How to wash roller blinds at home

What are roller blinds?

Roller blinds are fabric sheets that are attached directly to the frame of a plastic or wooden window using self-tapping screws. At the moment, this is one of the most popular options for decorating a window opening. Families choose them because they are much more practical than regular fabric curtains and look much cozier than iron blinds.

Roller blinds are treated with a special impregnation that prevents dust from appearing on them, so you don’t have to worry about washing. To remove accumulated dust, simply wipe the curtains with a clean, damp cloth.

However, if the roller blinds are very dirty, then they can be washed, but you need to know how to do it correctly so as not to spoil them. But you will have to resort to this option extremely rarely, and all because of the presence of special impregnation.

Caring for roller blinds

Roller blinds, along with Roman curtains, regular blinds and other window decoration options, are treated with a special compound that allows dust to not accumulate so quickly. As a result, the need to wash them occurs no more than once every 3-4 weeks. Special impregnation also allows you to protect the fabric from fading in the sun, but it is this impregnation that forces such curtains to be looked after in a specific way. Ideally, it is not recommended to wash roller blinds, but you can do this if other cleaning methods are useless. In order to resort to drastic measures as rarely as possible, it is necessary to properly care for roller blinds, for this you need:

Even at the purchasing stage, it is worth choosing the best quality option, even despite the possible higher price. Expensive models are necessarily treated with anti-deformation, anti-dirt and color-protective compounds, which allow such curtains to remain in their original form for as long as possible.
Roller blinds should not be placed in close proximity to heating appliances. They do not tolerate high humidity well, so they can only be placed in a dry, well-ventilated room.
When choosing roller blinds, make sure that the kit includes a protective tube or cassette. This simple device will make cleaning the room much easier.
When cleaning the apartment, be sure to roll up the curtains, even if there is no protective tube, this will prevent large amounts of dirt from getting in, especially if it concerns the kitchen area.
Do not allow creases, cuts, or punctures to appear on the roller blind fabric.
Don’t forget to treat the curtain mechanism with special oil or aerosol. Regular care will allow it to work for a long time without any complaints or problems.
When raising and lowering the canvas, act carefully, without making sudden movements or jerks.
Try to ventilate the room every day where roller blinds hang on the windows.

Basic care recommendations

Since everyone strives to keep the interior fresh for a long time, owners may have a question about how to wash roller blinds at home.

Since the procedure needs to be performed no more than twice a year, you should follow the basic rules, thanks to which fabric roller blinds remain clean, fresh and retain their rich color:

Twice a week it is necessary to completely ventilate the room. To do this, you need to open all the plastic windows to create a draft that will knock dust out of the fabric.
It is not recommended to install roller blinds too close to stoves, fan heaters and other hot appliances.
Curtains of this type are not recommended for installation in rooms with high humidity, temperature or dust levels.
If roller fabric curtains are used to protect windows in the kitchen, dining room or children's room, they are advised to be rolled up before each cooking, playing with children, etc. The canvas is placed under a protective box and when washing the window glass.
Throughout the entire period of operation of the curtains, care should be taken to ensure that folds or creases do not form on the curtains.

When purchasing and taking measurements, you should ask the seller how to care for roller blinds. An important point is to treat the lifting mechanism with silicone lubricants once a year.

How to properly wash roller blinds?

The roller blinds have been hanging for a long time, they have not been regularly maintained and there is an urgent need to wash them. Or there’s a greasy stain on the kitchen window that couldn’t be removed using the usual method, then it’s also worth thinking about more regular methods for removing stains at home. As mentioned above, it is not recommended to wash roller blinds, but sometimes you cannot do without it, then you should approach this process as responsibly as possible and do everything carefully and carefully.

Dry cleaning

Before washing in the washing machine, try dry cleaning. Since roller blinds are treated with a special dust-repellent composition, all dirt does not penetrate deep into the fibers, but accumulates on the surface. For this reason, it is enough to wipe the curtains once every 3-4 weeks. To do this, you do not need to use any aggressive compounds, just water is enough. However, you should use a soft cloth to remove dirt. Do not use excessive physical force or press hard on the canvas to remove dirt. All movements should be soft and non-traumatic.

Light dirt from the surface of the curtains can also be removed using a vacuum cleaner; the main thing is to set the operating mode to minimum and not allow the curtain to be sucked into the pipe of the device.

Wet wash

When dry cleaning does not produce results, it’s time to resort to a more radical and effective method - namely washing. It is best to perform this procedure in the bathroom. During the washing itself, it is very important to make careful movements so as not to damage the fabric.

It is very important to know that roller blinds can only be washed in extreme cases. If possible, this procedure should be avoided. However, under no circumstances should you use a washing machine to wash the fabric.

The washing process looks like this:

Roll the rolled fabric into a tube.
Use a screwdriver to remove the curtain from the mount. To do this, you need to press the spring-loaded axis into the body of the plug with one click and remove the tube. Be careful not to lose small details.
Unroll the canvas and lower it to the bottom of the bathtub. A prerequisite is that the curtains should not be in a state of crease or bend.
Carefully inspect the canvas for serious stains.
Once you find a stain, take action.
Fill the bathtub with warm water and add a small amount of detergent; it is best to use a liquid cleaning composition, as dry powder can leave marks and stains behind.
Do not use abrasive powders or other aggressive substances to wash fabrics. The composition of the product should be as neutral as possible so as not to spoil the color of the curtain.
Using a soft cloth soaked in soapy water, wipe the fabric with gentle movements.
After all visible stains have been removed, rinse off the cleaning solution in the shower using soapy water.
Before sending the roller blinds to dry, you can blot them with dry wipes.
Such fabrics should dry in a vertical position.
If creases do form, you can get rid of them using an iron. The main thing is to set the temperature to low and carry out the procedure through a clean cotton cloth.

Dry cleaning

If all the manipulations performed at home did not give the desired result or you are afraid to start removing stains yourself, then it’s time to turn to dry cleaning for help.

Here, professionals in their field will select the most suitable composition for removing stains and provide gentle and gentle care. The only thing is that such a procedure can be expensive.

When choosing a dry cleaner, pay attention to the reliability of the company and the presence of positive reviews.

Methods for dry cleaning roller blinds

Thanks to special impregnation, dust and dirt particles do not penetrate into the fibers. This is the reason why roller blinds are cleaned no more than twice a year. Housewives often prefer professional cleaning, but this procedure is quite expensive, and in addition, not every city can find a dry cleaner equipped with the necessary equipment and specialized detergents.

When asked whether roller blinds can be washed in a washing machine, manufacturers give a definite answer - the fabric should only be dry processed. Since exposure to large amounts of water is detrimental to the impregnating composition, the cleaning procedure must be carried out regularly. This will help prevent the formation of severe dirt and quickly deal with fresh stains.

Every 2-3 weeks, the canvas must be wiped from dust with a soft, damp cloth. It is important to remember that the use of abrasive cleaning compounds in this case is unacceptable. Do not use excessive force during cleaning.

To clean roller blinds at home, you can use a household vacuum cleaner.

To prevent damage to textiles, you should adhere to the following recommendations:

the device must be turned on at minimum power,
Only those with soft pile or bristles can be used as a nozzle,
If these were not included in the kit, the nozzle can be covered with a special bag made of soft fabric.

If a stain is found on the canvas during cleaning, the roller blind can be treated with an office eraser. It is important to ensure that there are no traces of lead or ink left on it, and that the composition does not include abrasive particles.

How to remove stains?

Often you can find a stain on the canvas, but only because of it you don’t want to wet clean the curtain; in such a situation, you can use the following methods for removing stains.

Eraser

Fresh and light stains can be removed with a regular eraser. Rub the stain gently with an eraser, after which all dirt should come off without any problems.

Stain remover

You can get rid of greasy stains on rolled fabric using a natural-based stain remover. Before starting this procedure, you need to check how the material will react to the chemical, to do this, apply the product to an invisible area and wait a few minutes. If no unwanted reactions occur, then you can begin removing the stain.

How to clean curtains if they cannot be washed?

When choosing roller blinds, immediately check with your consultant whether a particular model can be wet cleaned, because not all materials tolerate contact with water well.

The thing is that some curtains are treated with an impregnation that is easily washed off, that is, after the first wash, the curtains lose their main feature.

Despite the impossibility of wet cleaning, you still need to take care of such curtains. Here's how to do it right:

You need to clean such curtains at least once every two weeks and use a vacuum cleaner with a soft brush. If you are afraid of damaging the canvas, then put a fabric cover over the brush, which will prevent damage. When working with a vacuum cleaner, act carefully so that it does not suck up the rolled web;
For curtains that cannot be washed, it is advisable to have them dry cleaned once every six months. Despite the fact that this procedure is not the cheapest, in the end you will get a perfectly clean fabric that has not lost its basic qualities after inept washing.

Video: how to wash closed fabric roller blinds?

Is it washable?

Blinds are made from various fabrics, but most often they are impregnated with a special compound that repels dirt and dust. They do not get dirty like curtains, so they are somewhat reminiscent of plastic blinds. But fabric curtains are more comfortable and homey.

It is not recommended to wash

When purchasing, ask your sales consultant whether this type of roller blinds can be washed. Some of them absolutely cannot be wetted, otherwise the composition that protects them from fading will be washed off. To remove accumulated dust from them, go over them with a soft brush or vacuum cleaner. But the air stream should not damage the canvas, so proceed carefully.

If you want to prevent your fabric blinds from deteriorating, you should take them to the dry cleaner every six months. You will have to spend money, but you can be calm about the result. Dry cleaning workers will remove all dirt and dust without damaging them.

Washable

If the roller blinds are sewn with your own hands, you chose the fabric for them yourself, and did not treat it with anything, then you can and should wash them as often as you see fit. When buying roller blinds that can be washed, do it still not too often, about twice a year, in autumn and spring.

It is advisable to dry clean fabric blinds