How to wash vertical blinds?

Vertical blinds in the house - not an innovation. They perfectly complement the interior of the kitchen or living room. Most often, the material is covered with a protective layer, but the daily dust still eats into the lamellae and their appearance is no longer so attractive. Virtually every housewife is faced with the question of how to properly care for them. After all, the material from which the lamellae are made is quite fragile and, if improperly cleaned, is easily damaged. But if you look into the question, then washing them will seem quite an easy task and will extend the service life for a long time.

In order to properly wash the vertical blinds at home, it is worth determining what they are made of, since there are recommendations for each type of material.Look at the instructions that came with the purchase.

General tips:

• If the material is a jacquard, then only handwashing in water not higher than 30 degrees and a weak soap solution is permissible;
• Fabric lamellae (cotton and synthetic) can be washed in a washing machine and manually;
• Lamels made of aluminum or wood should not be washed in a typewriter, and for lamellas fiberglass and bamboo Only dry cleaning is suitable.

It is important to remember that the slats are most often impregnated with a special protective solution, therefore it is recommended to wash them no more than once a year in order to avoid breaking the coating.

There are several ways to clean the slats at home:

• handwash;
• in the washing machine;
• cleaning the blinds without removing them.

If you chose the first two methods, then you need to remove the blinds for washing from the mount. Do not forget to vacuum and remove the dust with a damp sponge, because while they are in a vertical state, it is much more convenient to do this. Use a brush without bristles. Next, unscrew all fasteners, carefully remove the slats. All weights should be removed from the lower parts and all chains should be removed.

Before you begin to immerse all the lamellae in the water, it is worth check whether the material sheds (especially for bright colors). To do this, take a white wet cloth and rub it with lamellae. If the color of the white fabric has not changed, washable. Pay attention to the picture. It is possible that it may lose its shape and turn into a blur.

This method of washing is considered the safest. In order to properly wash the fabric lamella follow the recommendations below. Subject to all rules and careful care, the risk of damage and deformation is minimal:

• Gently roll the lamellae into rolls and place in soapy water for about half an hour. The most convenient option would be a bath;
• Use gentle cleaning agents. You should choose a children's gel for washing clothes, a cleaner for carpets or furniture, a neutral shampoo. When choosing give preference to the gel texture. Rolls must go completely under water;
• After 30-40 minutes, drain the water, see if dirt has come off the slats;
• If contamination is still present, repeat the soak;
• In the case of heavy dirt, do not rub hard and rub the stains, as this may damage the material;
• Use a soft sponge to remove stains. Move the sponge vertically on the slats without stretching or deforming the fabric;
• Next, you should rinse the lamellae with water (it is more convenient to do this with a shower) and hang them over the bathtub so that the water is glass. Then let the canvas dry naturally.

This will complete the wash. Hanging blinds should be slightly damp.

This option is the most popular, because it requires much less strength and energy.It has already been mentioned that it is worth making sure that the material can be machine washed. In the case of cotton and synthetics, you can safely start washing. If there is no certainty, then you should not risk it. Sequencing:

• The first step is to twist the lamellae into rolls. If they are quite narrow, then twist them by 7-10 pieces in one roll. In the case of wide canvases it is worth twisting them by 4-5 pieces.
• Before loading the lamella into the washing machine, place them in a special bag for delicate laundry. They can be found in the stores of household goods or make yourself. Just use a thin fabric pillowcase.

• For washing in the washing machine need to use sparing means for washing in the form of a gel. Do not use powder, as this is fraught with the appearance of white spots on the canvases.
• Select a gentle mode. Spin speed reduced to a minimum, but rather turn off to avoid stretching. Set the temperature to the minimum temperature.
• After the wash is over, carefully roll out each roll and rinse with cool water in the shower. The material does not need to squeeze and unscrew. To dry them, it is necessary to hang the slats away from direct sunlight and heat sources.
• Hang the slats in the bathroom, wait until all the water is drained, and then return the blinds to their places, do not forget to attach the chains and weights.

• If there are creases after drying or very crumpled places, you can use a steamer or an iron with steam at the lowest temperature. Don't forget to use gauze. If the room is small, then it can be pressed down with a heavy object and straightened with your hands.

If you comply with the recommendations for machine wash your product will serve you for a long time, otherwise it will lose its functions and quickly become useless.

The softest option for cleaning slats, but the most time-consuming. Before choosing this method of washing, It is necessary to get acquainted with a number of significant drawbacks:

• If the pollution is very strong, then you should not even try to clean them in this way, since the dirt will only “spread”;
• High risk of soap spots and smudges;
• The lamellae are cleaned constantly in a vertical state, which can provoke a fall and injuries, especially if the height of the ladder is high enough.

Before cleaning, do not forget to vacuum and get rid of all the accumulated dust. Choose the most minimal power on a vacuum cleaner, a brush for cleaning should be used without lint and coarse bristles.

The second step is to prepare the soap solution. Make sure that the composition of the product was not bleaching or stain-removing granules. It is worth choosing a gentle, gentle remedy. When mixing with water, try to make the soap solution not too concentrated.

Next, take a soft sponge, again without bristles and lint, and start cleaning the slats from top to bottom with light movements. Move vertically, do not use circular motions,otherwise, it may deform the material. Fundamental rules:

• Use a small amount of water. Do not wet the material heavily;
• Try not to rub the stain and make sure that the material does not stretch in the process;
• After you have wiped each strip with a soap solution, change the water to an absolutely clean one and use a new sponge to repeat all movements, removing and washing the soap solution;
• Make sure there are no soap stains on the material and just leave the slats to dry;
• It is forbidden to use foreign objects during drying, for example, a hairdryer. Lamellae should dry naturally, this can take quite a long time.

In this case, the steam cleaner will perfectly cope with its task. For this type of cleaning do not need to remove the slats from the mount. The steam jet is so strong that in a matter of minutes all the dirt will leave the material. After cleaning with steam, it will be necessary to wipe each strip with a damp sponge several times.

If your slats are made of wood, then after cleaning they will need to be polished. For this suitable tool for polishing ordinary furniture.

In order for vertical blinds to please the eye for a long time, you should follow these rules:

• At least once a month you should vacuum the lamella with a special nozzle (the nozzle is suitable for furniture);
• When a stain appears, try to get rid of it immediately. For example, wipe with a soap sponge;
• Lamels should be washed no more than once a year to avoid deformation of the fabric and erasing the protective coating.

In the next video, see how to quickly clean the vertical blinds without removing them.