# Mysterious gray/wavy substance appearing on blinds...help!



## Nik333 (Mar 1, 2015)

There are some people here who are experts on blinds.

Did you try searching - vinyl blinds deteriorate in air? There are some interesting results.


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## Nealtw (Jun 22, 2017)

Slatted blinds such as vertical blinds, twist/vision blinds and Venetian blinds are dust traps, which means that they are much more likely to gather pollen and initiate an allergy attack. Blinds that have lots of material are also a bad choice as they are harder to clean and are more likely to collect dust, so we wouldn’t recommend Roman blinds or pleated blinds. Swap the blinds you have a for sleek roller blinds, which has less material and folds that can collect dust, and you’re sure to see some respite from your hay fever.

https://www.kingstonblinds.net/news/how-blinds-can-reduce-your-pollen-allergies-this-summer/


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## de-nagorg (Feb 23, 2014)

My thoughts are, is this mystery happening on the side that the prevailing wind is from?

You might have air infiltration on that old place, and dust from the outside, is getting through the window casement, and the blinds are a " dust-magnet", collecting the dust from outside.

ED


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## Nik333 (Mar 1, 2015)

jeremiahthedude said:


> Note: it's _not_ simply dust from the house.
> 
> Thoughts??


*****


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## Guap0_ (Dec 2, 2017)

> My worst fear is that there was meth manufacturing at some point in the past, but I cannot find anything online that shows this blind situation as a symptom of that.


I'm not so sure about the Meth theory either. Just return the blinds & buy something else. It's not your problem.


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## de-nagorg (Feb 23, 2014)

de-nagorg said:


> You might have air infiltration on that old place, and dust from the outside, is getting through the window casement, and the blinds are a " dust-magnet", collecting the dust from outside.
> 
> ED



See highlighted text.


ED


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## Guap0_ (Dec 2, 2017)

If it's dust from then outside, why is it so hard to clean?


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## de-nagorg (Feb 23, 2014)

One example of outside dust that is hard to clean.




DIESEL SMOKE.


ED


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## jeremiahthedude (May 24, 2018)

Have a look at the picture. It isn't like normal dust or pollen or anything like that. And the fact that it's manifesting in these weird wavy patterns is just bizarre.


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## Guap0_ (Dec 2, 2017)

A diesel truck would have to be in the driveway before it could push the exhaust through the windows & make all the blinds dirty. I could understand 2 or 3 of them.


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## Nealtw (Jun 22, 2017)

Are windows open on both sides of the duplex. Are enough windows open for cross breeze, are the dirty ones where the breeze enter or leaves.


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## CaptTom (Dec 31, 2017)

A theory: Damp, humid air comes in on the prevailing overnight/morning breeze. Water condenses on the blinds and attracts dust & soot. Water dries and leaves solidified gunk.

I left a white fiberglass boat alongside a 4-lane highway once. The black streaks from the soot would form in just a few days.

As for the pattern, could be just the "wave pattern" the moving air develops over the blinds.


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## Patrick Ellis (Jul 11, 2021)

I've been having the same problem with some newly installed cheap cordless vinyl mini blinds by brand name Project Source. Doing some research online I found that some blinds made in China or other foreign countries (mine were manufactured in Vietnam) may have lead put in them as a stabilizer. When exposed to air or sunlight the lead leaches out and forms a dust on the blinds. I'm not 100% sure this is what's causing mine or your problem, but I am going out tomorrow to buy new blinds that aren't cheap and find a lead testing kit so I can find out if this substance is lead or not.

EDIT: Tested the blinds for lead and the results were negative. I verified that the results were accurate so the substance is not lead, but I am still replacing them with different blinds. Still have no idea what caused this. I'm considering a possible humidity or moisture issue in the room because of my window A/C unit.


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