How to wash vertical fabric blinds at home in a washing machine

Classic curtains and curtains have long given way to modern options for decorating window openings. Vertical fabric blinds are an excellent option for protection from bright sunlight or the annoying curiosity of neighbors. They look aesthetically pleasing in both residential and office spaces. When purchasing this type of design, you need to know the rules for caring for them. Over time, dust and dirt from the surrounding air settle on the blinds. Professional washing turns out to be expensive in terms of money and effort. However, there is no need to go to the dry cleaner to restore a decent look to modern curtains. You can make them look attractive yourself, following some recommendations.

Recommendations for washing vertical fabric blinds

In order for vertical blinds to last a long time and have their original appearance, they need to be looked after. It is recommended to vacuum them once or twice a month. You can use ordinary household appliances using a special attachment, which are equipped with most modern models. Wet processing is also acceptable, but it is carried out much less frequently - once a year or as needed. Observing the temperature regime, you can wash the strips by hand, or you can use a washing machine.

Note! Since fabric slats are made from different types of fabrics, there are special restrictions for each of them. For example, synthetic and cotton materials can be washed by hand or in a machine. Jacquard blinds are processed dry or wet and can also be subjected to independent wet processing.

In any case, you should rely on the proposed operating instructions, otherwise the piece of furniture may be irreparably damaged. If you do not follow the manufacturer's advice, the blinds will become deformed, decrease or increase in length, fade and will not be able to perform their main functions.

Can fabric blinds be machine washed?

For two years after purchase, it is generally undesirable to expose curtains of this type to moisture. In this case, the accumulated dust is swept away with a brush or collected with a vacuum cleaner. To prevent stains from appearing on the slats, it is better not to touch them with your hands, but to use a system of cords to open and close them. If stains appear, you will have to remove the strips and wash them, but you need to take into account what fabric they are made of.

Not all curtains of this type can be washed, especially in automatic mode. For example, expensive slats made of natural linen, cotton or jacquard cannot be washed at all. If they become dirty, they are dry cleaned. Failure to comply with this rule leads to the fact that the fabric shrinks, becomes deformed or loses color. Strips made of synthetic materials can be washed if necessary. You can do this yourself, by hand or in a washing machine. But it is important to follow the washing rules.

Important! Before washing, you need to carefully read the instructions for the blinds and make sure that this type of fabric is washable. The description also indicates exactly how these slats can be cleaned.

How to remove slats

To wash the strips of blinds, they must be removed from the supporting structure. To do this, follow these steps:

Using the control chain, turn the slats to the open position.
Remove the guide chain from the bottom weight of each strip on both sides.
Remove the weights.
Remove each slats from the curtain rod.

How to get rid of nicotine stains on plastic slats

Heavy smokers know that the yellow coating is not so easy to remove from snow-white plastic. However, in this case there is a way out.

The most proven and reliable method is to use a car interior cleaning product, or rather, aerosols to care for the plastic instrument panel. Since people often smoke in the cabin, auto chemical developers have invented many strong formulas that can easily cope with traces of nicotine and tar.

If the plaque has not yet acquired a bright brown tint, you can try to get by with small amounts and use regular soda. Dilute it with water to a paste and apply to the stains. A strong alkaline solution acts like a bleach. Then remove the soda and rinse the slats with clean water.

Regular bleach will help restore the whiteness of plastic.

If all else fails, as a last resort, order photo printing in warm coffee tones. It will cover all the imperfections and help disguise future layers of tobacco plaque.

As you can see, clean blinds are easy. Moreover, they only need to be washed a couple of times a year.

Caring for vertical blinds

Proper regular care of vertical blinds will increase the time before their general cleaning. You can wash the strips that make up the product by leaving them hanging on the ledge.

To do this, use a vacuum cleaner with a separate attachment for furniture. You should choose the delicate mode so as not to leave creases or damage the fabric.
Dissolve a mild furniture cleaner in warm water. Any liquid substance, such as washing gel, will do.
Using a sponge or cloth soaked in soapy water, wipe the entire surface of the material or pay special attention to dirty areas.
Remove the cleaning agent with clean water using a rinsed soft towel.
Allow the strips to dry on their own. Why do they provide good air conditioning for the room?

How to remove heavy stains?

If dust from the blinds is easy to remove with a damp cloth soaked in a soap solution, then removing heavy dirt will be much more difficult. You can solve the problem with store-bought or folk remedies. If you decide to use traditional methods, make sure they are safe. To do this, carry out a test - apply the product in an invisible place and make sure that it does not harm the material.

To remove dirt from fabric blinds, use:

Store-bought stain remover . Choose a product designed for delicate items. Use it according to the instructions.
Ammonia . Dilute ammonia with water in a 1:1 ratio. Soak a sponge or soft cloth in the solution and wipe heavily soiled areas with it. To remove ink stains, add a little baking soda to the solution.
Lemon juice . Traces of tea can be removed with lemon juice. It is enough to gently wipe the problem areas with it. For colored slats, you should not use this method, since lemon juice can be aggressive towards the dye used.

Marks from a felt-tip pen can be removed with nail polish remover, but you need to choose a composition that does not contain acetone.

Note! Do not use stain removers that contain chlorine or other aggressive chemicals to remove stains.

Wash vertical blinds by hand or in a machine. If this does not solve the problem, contact your dry cleaner. It is also worth using the services of specialists in cases where the structures are made of expensive fabrics. Dry cleaning services will cost less than buying new blinds if they are damaged.

Follow the rules for caring for blinds, carefully select detergents for washing and wash carefully so as not to damage the slats.

How to wash blinds in a washing machine

A responsible approach to how to wash vertical fabric blinds will extend their service life and maintain their good appearance. Any material that absorbs and becomes covered with dust and dirt can serve as a source of allergens and simply cause a feeling of discomfort in your own home. Therefore, caring for household accessories becomes a habit and arouses a lot of interest.

Since caring for curtains with an automatic machine requires less time and effort, most people are inclined to this option. It is worth remembering whether blinds can be washed depends on the type of material. For example, it is strictly not recommended to machine wash synthetic materials. In other cases, you should focus on the materials of manufacture and follow the recommendations in the care instructions on how to wash blinds.

If washing household appliances are used very often or, conversely, rarely, you should prepare them before processing the strips:

Wash and rinse the detergent compartment with clean water.
Run the rinse cycle without laundry in order to remove any remaining powder, rinse aid or dyes.

Which mode should you choose?

After the washing machine drum is clean, you can wash the blinds:

Roll each strip into a roll. It is allowed to roll up to 5 slats together.
The resulting bundles should be secured with an elastic band or regular thread so that they do not unravel during washing.
You need to load the rollers into the machine using a special bag or use a pillowcase.
To wash the slats of vertical blinds, use a gel, since the powder can leave streaks on the fabric. It is poured into a special compartment for detergent.
Select one of the modes: “hand wash”, “delicate wash” or “wash delicate items”. Or any mode that requires a temperature of up to 35 degrees and a spin of up to 400 rpm.
The rinse mode and spin cycles above 400 rpm must be turned off.
Dry the strips.

Care Tips

Vertical fabric blinds should not be washed frequently in order to preserve the dirt-repellent protective coating. The maximum allowed is 2 washes per year, but it’s better to get by with just one. They should not be washed in hot water to prevent the fabric from shrinking. Before washing, it is better to check the color fastness by running a damp cloth over the surface. If there is a suspicion that the fabric will fade, use only cold water.

It is better not to wash blinds with a photo print yourself, but to take them to dry cleaning or use cleaning services. It is also worth doing if blinds made of fabric of unknown composition are very dirty.

Handwash

In some cases, machine washing is contraindicated. This may be a consequence of the material used in manufacturing, or the lack of an appropriate washing mode, or the inability to turn off certain functions of household appliances. In such a situation, it is necessary to use a manual cleaning method. How to wash vertical blinds by hand:

We recommend:

Products for washing down jackets in a washing machine

Remove the slats following the instructions above.
Roll the strips and secure them.
Pour warm water no higher than 35 degrees into a basin and dissolve liquid laundry detergent in it.
Place the packages in the soapy solution so that they are completely under water and leave to soak for 20 minutes.
After the time has passed, unwind each roll and examine it for any remaining contamination.
If stains are found, treat them with a soft sponge soaked in the same solution with detergent.
Rinse off excess washing gel with warm water.
Dry the slats.

How to wash blinds without removing them from the window?

Fabric blinds should not be washed more often than every six months, but if dirt appeared earlier, they can be washed without removing them from the window. To do this you need to perform a number of simple steps:

To remove excess dust, vacuum the slats with a vacuum cleaner. Use a soft brush attachment (for example, a furniture brush) and the most gentle operating mode.
Dilute warm water with a detergent suitable for cleaning vertical blinds.
Dampen a soft sponge in the prepared soap solution and wipe all the slats on both sides. If the water is dirty, change it to clean water.
Then pour clean water into the basin and wipe all the strips again with a clean sponge to remove excess detergent.
Dampen a soft cloth or sponge with diluted fabric softener and wipe the slats with it.

Additional cleaning information - video:

Fabric softener will refresh the appearance of vertical blinds, give them a pleasant smell and protect them from dirt. The product is also used if the slats are electrified. It is enough to wipe them with a sponge or rag in a solution with conditioner to solve the problem and get rid of static electricity.

Advice! Until the blinds are completely dry, do not open the window.

Detergents for washing vertical blinds

Before washing vertical fabric blinds at home, regardless of the type of cleaning, you need to choose a product for wet processing.

Liquid substances for delicate laundry or woolen items, as well as gel, are excellent for washing lamellas. Particular attention should be paid to which fabrics the product should be used for: light or dark and choose them in accordance with the color of the fabric.

An alternative to liquid substances is shavings of baby soap. It may be less effective at removing stains, but it certainly won't cause irreparable damage.

Cleaning different types of blinds

Both natural and synthetic materials can be used to make blinds. It can be plastic, wood, textiles, metal. Depending on the design and material of the blinds, different types of maintenance are required.

Fabric

For regular care of fabric blinds, it is best to use a vacuum cleaner with a special attachment for upholstered furniture. If fabric blinds have a high density, they can additionally be wiped with a special fabric brush.

But if heavy dirt appears, you need to remove the blinds and wash them. However, you should not wash blinds in a washing machine. This can lead to loss of appearance of the slats. Therefore, it is better to do it manually or take it to dry cleaning. For washing, use dishwashing detergent or liquid soap. After washing, the slats should be rinsed thoroughly and dried.

If stains appear on the fabric slats, it is not necessary to immediately remove them into the fastenings. You can use a stain remover that does not contain chlorine. After removing the stain, the area should be rinsed thoroughly.

Fabric slats should be dried in a horizontal position. After washing, fabric blinds must not be ironed. But if they are severely deformed, you can carefully iron them at a low temperature and through gauze.

Plastic

Plastic blinds are unpretentious and easy to maintain. To return them to a fresh and clean appearance, you must follow a certain sequence of actions:

Dry cleaning. First, you need to remove dust from the slats with a vacuum cleaner using a soft furniture brush.
Wet cleaning. To make them shiny and clean, wipe them with a microfiber cloth or other soft cloth soaked in window cleaner. Wipes should be changed when they become dirty.
Spring-cleaning. If the structures become very dirty with grease and dust, it is recommended to remove them and wash them in the shower or soak them in the bath for 30-40 minutes. After washing, the slats should be thoroughly wiped with a paper towel or a clean, dry cloth.

The hardest thing to clean are the plastic blinds that hang in the kitchen. A greasy coating appears on them, in which dust and other contaminants stick. To wash them, it is best to use dishwashing detergent, which quickly dissolves grease and returns shine to the slats.

Metal

Most often, aluminum is used to make metal blinds, which tolerates exposure to non-abrasive detergents and water. For regular cleaning, it is enough to vacuum the slats or wipe them with a soft cloth. However, if it is heavily soiled, it is recommended to remove the structure from the window.

When washing aluminum blinds you should consider:

when cleaning, you need to be careful not to bend the slats;
Do not use alcohol to clean white aluminum blinds;
until the blinds are dry, they should not be hung on the window;
The work should be done carefully so as not to cut yourself with sharp edges.

To quickly wash aluminum blinds, use a soapy solution and a soft cloth. After that, the blinds need to be thoroughly rinsed and wiped dry. A great way to quickly clean is to use wet wipes. In this case, you can use both special household wet wipes and ordinary hygiene wipes. You can also use window cleaner.

Wooden

Wooden blinds are the most difficult to care for. They require the most careful care and the use of only special products. Do not get them wet or use abrasive detergents or washcloths. If the dirt is very dirty, you can use a slightly damp cloth, but immediately after that you need to wipe it dry.

To care for such blinds, it is best to use special preparations designed for wooden products. They must have neutral acidity and do not contain silicone or aggressive components. If there are scratches or other minor damage on the surface, you can use furniture wax to remove them.

Proper drying

The last, but no less important step in washing vertical fabric blinds is drying them. Properly dried strips will remain smooth and continue to serve properly, protecting the room from bright light and heat.

After washing, the rolls should be unrolled and hung upright in a well-ventilated place. This could be a bathroom, the main thing is not to close it so that excess moisture can evaporate. Or you can dry the blinds outside away from the sun's rays.
The use of household appliances for drying lamellas is prohibited.
You need to hang it using a special strip fastening.
When placing the elements of the blinds, they should be straightened, avoiding creases and distortions.
Manufacturers recommend drying the product by hanging it back on the curtain rod. In this case, a special weight is hung from below, removed before washing.

Dry cleaning curtains

If there is no heavy soiling or visible stains, dry cleaning of curtains can be done. To do this, just walk over the surface of the fabric strips with a vacuum cleaner during weekly cleaning. Use a narrow brush. Cleaning is done on both sides.

For convenience, you can use a special finger-shaped attachment. It makes it possible to grab several strips at the same time and process them on both sides at once. Instead of using a vacuum cleaner, you can use a fluffy broom to collect dust from your blinds.

Installation of fabric blinds

After the cleaning and drying processes are completed, it is necessary to secure the strips from the blinds in place. To do this, you need to repeat the procedure for removing them in reverse order:

Place each strip in its place on the cornice.
Insert special weights back into the lower part.
Pass the chain into the guides on both sides.
Check the action of the guide thread and use the clean accessory to your satisfaction.

Caring for vertical blinds does not require much effort and time. The main thing is to notice in time that they need cleaning and carry out the procedure in compliance with the necessary conditions.

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Wet cleaning

It is recommended to wash only plastic and metal slats at home. Textile and wooden products require an individual approach to cleaning.

How to wash fabric slats

It is better not to rub textiles with a damp cloth, but to remove them from the window for washing. But if this is not possible, then first you just need to thoroughly vacuum the canvas, and then treat each lamella with a steam generator, which can be rented if necessary. Vertical strips should be steamed from top to bottom. To prevent dirt from dripping onto the floor and damaging it, place a rag, towel or a container.

If during the processing process you find strong stains, to wash them, rub for 10-15 minutes with stain remover for cleaning furniture, scrub a little with a brush or sponge. You should wash not only the stain itself, but also the area around it. Rinse the product thoroughly with clean water and then treat the lamella with a steam generator again.

How to wash wooden blinds

Let us separately examine the question of how to clean horizontal blinds? This type of product requires special, careful care. Wooden slats cannot be wiped with a damp cloth or brushes; for these purposes it is better to use polishes. You can wash it with a flannel rag, tongs, or put a soft sock on your hand.

The canvas of horizontal blinds is lowered over the entire window, the slats are set to the “light diffusion” mode - the flat part of the slats looks at the window sill. The vertical curtain is stretched across the entire opening, the slats are turned with the edge towards the window, the flat surface is perpendicular to the glazing.

The polish is applied to the fabric, then each lamella is individually clamped and thoroughly rubbed. Don’t forget to wipe the edges thoroughly; when cleaning, a lot of dirt accumulates on them.

Be sure to wear gloves when working, this way you will protect your hands from cuts from sharp edges and your skin from being corroded by chemicals.

Features of caring for metal and plastic blinds

Blinds made of metal and plastic can be washed safely. The cheapest and fastest way:

open the curtain over the entire window, turn the slats to the “closed” mode;
prepare a container with a soap solution, you can use powder, but experienced housewives recommend diluting dishwashing liquid;
dip a rag or sponge, squeeze it a little so that the water does not run off too much, wet the entire cloth thoroughly, leave for a few minutes so that the dirt comes off the surface;
rinse the rag, start wiping away the stains from top to bottom;
areas of heavy dirt can be lightly rubbed with pastes, but do not press the sponge too hard so as not to scratch the protective layer of the slats;
when one side is washed, repeat the procedure on the other side;
leave the curtain to dry, then spray glass washing liquid on the canvas, rub the slats thoroughly with a dry cloth, they will shine like new;
raise the blinds and wash the window;
lower the canvas again and spray it on both sides with antistatic agent, so that dust will not settle on the strips for some time.

It must be said that this option is only good for horizontal products, since the canvas can be pressed against the window, thus creating a support. There is nothing to support the vertical curtains; you will have to wash each strip separately.

Instead of a soap solution, you can immediately spray glass washing liquid over the canvas and thoroughly rub the slats with dry rags. But this option is advisable if the slats are not very dirty.

Plastic and aluminum blinds can also be washed with a steam generator. When hot cleaning, steam removes all the fumes and grease well, especially when it comes to the curtain in the kitchen.

A soft fabric sock is very convenient for washing and polishing the slats

The method is easy, but not economical

Using the following method, you can clean all types of horizontal and vertical slats, except fabric ones. Before starting work, you need to stock up on wet wipes; those designed for wiping office equipment are best cleaned.

Open the canvas and place the slats in a position convenient for washing. We clamp the bar with a napkin, run our hand along it and carefully remove the dust. Essentially, this is the same as washing with a rag or tongs, but there is no need for basins with soapy water and rinsing of work equipment.

If you don’t have the time or desire to wash the blinds yourself, you can order professional dry cleaning at home

In conclusion, we offer a video story in which one of the owners of horizontal blinds shares her experience on how to wash blinds without removing them from the window.

[su_youtube url=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m7ytpSyPf-g”]

Process description

Having decided on automatic washing and removing the blinds from the cornice, you can begin the procedure. But there is no need to rush and load the linens into the drum - first you need to prepare the washing machine itself and the lamellas for cleaning. At the first stage we deal with the machine:

remove dirty laundry from the drum;
we take out the powder receiver from the body and thoroughly rinse it under the tap, since the powder remaining in the cuvette can ruin the blinds;
We run the washing machine “idle” on a quick program to wash off the remaining powder and dyes from previous washes from the walls of the drum.

After emptying and washing the machine, you can proceed to the second stage - choosing a detergent. The best option would be a liquid cleaner for delicate fabrics. We pay special attention to the color of the linen: for white we select a gel for light linen, for bright ones - for colored linen, and for dark ones - for black. We will discuss other nuances in more detail in a separate section.

Before loading into the drum of the washing machine, the blinds are rolled up and placed in a special protective bag.

At the third stage, we load the blinds removed from the cornice into the washing drum. There is no need to crumple, follow the instructions:

we twist each strip into loose rolls (it is advisable to secure the “cup” with thread);
We put all the rolls in a protective mesh bag;
close the hatch door.

Afterwards, we fill the required dosage of gel into the main compartment of the powder receiver and proceed to setting up the machine. First, turn on the most gentle program, for example, “Delicate”, “Manual”, “Sensitive” or “Underwear”. If there is no suitable mode, set the parameters manually:

spin – no more than 500 rpm, ideally – reduce to “0”;
automatic drying – disable;
temperature – up to 30 degrees;
additional options such as EcoBubble, easy ironing or steam supply – disable;
rinse – turn off.

All that remains is to activate the cycle and wait for it to complete. If everything is set correctly, the washer will wash the blinds carefully, similar to hand washing. At the end of the program, we send the strips to dry.

Main

The blinds can be machine washed, but only on a delicate cycle at temperatures up to 30°C and without spinning. If you wash the slats by hand, it is better to first soak them in a basin with a solution for a couple of hours.
Before washing, it is better to roll the strips and secure them with thread, put them in a special bag or pillowcase. Do not use aggressive chlorine products or powders.
To dry the strips, you need to hang them in the bathroom, let the water drain and return them to their place while still damp.
It is advisable not to resort to frequent washing, but to clean the slats without removing them using a vacuum cleaner, rag or soft sponge, and remove stains locally.

Dry cleaning

If you are not sure about the effectiveness of washing blinds at home, it is better to take them to dry cleaning. In specialized salons they accept all types - both horizontal and roll ones are cleaned. Here, appropriate materials are used that do not violate the structure. Using modern equipment and the latest cleaning products, good results are achieved.

You need to contact a dry cleaner:

for contaminants that cannot be removed on your own;
when the type of material is unfamiliar;

it is necessary to remove the stain, but the product should not be washed;
if the blinds are expensive with a complex coating, and even have decorated elements.

Cleaning is done using ultrasound, contact with water is excluded, plus removal of the lamellas is not required.

Manual processing