How to wash blinds at home: hanging and dismantled

Sometimes you can meet the recommendation of manufacturers not to wash blinds. This applies to wood products. But, as practice shows, you can wash any blinds, even made of delicate material. It is only important to choose the right cleaning method.

At first glance, washing blinds is troublesome. In fact - even if they are cloth, even metal, even washable - it’s not so difficult to wash them, the main thing is to know how and how to do it. Then you can wash, and in some cases even bleach. Our tips and useful video at the end of the article will help in this.

Types of lighting systems

If the blinds are no longer pleasing with their appearance, then it's time to clean them. Indeed, contaminated and dusty products not only look ugly, but also greatly harm health. And especially untidy may seem blinds that complement the interior of the kitchen. After all, they are polluted not only by dust, but also by fatty deposits.

What is made of

To determine how and what to wash the blinds at home, several factors must be taken into account. One of the decisive roles in choosing the right method is played by the material from which the "curtains" are made.

• Plastic. These are universal products. They are easy to wash. Even heavily soiled plastic models do not require excessive effort. They are easily cleaned with a damp sponge and a soapy solution.
• Fiberglass. These products well tolerate any type of washing. They can withstand vacuuming and exposure to a damp sponge.
• Metal. Typically, such products are cleaned with a damp cloth. And to cope with greasy plaque help detergents or regular soap.
• Tree. When washing such products, it is not recommended to use a lot of water. If the blinds are made of natural wood, then they can swell and completely lose their aesthetics.
• the cloth They are the most moody in leaving. For such blinds, manufacturers recommend using dry cleaning. However, it is fabric “curtains” that most often require ordinary washing.
• Bamboo. Bamboo blinds look very stylish, they are durable and light. But their biggest advantage is easy care. Bamboo products can be cleaned in the same way as plastic ones, that is, by any available method.

Constructions

Blinds vary among themselves not only in material and color scheme. Such products are classified by type of construction. This point also needs to be taken into account to ensure high-quality cleansing. The following types of structures are found.

• Horizontal A common and very simple view. Such blinds are a lot of thin horizontal stripes fastened with thick threads. Usually they are made of plastic or metal. Caring for such products is easiest.
• Vertical. They create a special atmosphere in the house. After all, these products look less official.
• Roll. These blinds are a single canvas, which with a special mechanism can be twisted into a roll.

Cleaning Methods

Before moving on to effective methods of cleaning the blinds, one more thing must be taken into account. Carefully inspect the mounts. Will it be possible to remove the blinds? Depending on this, two ways to solve the problem are possible.

1. Washing the removed model. Of course, this method is most preferred. Having removed the products, they are taken to the bathroom, where all pollution is qualitatively eliminated.
2. Cleansing on the window. This method is optimal when it comes to washing the product with a damp sponge or using a vacuum cleaner is meant.

What to do with horizontal slats

Initially, evaluate the "front" of work. If the window "curtains" just fell a little dust, then absolutely no need to test the strength of the fastening mechanisms. In this case, the product does not need to be removed from the window.

On the window

To wash horizontal blinds that do not plan to be removed from the window, it is necessary to use some devices that can greatly facilitate cleaning, it does not matter if they are iron or rag.

• With a brush. All lamellas are lowered so that they form a continuous curtain. If you need to remove only dust, then you can use a large fluffy brush. It is carried through the lamellas, brushing off the dust. And so that the latter does not settle again on the blinds, it is recommended to use a spray gun and constantly moisten the air. After the procedure, the blinds are scrolled so that the second side becomes available, and the event is repeated.
• Hoover. It is better to use a car device. Cleansing begins from the upper planks, and then the lower ones are processed. In this case, hydration is not required.
• Napkins. You can use special napkins designed to clean office equipment. In order to simplify the task a little, the lamellas are turned into the “day” mode and each strip is cleaned from two sides at once.
• Wet cleaning. If the dust is combined with dirt, then there is a need to carry out wet cleaning. A soap solution is added to the atomizer. You can take any detergent. Start cleaning from the top. A little soapy solution is sprayed onto the lowered slats. It is important only to moisten the “curtains” a bit, and not to make them wet. Use a soft cloth to gently clean the blinds. The rag should not be wetted or washed, otherwise ugly stains will remain on the lamellas.

In the bathroom

No matter how strange it may sound, it’s much easier to wash removed blinds. After all, cleaning the hanging "curtains", you provide a mess in the surrounding area. So, having removed the blinds, remove all elements that cannot be washed. This will protect them from corrosion and extend the life of your curtains. Then you can clean the blinds in two ways.

1. Simple wash. If your items do not look too dirty, then a shower is sufficient to clean them. To do this, the blinds are placed in the bathroom so that the lamellas are perpendicular to the pallet. A strong pressure of water is induced on the dirty product, under the pressure of which all the dirt drains from the lamellas. Having finished with this procedure, the product is laid out on a grate, providing free drainage of water. As soon as the blinds dry out a bit, they are immediately wiped dry with a soft cloth. This will prevent the lamellae from sticking together.
2. Intensive washing. If the blinds hung in the kitchen, then a simple shower would not be enough. This procedure is not able to eliminate grease and dirt settling on the lamellas. The blinds are folded with an accordion and lowered horizontally into the bathroom, sliding such a roll to the rear surface.One leaf begins to spread, thoroughly washing each lamella with detergent and pressure of the shower. Repeat the procedure for the reverse side. Then, an accordion of pure lamellas is placed vertically, ensuring natural runoff of water. But full drying should not be expected, otherwise the blinds will stick together. Still wet slats are wiped with a dry, lint-free cloth.

Cleaning vertical products

Vertical blinds with long, wide stripes can be cleaned much faster. Such products have another important advantage. They do not stick together when exposed to water. Therefore, these models do not need to be wiped dry. In order to easily clean vertical blinds in a couple of minutes, they resort to the following activities.

• Dust removal. It is from this step that cleaning begins even if the product is removed from the window. For this, a vacuum cleaner is passed through all the strips. This will eliminate most of the contamination and the wash will be more successful.
• When not removed. Detergent is added to the atomizer. You can take ordinary washing powder. If the product has become very dirty, it is better to use a window cleaner. The selected product is sprayed onto vertical strips and left in this form for five minutes. Then, taking a dry soft sponge, they begin to wipe the product dry.
• When removed. All lamellas are shifted in one direction. During their removal, the blinds are twisted into a roll. A warm solution of detergent is prepared in the bath. How to wash the blinds quickly? The rolled up roll is dipped in liquid. It must be completely submerged. To ensure high-quality cleaning, the blinds are left for half an hour. Then the lamellas are washed with a soft sponge, gently unrolling the roll. Washed strips twist again. After washing, the blinds are rinsed and gently hung to ensure that they dry.

Features of working with rolled "curtains"

According to this principle, modern day-night blinds are made. Such products have special dirt-repellent and antistatic impregnations. Due to this, they are less prone to contamination. To tidy up the blinds "day-night" just wipe them with a damp cloth, vacuum clean or brush off the dust with a large fluffy brush. If you are dealing with just such a modern design, then remember:

• do not wash as long as possible - after the first wash, the protective coating will be lost;
• do not iron - if there is a strong need for ironing, then exclusively through a cloth or gauze;
• do not load into machine - they are forbidden to wring out.

If, nevertheless, there is a need to wash the blinds, they are removed from the window, twisted with a roll and soaked in soapy water for half an hour. Do not add abrasive particles or solvents to water. Excessively stained spots can be treated with a stain remover that does not contain aggressive additives.

How to wash blinds: recommendations for models from various materials

Be sure to consider the material from which your blinds are made. This will significantly extend the life of the product and will always provide it with a beautiful and well-groomed appearance.

Plastic

The easiest way to clean horizontal plastic blinds. It is best to use for cleaning with a special brush-tongs, which allows you to remove dirt from both sides of the plate. If wet cleaning is used, wipe the lamellas dry. A wet rag will leave ugly stains on the plastic, which are much more difficult to clean after drying. For plastic, the following procedures are suitable:

• cleaning with napkins;
• washing in the bathroom under the shower;
• use of detergents;
• soaking in soapy water;
• the use of vinegar (for severe fat contamination).

Aluminum

How to wash aluminum blinds? Caring for such products is similar to the procedure for cleaning plastic models. The optimal solution would be:

• rubbing with a damp sponge;
• glass cleaner;
• washing with soapy water (a rag is washed after each lamella);
• removing dirt with vinegar (a few tablespoons in a basin of water).

the cloth

Often there is an opinion that it is very difficult to clean fabric vertical blinds. This is a mistake. Such models do not require much effort, if you properly approach the washing process. Manual cleaning of the blinds is carried out in five stages.

1. Initially, the entire surface is cleaned with a vacuum cleaner. For fabric "curtains" use a special nozzle that provides cleaning of furniture.
2. Dense models are additionally wiped with a damp cloth or brush.
3. “Curtains” are dismantled, since cleaning the fabric blinds from dirt without removing them from the window will not work.
4. The removed lamellas are carefully inspected for dirt and soaked in a solution with detergent or detergent. Heavily contaminated areas are rubbed with a soft brush or sponge.
5. Erase each strip separately, then rinse and dry.

It is possible to clean products from fabric by machine. But when machine washing, it is important to consider six nuances.

1. Before washing vertical blinds in a washing machine, you need to get rid of dust with a vacuum cleaner, and only then remove them from the window.
2. Severe dirt must be washed with your hands first. The machine will not eliminate such spots.
3. To make the washing process safe, the lamellas should be twisted (five to seven pieces per roll). The resulting rolls are recommended to be placed in a pillowcase.
4. For washing use only mild detergents that do not contain aggressive additives and chlorine.
5. It is strictly forbidden to add stain removers or pour bleach into the container.
6. “Delicate mode” or “hand wash” is set in the machine (at temperatures up to 40 ° C). And the spin must be completely turned off, otherwise the deformation of the product cannot be avoided.

There is another way to wash the blinds without removing them from the window. It is suitable for all materials except fabric. Put a damp glove on your hand and just go through all the slats. And in order to protect the blinds from dust whenever possible, it is recommended to treat the surface with an antistatic agent. This will allow you to resort to cleaning twice as less.