brush in the same soapy water, and use it to get dust out of nooks, crannies and corners. Run a dry rag over your dust-free window sill and you’re done! Tip: Windows act as dust magnets, so repeat the process at least once a week to keep dust away.