How to wash and clean roller blinds without removing them

Roller curtains are in no way inferior to ordinary standard curtains in terms of practicality, convenience and style.

Having a special impregnation, dirt does not eat into the canvas, but remains on the surface, which greatly facilitates their cleaning.

This allows you to wash them quite rarely. However, sooner or later this will have to be done.

It will be useful for owners and potential buyers of this interior detail to know how to wash roller blinds, which is what this article will tell you about.

Prohibited actions in care

Any thing requires self-care and actions that cannot be used. Roller curtains are no exception; when starting to clean them, you need to know what not to do:

The most important prohibition is automatic washing, regardless of their material. Such actions will hopelessly ruin the canvas and a beautiful appearance is out of the question;
processing the fabric with aggressive chemicals (acetone, solvents, gasoline, etc.) is unacceptable;
some advise treating curtains with steam, not taking into account the fact that it can contribute to the disintegration of the dust-repellent coating;
After wet treatment, the roller blinds must be dried in a straightened form and in a horizontal position. Various bends and additions in several layers are unacceptable. If this happens, then it will no longer be possible to fix the curtain;
Ironing in the care of roller blinds will also do more harm than good. If this becomes necessary and you only need to iron a small part of the fabric, you can do this with the tip of the iron, at a minimum temperature and always through a damp cloth.
if the material of the solar control fabric is made of natural materials, such as bamboo, flax, reed, wood and the like, such curtains should absolutely not be washed;

Things to consider before cleaning

Manufacturers, as a rule, sew roller blinds from fabric with special impregnation. Therefore, dirt and splashes do not penetrate into the fibers, but remain on the surface. Such contaminants can be removed dry.

If dry cleaning cannot cope with complex stains, and you decide to wash the curtains, follow the rules:

Try not to use chemicals: it is unknown how the canvas will react to exposure to different substances.
If you cannot remove stains with water, do not use aggressive compounds. Abrasives, chlorine and toxic substances will damage the impregnation. It is better to choose gels with an environmentally friendly composition and a mild effect.
Do not soak curtains: water may wash out the pigment.
Do not use a steamer or hot water for cleaning. The effect of high temperature will damage the material.

Detergents

When planning a wet clean, choosing the right product is key to the success of the event.

Today, along with a wide range of roller blinds themselves, there is a great variety of liquids developed for the fabrics from which curtains with antistatic impregnation are made.

In the absence of a specialized product or other reasons why store-bought products cannot be used, any mild detergent that does not contain chlorine can be used for roller curtains.

This may be a not too concentrated solution with laundry soap, liquid detergent, or washing powder thoroughly dissolved in water.

How to clean roller blinds

If the contamination is not global and serious enough to require washing, then at home you can get by with dry cleaning of roller blinds.

The most simple and natural cleaning is to open the window for ventilation; the wind, blowing the canvas, will sweep away the dust that has settled on it.

The most popular and basic method of dry cleaning is using a vacuum cleaner. The main thing here is not to allow the fabric to wrinkle due to suction into the socket.

To do this, the vacuum cleaner must be set to a reasonable power and equipped with a suitable brush. A couple of times a month will be enough for this type of cleaning.

For some minor surface stains, you can use an ordinary pencil eraser.

The effectiveness of this method is so good that manufacturers of cleaning products began to produce special rubber bands for cleaning roller blinds.

How to dry clean?

It is very important to frequently ventilate the room whose windows have roller blinds. This will prevent dust from settling on them. That is, a strong air flow will not allow small debris to linger on fabric treated with a special protective compound.

A person who hangs roller blinds on windows must clearly understand that they become an additional piece of furniture that is subject to constant cleaning and dusting. Therefore, it is important to know how to clean roller blinds correctly. There is no need to perform any special manipulations for this. It is enough to wipe them with a dry cloth when cleaning the apartment.

In addition, a vacuum cleaner is suitable for cleaning. It will allow you to collect the smallest specks and dust from the surface of the roller blinds. It is enough to use it once every few months to maintain freshness and cleanliness.

How to wash roller blinds

Despite the constant maintenance of dry cleaning, wet cleaning should be done two to three times a year. This option is more effective and can replace washing for a while.

It is best to clean fabric roller blinds with a flannel cloth or napkin.

In order to wash the roller blind without removing it, it must be unfolded to its full length and gently wiped from top to bottom with a cloth soaked in a light soap solution.

Use a second cloth, also damp, to wipe the canvas, removing the soap solution.

Finally, the curtain should be wiped dry. After this, you need to let the fabric dry completely.

How to wash roller blinds at home

You can wash roller blinds at home by following a certain sequence and rules:

First of all, you need to disconnect the blade from the mount and the shaft (how to do this is described below).
Before washing, the curtain should be laid out on the surface and examined for stains. If any were found, they should be removed using the same eraser.
Old and greasy stains should also be removed using cleaning products.
Direct washing begins by filling a container with warm water sufficient to hold the linen when unfolded and with enough water to completely cover it. Liquid detergent dissolves in water. Its amount should be no more than 3% of the total mass of water.
The canvas, immersed in water, must fit completely in width and length into the container, without wringing or bending. The cleaning procedure consists of gentle circular movements with a sponge over the entire surface of the curtain. Strong pressure should be avoided so as not to damage the color of the fabric.
After treating the entire curtain, you need to rinse it with a shower head to avoid whitish streaks when it dries.
After rinsing, the curtain can be blotted with a soft cloth and allowed to dry completely.

How to remove curtains for washing

Before removal, the curtain must be rolled into a roll. Remove the closing cover. There are three types of curtain cassette mounting:

on self-tapping screws. They simply unscrew and the base is removed.
Spring bracket. In this case, the fastening is pulled out and the roll can be taken out.
Adhesive tape. She just comes off.

Handwash

Can roller blinds be washed? Yes but not all. Polyester fabric of different textures or mixed fabric consisting of polyester fibers with the addition of viscose react calmly to washing. Roller shutters made from the following materials cannot be washed:

polyester with satin;
cotton;
flax;
jute;
bamboo;
silks.

These fabrics will definitely shrink, and it will be impossible to return them to the window. It is better to wash such a product on the spot, as described above, and in case of severe contamination, contact a professional dry cleaner.

You can wash the roller blind yourself only by hand. The washing machine will make the fabric unsuitable for further use.

Hand washing of curtains is carried out in the following sequence:

The completely rolled curtain is carefully removed from the curtain rod by unscrewing the side screws, pulling out the gears, or simply disconnecting the tape or magnet, depending on the type of fastening.
The bathtub is half filled with warm water and one of the gentle detergents mentioned above is dissolved in it.
A small curtain is laid unfolded on the bottom of the bathtub and after a few minutes, without pressure, it is cleaned with a washcloth. A larger canvas is immersed in a washing solution in a roll, the top edge is unrolled, washed, and then gradually rolled up, each time freeing a new dirty area.
A clean product is thoroughly rinsed by lifting and lowering it into water or using a shower. If detergent is left on a woven surface, it will stain after drying and will quickly change color when exposed to ultraviolet light.
After washing, the curtain is allowed to swell naturally. Squeezing the product is strictly prohibited, as it will be impossible to smooth it out.

The total time of “water procedures” should not exceed half an hour. Otherwise, the roller blind will lose its protective layer.

Drying correctly

The drying process is no less important than cleaning and washing, and this must be done so that the fabric retains its original appearance and smoothness. The following rules will help to achieve this:

After removing most of the moisture from the curtain, it is best to lay it out on a clean surface and leave it to dry there. To speed up this process, you can place a cloth made of natural material under it;
You can hang it without bending the fabric using clothespins, on a clothesline or crossbar. With this method, there is a possibility that the fabric may stretch;
minor creases can be corrected with an iron, following all the precautions discussed below.

Exposure to high temperatures when drying roller blinds should be avoided. This can lead to loss of shape and the appearance of marks on the canvas, which will be impossible to get rid of.

Dry cleaning of curtains

If you don’t have the desire or time to wash the curtains yourself, you can seek qualified help from a dry cleaner. You should also use this method if you cannot get rid of stains using a stain remover.

You need to remove the fabric and take it to the dry cleaner. Specialists themselves will determine what type of dry cleaning needs to be done. You can pick up a clean product back after a few days.

The only downside to dry cleaning is that you have to pay for it. However, this method has minimal effect on color and virtually eliminates deformation of the canvas.

Removing stains

The formation of stains on the fabric of a roller curtain is quite a common and widespread phenomenon, which can be successfully dealt with at home.

One of the simple and affordable ways is to use a rubber band or eraser. Having spread the cloth on a table or laid floor, you should rub it over the stain without excessive pressure. This option is suitable for simple, superficial stains.

If the contamination is more serious, then you should use a stain remover specially designed for this purpose.

These products should consist of a natural base and do not include bleaches or abrasives.

The stain remover is applied to the desired area and left in place according to the instructions, after which it is cleaned or washed off the surface of the curtain.

A serious stain or deeply ingrained dirt that cannot be removed with stain remover or washing can only be removed by dry cleaning.

How to care for roller blinds or how to slow down the pollution process

To minimize the rate of their contamination, avoid stain formation and keep the curtains in a well-groomed and neat condition, you should perform several easy steps:

when installing roller blinds, you need to take into account the proximity of heating devices and place them at a distance;
Open the window once a day for ventilation - this will not only get rid of some of the settled dust, but is also good for health;
When cleaning your house regularly, you don’t need to ignore the roller blinds and go over them with a vacuum cleaner after installing the nozzle for cleaning upholstered furniture;
when washing windows, it is better to roll the curtains into a cassette;
the resulting creases or bends must be straightened in a timely manner (it is better to avoid them), since in such places there is a more intense accumulation of dust;
Roller blinds installed in the kitchen are best rolled to the “open” position during cooking;
For a positive effect, problem areas should be cleaned immediately after contamination appears or is detected.

Maintaining basic cleanliness of your home, ventilating the room and periodically dry cleaning your roller blinds will allow them to last longer and delight you with their beauty.

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