How to wash horizontal and vertical blinds at home

Blinds are easy to use, compact and practical, and are gaining more and more popularity every year.

Cleaning roller blinds and blinds, especially horizontal ones, is a labor-intensive process. The situation gets more complicated in the kitchen. After all, street dust and soot accumulate on the curtains, and traces of grease appear.

Remove the blinds from the windows, it will be much more convenient. By leaving the curtains hanging on the windows, you risk creating a mess in the room and adding to your workload.

To remove the blinds, follow the instructions exactly. Remove all parts that cannot be cleaned or washed.

How to clean horizontal blinds

Before you start cleaning and washing your curtains, vacuum them while they are closed.

Place them in the bath. Place the slats perpendicular to the bathtub. Rinse with water pressure. If there is a grate over the bathtub, place the blinds on it to allow the water to drain. The slats need to be wiped dry.
If horizontal blinds are hanging in the kitchen and are very dirty, washing in the bathtub is done differently. You need to remove the curtains from the window, removing all removable parts. Fold the slats like an accordion towards the back wall of the bathtub. It would be correct to start straightening the slats from the bottom sash. Wash in a strong shower with a soapy sponge. The top sash is washed last. Then turn the curtains over and wash them in the same way, but on the other side. Allow the water to drain by placing the blinds in a vertical position. At the end of the process, wipe with a lint-free cloth.

Cleaning Features

In order for the blinds to always look neat, you will need to regularly clean them and remove the accumulated layer of dust. There are two ways to deal with this problem: dismantle the slats or clean them near the window.

Horizontal blinds

The first option is suitable in a situation where the structure has visible dirt and traces of grease (when placed in the kitchen). The second option is suitable when you need to remove surface dirt. Before you start cleaning, you need to prepare the curtains. We will consider this process in more detail.

The process of preparing blinds for cleaning

As we have already said, in order to remove all contaminants from the surface, it is better to temporarily dismantle the structure. This is quite simple to do, but if the window opening is too large, then it is difficult for one housewife to cope with it - help may be required.

In order to remove the slats from the brackets, it is necessary to determine the type of fasteners:

if the cornices are held on by screws, then they are unscrewed with a screwdriver, after which they are easily removed;
In the case of a “swallow” fastening, it is necessary to dismantle the top bar by hand or using a screwdriver.

It is necessary to remove the structure as carefully as possible

Then all that remains is to remove the decorative tips that cover the clamps, after which the curtains will easily detach from the brackets.

Note! Decorative finials should be removed even if you do not plan to remove the blinds. After all, it is believed that during the process of wet cleaning, water can flow into metal elements, which is why rust appears.

The nuances of cleaning slats

Caring for vertical blinds

It is recommended to close the vertical blinds and vacuum them to make cleaning faster and easier. Next, spray window cleaner over the entire surface and wait 5 minutes. Take a large, absorbent, lint-free cloth and wipe the slats dry from top to bottom.
You will need a special brush and dry cloth. Make a soap solution without a lot of foam. Take the brush, dip it in the soapy solution, then shake it lightly so that no water drips from it. Clean vertical curtains from top to bottom on both sides. Then wipe with a damp cloth, constantly rinsing it in clean water.

We wash vertical blinds removed from the window

Before removing vertical blinds, remove excess dirt using a vacuum cleaner.
Move the slats to one side and, removing them, roll them into a roll.
Prepare a warm soapy solution in the bath.
Lower the roll until it is completely submerged. Wait half an hour.
Wash with a soft sponge, unrolling the vertical curtains from the bottom.
Roll the washed slats back into a roll. When finished, turn the roll over, clean the back of the blinds and repeat the procedure. Finally, rinse well and hang to dry.

How to wash aluminum blinds

Aluminum blinds are not afraid of moisture and tolerate detergents and cleaning agents that do not contain abrasive substances.
If the slats are just dusty, do not remove them from the window. Simply wipe with a soft cloth.
After removing the dust, we begin washing the blinds. It is recommended to remove them from the window first.

A soap solution will help you quickly wash aluminum curtains without removing them. Use soap or any dishwashing detergent. Soak a microfiber cloth in soapy liquid and wring it out. After washing each plank, wash the cloth. Remove any remaining foam on the slats with a clean cloth. Finally, wipe dry with a clean, lint-free cloth.

To quickly remove dirt on aluminum curtains, wipe them with damp wipes. Press the slats against the window one at a time and, moving from top to bottom, clean the surface. You will have to change napkins often.
Window cleaner will help you quickly clean aluminum blinds. Close them. Spray the liquid over the surface of the blinds. Wipe the slats one at a time from top to bottom, holding them with your free hand.

Material for production

The degree of preservation of comfortable curtains directly depends on the material they are made from.

Textile. Typically, polyester is used in the manufacturing process. Modern achievements in the textile industry do not allow the fabric to fade in the sun, so the original color is retained throughout its operation.
Plastic. The slats are versatile and affordable. Even on the hottest day, such material does not heat up, thereby not being an additional source of heat.
Jacquard. Fabric with a voluminous, convex pattern that can either duplicate the main shade or contrast.
Aluminum. “Eternal” material for stripes. They are not deformable and durable, but they heat up, which makes the room even warmer.
Tree. It is difficult to find such slatted curtains, and their price is very high. Such curtains look beautiful on the window and are completely environmentally friendly. Wood can absorb odors, grease and water.

Bamboo. In this material, practicality, beauty and environmental friendliness are combined in a beneficial tandem. Suitable for almost any type of interior.

How to care for fabric blinds

A vacuum cleaner will help to properly clean fabric blinds. Use a furniture attachment. If the fabric slats are thick enough, wipe them from dust with a brush for cleaning fabric curtains.

If it is not possible to avoid severe contamination, you will have to disassemble the structure. It is not possible to wash fabric blinds without removing them.

You cannot wash fabric strips in a washing machine, they will lose all their appearance. To wash by hand, use a soap solution or dishwashing detergent if the blinds are plain. If the fabric is colorful, use products for colored clothing. The strips must be removed and washed separately. Rinse well and hang to dry.
Try removing some stains that appear on the curtains with an eraser. Take a white eraser and gently rub the stained area of the fabric.

Drying

After rinsing in warm water, the blinds must be dried. Hanging it on a rope, attaching it to the top with clothespins is an ideal option. The lamellas must not be allowed to bend. Drying is allowed over a bathtub and outside, in the absence of direct sun exposure.

Drying blinds

Weights are hung on the lower part of the lamella to ensure that the lamellas are not deformed. Before final drying, the blinds are returned to their place. It is not advisable to open the window. Drying fabric blinds with heating devices is prohibited to prevent their deformation.

Cleaning roller blinds

Remove the roller blinds from the window following the instructions. Roll up the curtains. Prepare water with added washing powder in the bath until the roll is completely covered. The water should be warm, but not hot.

Depending on the color of the curtains, use a product for colored or white items. Soak the rolled roller blinds for 30 minutes. Then gently brush them with a soft brush or sponge on both sides and rinse under the shower. It is advisable to dry roller blinds unfolded.

When roller blinds simply have a stain, they do not need washing. Get rid of stains with a natural stain remover. Attention! Do not rub the stain, but carefully apply the product with the soft side of the sponge, wait and rinse. Follow the instructions for use of the substance.

Tips for caring for roller blinds

It is not recommended to wash roller blinds for as long as possible. The protective coating applied to the fabric is washed off when washed.
Fabric roller blinds cannot be ironed. If absolutely necessary, iron them through gauze or mesh.
Avoid using solvents.
Do not machine wash roller blinds.
Do not wring out the roller blinds.
Dry the curtains on a horizontal surface, straightening them out.
Use gentle cleaning agents. Do not use abrasive powders.

How to care for plastic curtains

Plastic blinds are unpretentious. You will need a bristle brush and a vacuum cleaner with a furniture cleaning attachment to remove dust deposits on the slats.
Take paper towels and soak them in window cleaner. Wipe the slats from top to bottom or left to right, depending on the type of blind. Change napkins when they become dirty.
Plastic is not a capricious material, so it is washed using non-abrasive cleaning products. It is recommended to remove the plastic blinds first. It is advisable to place the curtains in the bath and wash them with a soft sponge and rinse well with warm water from the shower. Finally, dry the plastic slats with paper towels or a clean cloth.

When plastic curtains are in the kitchen, it is better to remove them and put them in the bathtub. The water should be warm. Add dishwashing detergent to it and soak the plastic blinds for half an hour. Then clean with a sponge. Rinse and dry with a cloth that absorbs water well.

Accessories, brushes and means for cleaning blinds, list of cleaning products, photos

On the market you can find special and unusual solutions that will help you wash your blinds efficiently.

List of brushes:

Blind cleaning brush 7 rollers

Triple brush for cleaning Unic blinds with attachments

Microfiber gloves for blinds

Microfiber nozzle for cleaning blinds BLACK+DECKER FSMHDW

Cleaning products overview:

Cleaner for acrylic, ceramics, plastic
Universal cleaner for plastic and garden furniture Reinex Kunststoff
Cleaner for acrylic bathtubs, plastic Sama
HG Cleaner for plastic, curtains and painted walls,
Vinet vinyl and plastic cleaner
K2 Plastic Cleaner

Clean your blinds quickly
Cleaning your blinds is easy if you have good brushes and a powerful vacuum cleaner. But you can cope without them by showing your imagination.