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 good protection from the sun and prying glances of passers-by. Before purchasing, some housewives think about how troublesome it will be to care for such curtains. Let's figure out whether it is correct to wash fabric blinds in a washing machine or whether they require only manual cleaning. We'll tell you how to dry products of this kind.

Dismantling blinds

To freshen up fabric vertical blinds, you first need to remove them from the window. Having completed the procedure once, it will not cause any difficulties in the future. The algorithm of actions is as follows:

• 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 sinkers;
• remove the slats from the ceiling cornice.

Removing the blinds takes no more than 15 minutes. If you get used to it, it’s easy to spend half as much time on the procedure. Next, you can start washing the slats.

Is the use of the machine contraindicated?

Few people want to spend the time manually cleaning their curtains. It’s much easier to throw them into the washer and start one of the modes. Vertical blinds made of synthetic fabrics can be machine washed. Before loading the lamellas into the drum, they need to be sorted by color. If the strips are heavily soiled, it is better to remove such stains first using special products.

For convenience, before loading into the washing machine, the lamellas are stacked on top of each other and rolled into one small roll.The number of strips in a twist will depend on their length and width, the density of the material, and the volume of the drum. To make washing safer, it is better to place the packages in special mesh bags or pack them in pillowcases.

When planning to machine wash vertical fabric blinds, you should remember the basic rules:

• be sure to run the manual cleaning mode or delicate program;
• water should not be heated to a temperature above 40°C;
• automatic spinning should be turned off or set to the minimum rotation speed (up to 400 rpm);
• it is important to abandon powders and give preference to liquid washing gels for delicate fabrics;
• It is prohibited to use chlorine-containing bleaches and stain removers containing aggressive components;
• Before washing colored blinds, make sure they do not “color” the water. To do this, wipe one of the strips with a wet white napkin. If the paints “float” after contact with water, you will have to refuse washing. High-quality curtains withstand “bathing” without any loss.

Washed blinds can be dried vertically, hanging them back on the curtain rod, or horizontally, laid out on the floor or table. Sometimes the slats can bend during the drying process, but this problem can be easily solved using an iron or steam generator.

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

Cleaning in the traditional way

Hand washing is much more gentle than machine washing, but it also causes more hassle. However, if the manufacturer prohibits loading curtains into the washing machine, there is no other choice. The algorithm of actions will be as follows:

• Rinse removed blinds in the shower;
• fill a bathtub or large basin with warm water (temperature no more than 40°C);
• add the required amount of detergent, stir until the composition is completely dissolved;
• Immerse the blinds in the soapy solution and leave to soak for 30 minutes. This will make it easier for dirt to be washed off the material;
• drain the dirty water, fill it with clean water, and dilute the detergent in it again;
• Wash each strip in soapy water one at a time. For cleaning, it is best to use a sponge or soft bristle brush;
• Right during the cleaning process, wash off the soap scum from the lamella.

You need to clean the lamellas with a sponge strictly in the direction of the length of the strip; rubbing in a circle or across can damage the material, lead to deformation of the fabric and the appearance of streaks on it.

To finally rinse the strips, you should 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. Do not forcefully twist the blinds to squeeze out excess water - creases may remain on the fabric.

You can try to clean vertical fabric blinds without removing them from the curtain rod. This method would be logical for small stains or freshly planted spots. You should prepare a warm soapy solution and, moistening a sponge in it, wash the slats.

Getting rid of moisture

After washing, there remains one more important task - to properly dry the blinds. To ensure that the strips do not curl, wrinkle, and continue to serve you faithfully, be sure to follow a few recommendations.

1. After rinsing, unroll the rolls and hang the slats vertically. You can hang them on the balcony so that the sun's rays do not hit the fabric. It is ideal to immediately return the blinds to the cornice by inserting the lower weights 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 in another way. Cover the tabletop with a cotton sheet and lay the slats on it, pressing it down from below and from above with some weight. It is important that the room in which the strips are dried is well ventilated.

How to put the blinds in place?

When the vertical fabric blinds are washed, all that remains is to hang them back. You will have to repeat the steps you followed when removing the curtains. The order will be as follows:

• secure each strip of fabric to the curtain rod;
• Reinstall the lower weights removed before washing in their original place;
• pass the control chain into each of the elements;
• check that the mechanism is functioning, that is, the thread opens and closes the slats without difficulty.

In fact, caring for fabric blinds is not difficult. The hardest part is removing and hanging the curtains. But even the most ordinary curtains are unpleasant to pull off the eaves, so this is not considered a disadvantage of vertical stripes. If you follow all the rules of machine washing, monitor the water temperature and run the delicate mode, the product will not deteriorate and will decorate your windows for a long time.

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