Washing fabric blinds in a washing machine

Vertical blinds add a modern touch to any interior and look great in both offices and apartments. They provide excellent protection from the sun and the prying eyes of passersby. Some homeowners wonder how much maintenance they will require before purchasing them. Let's find out whether it's safe to machine wash fabric blinds or whether they require hand cleaning only. We'll also explain how to dry these items.

Dismantling blinds

To refresh fabric vertical blinds, first remove them from the window. Once you've done this, it's easy to do again. Here's the procedure:

• pull the control chains to move the strips to the open position;
• remove the bottom chain from the weight of each lamella on both sides;
• pull out the weights;
• remove the slats from the ceiling cornice.

Removing blinds takes no more than 15 minutes. Once you get the hang of it, you can easily cut the process in half. Next, you can wash the slats.

Is the use of a machine gun contraindicated?

Few people want to waste time cleaning curtains by hand. It's much easier to throw them in the washing machine and run one of the cycles. Vertical blinds made of synthetic fabrics can be washed in a washing machine. Before loading the slats into the drum, sort them by color. If the slats are heavily soiled, it's best to remove them first with special stain removers.

For convenience, stack the slats on top of each other and roll them into a small roll before loading them into the washing machine. The number of strips in the roll will depend on their length and width, the density of the fabric, and the capacity of the drum. For safer washing, it's best to place the rolls in special mesh bags or pillowcases.

When planning to machine wash vertical fabric blinds, keep the following basic rules in mind:

• Be sure to run the manual cleaning mode or delicate program;
• water should not be heated to a temperature above 40°C;
• The automatic spin should be turned off or the rotation speed should be set to minimum (up to 400 rpm);
• It is important to avoid powders and instead opt for liquid detergents for delicate fabrics;
• It is prohibited to use chlorine-containing bleaches and stain removers containing aggressive components;
• Before washing colored blinds, make sure they don't "bleed" in water. To do this, wipe one of the strips with a damp white cloth. If the colors "bleed" after contact with water, you should not wash them. High-quality curtains will withstand "washing" without any loss.

Washed blinds can be dried either vertically, by hanging them back on the curtain rod, or horizontally, by laying them out on the floor or a table. Sometimes the slats may curl during the drying process, but this problem is easily solved with an iron or steam generator.

You shouldn't wash blinds in the washing machine too often - after each cycle, the fabric becomes softer, which means it loses its sun protection properties.

We clean in the traditional way

Hand washing is much gentler than machine washing, but it's also more hassle. However, if the manufacturer prohibits washing curtains in the washing machine, there's no other option. The procedure is as follows:

• rinse the removed blinds under the shower;
• Fill a bathtub or a large basin with warm water (temperature no higher than 40°C);
• add the required amount of detergent, stir until the mixture is completely dissolved;
• Submerge the blinds in a soapy solution and let them soak for 30 minutes. This will make it easier to remove dirt from the material;
• drain the dirty water, fill it with clean water, and dilute the detergent in it again;
• Wash each strip one at a time in soapy water. It's best to use a sponge or soft-bristled brush for cleaning.
• Rinse off soap suds from the slats directly during the cleaning process.

When cleaning the slats with a sponge, you need to clean them strictly in the direction of the strip's length; rubbing in a circle or across can damage the material, leading to deformation of the fabric and the appearance of stains on it.

To thoroughly rinse the blinds, stack them on top of each other, roll them into a small roll, and place the roll in a bathtub filled with clean water or a deep basin. Avoid twisting the blinds too forcefully to wring out excess water, as this may leave creases in the fabric.

You can try cleaning vertical fabric blinds without removing them from the rod. This method is suitable for light stains or newly applied stains. Prepare a warm soapy solution, soak a sponge in it, and wash the slats.

Getting rid of moisture

After washing, there's one more important task: drying your blinds properly. To prevent the blinds from curling or wrinkling, and to ensure they continue to serve you faithfully, be sure to follow these guidelines.

1. After rinsing, unroll the blinds and hang them vertically. You can hang them on the balcony to keep the fabric out of direct sunlight. Ideally, immediately return the blinds to the rod, reinserting the bottom weights you removed before washing.
2. Do not use electrical appliances to dry the slats.
3. When hanging the strips, straighten them carefully to prevent creases from forming.

You can dry fabric blinds another way. Cover a tabletop with a cotton sheet and lay the slats on it, weighing them down with some weight at the top and bottom. It's important that the room where you dry the blinds is well ventilated.

How to put blinds back in place?

Once your fabric vertical blinds are washed, all that's left to do is rehang them. You'll need to repeat the steps you took down the curtains. The procedure is as follows:

• secure each strip of fabric to the curtain rod;
• put the lower weights removed before washing back in place;
• pass the control chain through each of the elements;
• Check that the mechanism is functioning, that is, the thread opens and closes the slats without difficulty.

In fact, fabric blinds aren't difficult to care for. The hardest part is taking them down and hanging them back up. However, even the most basic curtains are a pain to pull off the rod, so this isn't considered a drawback of vertical stripes. If you follow all the machine washing instructions, monitor the water temperature, and use a delicate cycle, your blinds won't deteriorate and will grace your windows for a long time.

   

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