When making vertical blinds, their slats are coated with a special moisture- and dust-repellent impregnation. But over a long period of service, they still become dirty, attracting dust.
In our article we will look at how to wash vertical blinds and, if necessary, repair them.
Can roller blinds be ironed?
To wash roller blinds, it is advisable to first remove them from the window. ... You need to dry the curtains in a straightened form, avoiding bends and creases, then it will be impossible to fix them. You can only iron seams with a damp cloth at a minimum temperature, due to extreme necessity.
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Types of devices
Depending on the location of the shutters, there are vertical and horizontal blinds. They differ in design and appearance.
- Horizontal curtains have a lift-and-turn mechanism, with which you can control the position of the slats along the horizontal plane.
Moving to a horizontal position closes the gaps between the slats, which reduces the intensity of natural light, and moving closer to the horizontal position increases it. The control cord can completely open the window by lifting the structure. - Vertical blinds have a slightly different principle, since the curtains consist of vertical panels. They can be controlled by rotating around a vertical axis, thereby changing the width of daylight transmission. Instead of vertical lifting, the canvas can be moved to the side, exposing the window completely.
Attention
Most often, the main difference between horizontal and vertical blinds is the material used for the slats. For vertical structures, softer and more flexible materials, such as fabrics, are suitable, while for horizontal structures, only durable wooden, plastic or metal strips are suitable.
How can you straighten the curves of the panels yourself?
Attention
The appearance of bends on the blinds is observed not only as a result of deliberate aggressive actions, but also after washing the vertical slats or cleaning the horizontal ones.
There are several ways to straighten parts:
- Attach additional weights to the damaged panels. Under their weight, the canvas will straighten out over a certain time. Most vertical blinds straighten themselves after a few days under the weight of the weights.
- Treatment of fabrics with a steam generator. The method is used to simultaneously heat the panel and moisten it. Most tissues are leveled after such actions.
- Using vacuum cleaners with an attachment for cleaning blinds. Usually these actions allow you to straighten the canvas.
- Some craftsmen suggest straightening horizontal metal lamellas by chasing or tapping with a hammer. The decorative surface of the plank is covered with soft fabric folded in several layers so that impacts do not break off the decorative coating.
- They also use drum spinners for old washing machines. If the damage is local, it is often easily corrected in this way.
If the horizontal slats cannot be straightened using any of the above methods, they are replaced with new parts. This is often done even without leveling with a hammer, chasing or spinning drums.
We invite you to watch a video on how to level the blinds yourself:
On our website you will find other useful materials on blinds. From them you can find out:
- What types of roller blinds are there?
- How to make your own from paper and wood?
- How to shorten in width and length?
- What are the rules for self-installation on plastic windows?
- How to make, install and repair horizontal blinds?
Question answer
What to do with rhinestones and voluminous decor on curtains?
Such products cannot be ironed either from the front or from the back, since the iron will in any case leave marks on the fabric from the decor. Use a steamer or steam generator at low temperature, especially if rhinestones are attached with glue.
Is it possible to wash several types of curtains together?
No, it is not recommended to fill the washing machine drum completely with curtains, otherwise they will wrinkle more and will be more difficult to iron.
Which curtains cannot be steamed?
Steam is not recommended for processing thin, light and translucent fabrics - organza, tulle, nylon, as well as materials made from artificial fibers - viscose and polyester, otherwise they may ripple or form marks and stains from moisture.
How to iron long and heavy curtains without wrinkles again?
Ironing should be done near a window. Place the top of the curtains on the ironing board and gradually iron it, hanging the processed part from the back of the board. When the fabric touches the floor, hang it on the curtain rod so that the crumpled bottom part just rests on the ironing board. Iron the curtains completely.
How to smooth out wrinkles without removing the curtains from the curtain rod?
Ironing curtains using an ironing board or a vertical steam generator stand is quite difficult, since the fabric has to be constantly adjusted and rehanged during processing. Often the parts that have already been ironed begin to wrinkle again at this time, and the duration of ironing increases. Because of this, many housewives prefer to iron directly on the cornice.
To smooth the fabric without using an iron, steamer or steam generator, follow the recommendations:
Hang curtains almost immediately after washing on a curtain rod. By straightening them while still wet, the likelihood that they will dry evenly is much higher. To prevent dripping water from getting onto the floor, you can lay towels underneath.
Use a steamer or iron with a steam setting. Do not bring the device too close to the fabric to avoid damaging it.
Place a container of boiling water under the curtains. The essence of the method is similar to steaming, but it happens naturally.
Large creases can be removed with a solution of table or apple cider vinegar and fabric softener, mixed in equal proportions. The resulting solution is poured into a spray bottle and then distributed over the dented areas. As the canvas dries, it will become smooth and there will be no marks left on it.
Before ironing hanging curtains, pay attention to the type of fabric from which they are made. In this regard, it is easier to work with dense textiles, since they are smoothed out under their own weight. But thin and fancy fabrics require longer processing.
Main types of breakdowns
In addition to violations of the integrity and evenness of the slats, blinds can be subject to the following types of damage:
- failure of the lifting and turning mechanism;
- loss of integrity or tension in the cord;
- defects in the clamps of the lamellas and runners, which block the rotation of the panels.
Most often, repairs involve replacing damaged elements with new parts . It won’t be much work and won’t take much time.
You will find more information about possible breakdowns of horizontal blinds in this material, and we talked about possible problems with vertical blinds here.
How to remove vertical blinds?
Design of vertical blinds
Before washing vertical blinds, they must be removed. To do this correctly, follow the instructions below:
1. First, understand how the blinds of your model work. At first glance it may seem that everything is quite simple, but it is not so. In fact, vertical blinds consist of an impressive number of different parts: cornices, runners, chains, ropes, weights. You can read more about this in the article on our website “Vertical blinds: device and installation.”
Study the design carefully and find out how everything functions there.
Components of vertical blinds
2. If you have vertical blinds made of fabric, then removing them is easy:
- Release the slats (slats) from the weights and connecting chain.
- Remove the slats one at a time, just like regular curtains.
3. If you have plastic or aluminum vertical blinds, then:
- Pull the strips to one side and secure them with a paper clip.
- Remove the entire curtain rod, not one piece at a time.
Fabric vertical blinds Plastic vertical blinds Aluminum vertical blinds
Wooden vertical blinds
4. If you have vertical blinds made of wood, then remove the slats one at a time, carefully removing each slat from the lock. 5. The slats have been removed, now remove the weights, clamps, and chains.
Remember that removing vertical blinds is quite easy, it is much more difficult to install them back. Therefore, read and remember all the assembly steps so that the installation is carried out efficiently and quickly, without unnecessary questions.
How to wash vertical blinds - detailed instructions
Caring for vertical fabric blinds
After removing the blinds, we begin cleaning:
There are three ways to clean them:
- Dry cleaning using a soft bristled brush.
- Cleaning with a vacuum cleaner.
- Cleaning in a washing machine in the “gentle wash” mode.
If you chose the latter method, then:
1) Carefully and evenly, so as not to form kinks, roll the slats into a roll and lower them into a basin with warm and soapy water for 1 hour to unlock.
2) Drain the dirty water and add new water to rinse the slats. But please note that it is strictly forbidden to wring them out and throw them over a rope, and it is also better not to iron them.
3) After you have washed your fabric vertical blinds, hang the slats on the curtain rod and leave them to dry.
4) Place the chain and bottom weights back on the blinds and leave to dry.
Important! This method of cleaning vertical blinds does not guarantee that your slats will not lose their original appearance and will not have to be replaced with new ones.
Also keep in mind that there are some types of fabric for which only dry cleaning is acceptable! If your fabric vertical blinds are very dirty, then it is better to use the services of ultrasonic cleaning or dry cleaning.
Caring for vertical plastic blinds
If you have vertical blinds made of plastic or aluminum, then questions about how to wash vertical blinds should not arise, because everything is quite simple here:
- Wipe the slats with a damp cloth or sponge.
- Wipe the slats dry.
- However, there are nuances here:
- Firstly, you cannot wash the slats of plastic vertical blinds with hot water - no more than 40°C.
- Secondly, it is strictly forbidden to wet the metal elements of the cornice.
And thirdly, wipe the slats of aluminum vertical blinds carefully and without pressing hard. Otherwise, there will be dents on the slats, which will ruin the appearance of the blinds.
If you have vertical wooden blinds, wipe them with a cloth or vacuum them from time to time.
If you regularly take care of your blinds, they will last you as long as possible and bring comfort to your room.
Repair of vertical blinds
Cornice repair
Let's look at the most common types of breakdowns and their immediate repair.
1. The cornice is out of order. You can’t do without specialists here, because it’s not so easy to determine the cause of the damage yourself. 2. The strips have deteriorated, most often at the fastening points. If the blinds are damaged, this does not mean that it is necessary to change the structure completely. You can only replace broken slats with new ones - cheap and cheerful.
Damaged strips can be sewn or glued
To replace the strips:
- Disconnect the strips from the hook, and then from the chain. If necessary, then adjacent planks too.
- After replacing the bar, perform the above steps in reverse order.
However, if the planks are not badly damaged, they can only be restored. For example, disguise a small damage on a fabric strip with a neat seam, but you can simply glue a plastic lamella, etc., depending on the damage. Although, if a breakdown occurs at the fastening points, it is better to replace the slats with new ones.
Chain repair
3. The connecting chain of the structure is damaged. This is probably the only case when it is necessary to repair vertical blinds, and not replace them. To repair the chain you need:
Carefully disconnect the chain from the slats, while carefully remembering the fastening algorithm: arrange the chain links in order, eliminating the breakage.
4. The control rope is damaged. Here, as in the situation with the cornice, it is better not to take risks, but to trust the professionals.
In general, if you carefully handle and timely care for vertical blinds, you can avoid all these inconveniences, and also significantly extend their service life.
Lambrequin: the most complex element
Lambrequin is an elegant decorative drapery that is attached to the top of the curtain composition . For the most part, this decoration of a window opening is made from the same fabric as the curtain.
The shape of the lambrequin can be very different, most often with a large number of folds.
Some lambrequins cannot be washed; they are cleaned by steaming or sent to dry cleaning.
The complex shape of the drapery is almost impossible to straighten with an iron . Steaming comes to the rescue.
For lambrequins without fixed draperies, the same ironing is possible as for the curtains themselves. Lambrequins on a rigid base are treated only with steam or dry-cleaned.
Is ironing necessary after washing?
The choice of ironing option depends on a number of circumstances:
- personal preferences;
- availability of special household appliances (steamer, iron);
- type of fabric;
- length and width of the canvas;
- the presence of decorative elements;
- features of the cut.
The determining factor is the composition of the fabric, which limits the heating temperature and the method of action when smoothing.
Procedure
Ironing on an ironing board is the standard approach to straightening fabric.
The difficulty of working with curtains concerns not only the need to iron most materials through additional fabric, but also the large size of the canvas.
Procedure:
- The ironing board is laid out directly under the window.
- Iron the top half of the fabric.
- Hang the curtain on the cornice.
- Iron the lower half of the canvas without removing it from the cornice.
The seams are ironed only from the inside out and through additional fabric.
How to iron a large curtain?
For large voluminous curtains, not even a standard ironing board can be used, but a larger flat surface, for example, a table. Or there is an option with a wide, long board covered (or sheathed) with thick fabric.
Ironing the curtain usually starts from the top edge . This raises a problem: how to prevent wrinkles in already ironed fabric? Freely descending matter can wrinkle even under its own weight.
To prevent this, it is recommended to use an additional device - a round smooth stick at least 1 or 1.5 meters long. Such a pole will help avoid creasing of already ironed curtains.
While pushing the ironed material from the board, it is loosely wound around a round stick . Once the entire length of the item has been ironed, it can be hung in place.
Steaming by weight without removing from the ledge
You can iron curtains hanging directly on the curtain rod as a preventive measure and for cleaning if steaming is used. This method is recommended for large voluminous curtains made of heavy material.
Using a steam generator or steamer gives very good results, but is not suitable for all types of curtains.
If there are no contraindications to the use of a steam generator or steamer, then set the minimum temperature and maintain the distance between the nozzle and the fabric. Processing is carried out systematically, by weight.
Steamers are:
- floor;
- manual.
| Steamer type | Characteristic |
| Manual | The manual version of the steamer is best suited for simple-to-cut curtain models. The disadvantage of the device is its low power and the need to use an extension cord. |
| Floor | Floor-standing models of steamers are suitable for complex draperies and a large number of folds. These are powerful devices that allow you to very quickly deal with folds in the material. |
Steaming can also be done using a regular iron , which has a vertical steam function.
In this case, the surface of the sole of the device should not touch the fabric. The impact will be performed from a distance, without direct contact with the sole of the iron. The use of hot steam is prohibited for thin and delicate fabrics.
Is it possible to do without an iron and steamer?
In the absence of special household appliances, homemade recipes will help eliminate crumpled areas on curtains.
If wrinkles are the result of improper drying and washing, then it is possible to correct the situation:
- repeated washing and proper drying;
- moistening the surface using a spray bottle with clean water;
- if the material allows, by spraying a special solution prepared from equal parts of vinegar, laundry conditioner and clean water.
Diagnostics and preparation before repair
To repair horizontal or vertical blinds, you must first correctly determine the cause of the breakdown and the very essence of the problem. Different defects may exhibit similar “symptoms,” so the complexity and costs of correcting the defects depend on the correctness of the “diagnosis.”
In the case of expensive products, it is best to seek help from service centers. Specialists will correctly determine the essence of the problem and perform all necessary repair actions.
The cause can be identified by the following signs:
- Complete rotation of the vertical panels around their axis or poor closing of the sashes indicates a malfunction of the rotating mechanism.
- The slats have obvious damage - breaks or bends, which can be determined when inspecting the curtains.
- If the curtains react poorly to changes in the position of the cord or do not respond at all, then most likely it is torn or stretched.
Once the problem is identified, the product will need to be prepared for repair. To do this, you need to dismantle the cornice or remove all parts from it to the extent possible that it is damaged. Then fix the damage and assemble everything in the opposite direction, maintaining the desired mounting order.
Vertical blinds do not rotate slats. We repair vertical blinds with our own hands
Blinds are a very convenient and practical human invention. They protect rooms from direct sunlight and daylight. These curtains are made from a wide variety of materials. Most often these are wooden, aluminum, plastic and fabric products.
Like other interior items, roller blinds and blinds sometimes fail. Many people don’t know what to do in this case and simply throw them away. However, there are times when by replacing one small part, you can return the curtains to working condition. Repairing blinds is often easy to do at home using a minimum of materials and tools.
Types and breakdowns of blinds
Horizontal blinds are made of slats that are located one above the other. Cords are pulled between them, thanks to which the structure easily moves and rotates. They are mounted on the wall of the room or ceiling. Horizontal blinds are very strong and durable
. They are easy to wash and clean. Thanks to this, such curtains are widespread not only in residential premises, but also in corporate offices.
