Vertical blinds in the house are far from being new. They perfectly complement the interior of the kitchen or living room.. Most often, the material is covered with a protective layer, but everyday dust still eats into the lamellas and their appearance no longer becomes so attractive. Almost every housewife is faced with the question of how to properly care for them. After all, the material from which the lamellas are made is quite fragile and, if improperly cleaned, it can be easily damaged. But if you look into the issue, then washing them will seem to be quite an easy task and will extend their service life for a long time..
We define the material
In order to properly wash vertical blinds at home, it is worth determining what they are made of, since there are recommendations for each type of material. Take a look at the instructions that came with the purchase.
General Tips:
- If the material is jacquard, then only hand wash in water not exceeding 30 degrees and a weak soap solution is permissible;
- Fabric slats (cotton and synthetics) can be washed in a washing machine or by hand;
- It is strictly forbidden to machine wash lamellas made of aluminum or wood, and for lamellas fiberglass and bamboo only dry clean suitable.
It is important to remember that the lamellas 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 damage to the coating.
When buying this type of curtain, you should pay attention to the presence of care labels – their absence may indicate poor-quality material, which will be damaged during the first wash.
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Preparation
There are several ways to clean lamellas at home:
- handwash;
- in the washing machine;
- cleaning blinds without removing them.
If you chose the first two methods, then you need to remove the blinds for washing from the mount. Remember to vacuum first and remove dust with a damp sponge, because while they are upright, it is much more convenient to do this. Use a brush without bristles. Then unscrew all fasteners, carefully remove the lamellas. Remove all weights from the lower parts and remove all chains.
Before starting to immerse all the lamellas in the water, it is worth check if material is shedding (especially for bright colors). To do this, take a white wet cloth and wipe the slats with it. If the color of the white fabric has not changed, it can be washed. Pay attention to the picture as well. It is possible that it can lose its shape and turn into a blurry spot..
Cotton is a fabric that can shrink easily, so be very careful with it and pay special attention to the temperature of the water. Most often, such blinds become longer than necessary, since shrinkage occurs in 90% of cases..
Manually
This washing method is considered the safest. To properly wash fabric slats, follow the recommendations below.. Subject to all the rules and careful care, the risk of damage and deformation is minimal:
- Roll the slats gently into rolls and soak in soapy water for about half an hour. The most convenient option would be a bath;
- Use gentle cleaning agents. It is worth choosing a children’s gel for washing clothes, a carpet or furniture cleaner, and a neutral shampoo. When choosing, give preference to a gel texture. The rolls must be completely submerged;
- After 30-40 minutes, drain the water, see if the dirt has moved away from the lamellas;
- If there is still contamination, then repeat the soak;
- In the case of heavy dirt, do not rub hard and wash the stains, as this can damage the material;
- Use a soft sponge to remove the stain. Move the sponge vertically along the lamella without stretching or deforming the fabric;
- Next, it is worth rinsing the lamellas 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 canvases dry naturally..
This completes the wash. Hanging blinds is slightly damp.
Make sure that there is no draft and no open windows at the time of the end of drying, otherwise this can lead to deformation of the shape of the canvas..
In the washing machine
This option is 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, feel free to start washing. If you are not sure of this, then you should not risk it.. Sequencing:
- The first step is to roll the slats into rolls.. If they are narrow enough, then roll them 7-10 pieces in one roll. In the case of wide canvases, it is worth twisting them in 4-5 pieces..
- Before loading the lamellas into the washing machine, put them in a special bag for delicate laundry. You can find them in hardware stores or you can make your own. Just use a fine fabric pillowcase.
Do not put too many rolls in the bag, leave some free space. Most likely, the wash will have to be divided several times..
- Machine wash you need to use gentle laundry detergents in the form of a gel. Do not use powder, as this is fraught with the appearance of white spots on the canvases..
- Choose a gentle mode. Reduce the spin speed to a minimum, or rather turn it off to avoid pulling. Set the temperature setting to the minimum temperature.
- After the wash has finished, gently unfold each roll and rinse with cool water in the shower. The material does not need to be squeezed and twisted. To dry them, it is worth hanging the slats away from direct sunlight and heat sources..
- Hang slats in the bathroom, wait until all the water is drained, and then return the blinds to their places, not forgetting to attach the chains and weights back.
You can also use a dryer for drying, just do not forget to put something under it, as the water will drain for some time. Suitable for drying and clean floor.
- If creases appear after drying or heavily wrinkled areas, you can use a steamer or steam iron at the lowest temperature. Don’t forget to use gauze. If the hall is small, then it can be pressed down with a heavy object and spread with your hands..
If you follow the recommendations for machine washing, your product will serve you for a long time, otherwise it will lose its functions and quickly become unusable..
Upright
The softest option for cleaning the lamellas, but the most labor-intensive. Before choosing this washing method, it is worth familiarizing yourself with a number of its significant disadvantages:
- If the contamination is very strong, then you should not even try to clean it in this way, since the dirt only “spreads out”;
- There is a high risk of soap stains and smudges;
- The lamellas are constantly cleaned in an upright state, which can provoke falls and injuries, especially if the height of the ladder is high enough.
This method is most often used to remove a few single stains, rather than to clean the entire surface..
Remember to vacuum and remove any accumulated dust before cleaning. Select the lowest power on the vacuum cleaner, the cleaning brush should be used without lint and coarse bristles.
The second step is to prepare a soapy solution. Make sure there are no bleaching or stain remover granules in the product.. It is worth choosing a mild 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 movements, otherwise it may lead to deformation of the material. Fundamental rules:
- Using a small amount of water. Do not wet the material too much;
- 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 soapy water, change the water to absolutely clean and repeat all movements with a new sponge, removing and washing off the soap solution;
- Make sure there are no soap stains on the material and just leave the lamellas to dry;
- It is forbidden to use any foreign objects, such as a hair dryer, during drying. The lamellas must dry naturally, this may take a long time..
What to do with very stubborn dirt?
In this case, the steam cleaner will perfectly cope with its task. For this type of cleaning, it is not necessary to remove the slats from the mount. The jet of steam is so strong that in a matter of minutes all the dirt will be removed from the material. After cleaning with steam, you will need to wipe each strip with a damp sponge several times.
If your slats are made of wood, they will need to be polished after cleaning.. A regular furniture polish is suitable for this..
If you do not have enough time to wash the blinds yourself, then contact the professionals. Most likely they will use the ultrasound method of cleaning the blinds..
How to keep it clean?
In order for vertical blinds to please the eye for a long time, you should adhere to the following rules:
- At least once a month, it is worth vacuuming the lamellas with a special nozzle (a nozzle for furniture is suitable);
- If a stain appears, try to get rid of it right away. For example, wipe with a soapy sponge;
- Lamellas should be washed no more than once a year to avoid deformation of the fabric and erasure of the protective coating.
In the next video, see how to quickly clean vertical blinds without removing them..
