Vertical blinds look good but often prove to be a nightmare to wash. That’s why many people simply decide not to bother, or take them down and haul them off to the dry cleaners. But it is possible to do them yourself at home with relative ease – regardless of whether your blinds are wooden, plastic, or fabric.
Read label carefully
Most vertical blinds are the same in that they can be thrown in the washing machine. But many people find that when the blinds are removed, they don’t quite have the same look as when they went in. Fabric blinds fray very easily too, so you must be careful when machine washing them. If you decide to go ahead, then roll them up and put them in a pillow case to ensure they’re protected and use a gentle cycle.
Use warm water
When cleaning many fabrics around the home, people presume that more often than not, hot water is the best option. Some vertical blinds’ fold at the bottom is glued together rather than stitched, and if exposed to hot water, the glue can melt unravelling the fold. So if you’re hand washing remember that warm water is a better option, offering the same clean without the risk of melting glue.
When machine washing, avoid going over a 30 degree wash.
Natural drying
Regardless of whether you have washed your blinds using a machine or with your hands, one thing you need to do every time is to dry them out naturally and flat. Machine drying can cause a number of problems, including shrinking in various places on the material. Hanging them to dry may also cause this issue. Lay them out flat on towels and wait until they’re completely dry before hanging again.
Maintenance
By doing a few little things each week, you can keep your blinds clean for longer. One of these things is dusting. We recommend using compressed air to blast the dust off and avoid damaging the blinds themselves.
You can also gently vacuum each slat using a brush attachment. Vacuum from the top downwards to avoid unhooking the blinds too.
So there you go. There’s our quick and simple guide to cleaning your vertical blinds!