How to clean vertical fabric blinds?

Vertical fabric blinds are an ideal solution for attractive way to cover windows and prevent sunlight from entering the home. Over time, however, they can become dusty and dirty, especially if you smoke where the blinds are located, have pets, live with small children or accidentally spill a substance near the panels.

The good news is that you can clean your vertical fabric curtains if you take the right measurements. Here's how to do it.

Proper care of roller shutters

In choosing the right method when washing blinds you should take into account the type of material they are made of, whether they are soft or have been reinforced to be rigid and the type of retardants and chemical protectants that have been applied.

Most vertical blinds shall be hand washed. It is assumed that you must wash them manually unless the instructions specify otherwise.

How to wash hanging blinds

You can wash your easy hanging blindsThese panels are more difficult to grip and scrub when unsupported. Use a sponge dampened in a combination of warm water, detergent or mild soap. Remove the dirt with the sponge and then rinse the blinds with another sponge. immersed in cold, clean water. 

How to soak blinds

If you want to removing blinds from their fastenersYou can soak them in a bathtub full of warm soapy water and leave them for a moment. Rub off visible dirt with a sponge, rinse well, pat dry with a towel and hang them up to dry.

Other methods

If you don't want to wash your blinds with water because they may be damaged, you can use other methods. You can choose to dust the panels with a feather duster, use a hoover with a hose or a dry sponge to remove significant amounts of dust and dirt.

Basic recommendations for washing vertical blinds

When you decide to wash your vertical fabric blinds independently, consider the main points that are easy to apply to any type of fabric.

Be sure to check the instructions enclosed with the package on how to wash the vertical blinds. The instructions describe in detail the care tips for your type of blinds.

Do not wash blinds too often, as this will damage their special coating that protects them from dust, causing them to become dirty even faster. It is recommended to wash the blinds once every six months or every year.

If the canvas is heavily contaminated (e.g. a coffee or wine stain), it is better to clean it immediately. 

How to wash vertical blinds? Step by step

You must remove the protective cover and unscrew all fasteners.

• You can wash the blinds in a washing machine.
• With hand wiping cloths.
• This is a very gentle cleaning method, but due to the complexity of the process, it is rarely used, only to remove individual stains on curtains. 

When you clean the blinds in vertical positionyou can vacuum. Do this carefully, turn down the power and use a soft nozzle. Then, prepare a solution with a detergent and use a sponge to clean the blinds, paying special attention to heavy dirt.

Wash the blinds, change the soapy water for cleaning, without additives, and gently wipe the entire length of the curtains with a soft sponge.

Washing blinds in the washing machine

• The narrow slats you can fold them one by one, roll them up and push them into a washing machine.
• To protect the canvas and the drum machine, you can use a protective cover for washing or do it with a duvet cover or pillowcase.
• For washing in a washing machine, you can use laundry detergent. You can choose soft powders, without aggressive components. 
• Water temperature during washing should not be too hotand the wash mode should be selected as the gentlest of the available programmes.
• It is not recommended to use the mechanical mode of rotation for washing blinds.
• At the end of the washing process, the slats are placed in the bathroom and are rinsed in a shower.

Hand washing of blinds with vertical slats

• When all the elements are dismantled and disconnectedLower the fabrics into the bathroom and wash with lukewarm water under the shower.
• Then enter warm water in the bath and add a little detergent.
• Gives smooth movements, trying to not to damage the coatingWash the slats and then soak them in a soapy solution for 20 minutes.
• Repeat the procedure several times, then drain the water and rinse.

How to dry vertical blinds?

• The drying of the sheets are made in a vertical state, after cleaning, or horizontally, on a flat and smooth surface.
• For the horizontal dryinga long tumble dryer is ideal.
• Beware of the sun, which can easily damage the delicate casing of the curtains and deform the blinds.
• If there are folds in the fabric, fold them by hand and do not press with heavy objects.
• After dryingthe slats can be ironed smoothly with a gauze, at the minimum power of the iron.

Useful tips

1. Before washingMake sure that the fabric does not come off (especially for brightly coloured fabrics). To do this, you can perform an experiment: take a white cloth, wet it and rub the coloured slats. If the fabric is left white, then the blinds can be washed safely. Use the same principle of verification if the curtains have a pattern; otherwise, the pattern may drip or stain when washing.
2. The shutters after dampening they may become smaller, so pay attention to the cotton property and buy a little more canvas than necessary.
3. If the question arises as to how to wash heavily soiled vertical blinds on a unknown material or a difficult coating, it is better to have it done by a dry cleaner.