Roller blinds are a new trend in interior design, an interesting design solution with many advantages. Fabric rolls are an integral element of the conservative style, which is based on minimalism, creating open spaces filled with natural light.

Wide roller blind on the kitchen window
Roller blinds are easy to use and take up minimal space.

Roller blinds have a number of advantages, they perfectly match any decor and will fit into any interior. They, as an element of decor, can be combined with ordinary curtains, drapes or can completely replace them. The material is presented on the market in a variety of colors.

Features of roller blinds

This type of curtains is very similar to blinds in the method of fastening and functional features. They will reliably protect you from sunlight during the daytime and hide you from prying eyes in the evening. Very compact, takes up little space, does not draw attention to itself.

Turquoise roller blinds in the bedroom
The design of roller blinds can be called universal, suitable for stylish decoration of modern interiors.

In terms of design, the structure is a roll mounted on a rod and secured to a bracket. A weighting element is necessarily sewn into the lower part, usually a simple strip. The weighting element allows you to create a smooth-shaped canvas and also helps to fix it.

Open type roller blind design diagram
Roller blind device

A roller blind can be completely raised and lowered, and also cover only the part of the window that is needed at the moment. Roller devices are easy to operate and maintain. The movement of the canvas occurs by means of a chain or a spring mechanism. Recently, elements with remote control have become widespread, it is very convenient and practical. In this case, the curtain can be controlled from the far part of the room using a special remote control or even from a smartphone.

The base of fabric roller blinds is made of polyester fiber material. The fabric for roller blinds should have a high density and a smooth surface. A smooth surface is necessary to ensure smooth rolling, and high density is the key to even distribution of the fabric and excellent protection from external factors.

Roller blinds on the window of a white kitchen
The fabric of the roller blind can be made of natural, mixed or synthetic fabric. The latter type is the most practical in terms of care and cleaning.

It is necessary to pay attention that during production the canvas is subjected to impregnation. The canvas impregnated with a special mixture has the ability to repel dust and dirt. Sometimes simple airing is enough to clean the canvas from dust and some surface dirt. Impregnation does not allow dust and dirt to stick to the canvas. If it happens that a stain is put on the canvas, it can be removed with a regular office eraser.

The roller element has several possible types of fastening. The structure can be installed directly above the window, separately fixed to each window sash or, if necessary, attached to the ceiling.

Dismantling roller blinds

Regardless of where the roller blinds are located, on the balcony, kitchen, bedroom, and no matter how carefully they are treated, periodically there is a need for thorough cleaning of the roller blind, washing the product. In this article, we will tell you how to wash roller blinds at home.

Roller blinds on the veranda of a private house
How often should roller blinds be cleaned? The answer to this question is as often as they get dirty, but this is not the best solution.
Dark roller blind in the bathroom interior
Make it a rule to do light cleaning together with washing the window, and try to remove heavy dirt immediately after it appears. This way you will preserve the original appearance of the canvas for a long time.

The washing process itself can be divided into four steps:

  1. Removing the fabric for further washing.
  2. Washing.
  3. Drying.
  4. Installation of a clean canvas in its original place.

For general cleaning, the curtain must be dismantled.

When dismantling, the roller blind fabric is separated from the functional structure. In this case, you should be careful not to damage the fabric or mechanism. The principle and sequence of dismantling depends on the type of fastening of the roller blind.

Removing the roller blind fabric for washing at home
In open models, the tube with the canvas is held in the brackets using clamps that need to be pressed or pulled out depending on the specific design.

When fastening with a spring bracket, the following sequence must be observed during dismantling:

  • remove the plugs from the side parts of the structure;
  • pull out the gears starting from the edge opposite the edge where the chain is located;
  • move the cornice to the side;
  • remove material from the pipe.
Removing a closed type roller blind
In a cassette curtain, the brackets and mechanisms are hidden behind plastic plugs

When attaching with adhesive tape, you need to use any sharp object to pry the tape from below and then carefully remove the cornice together with the tape. Note that in this case, you can wash off the remaining glue with alcohol. This must be done very carefully.

Securing a roller blind with tape
After cleaning, the curtain is fixed with new tape.

There should be no questions when attaching with magnets. This is the easiest way to attach, just separate the magnets and remove the canvas from the structure.

Features of washing roller blinds at home

It is necessary to pay special attention to the fact that the fabrics used for roller blinds are very specific. They are impregnated with a special substance, so care for them should be extremely careful, unskilled washing can completely destroy the impregnation, which will lead to complete unsuitability of the fabric coating.

Attention! It is strictly forbidden to wash roller blinds in a washing machine!

Almost all roller blind manufacturers recommend dry cleaning their products. To maintain the blinds in perfect condition, dry cleaning should be done regularly and not allow heavy contamination. Dry cleaning is carried out consistently every two to three weeks.

Cleaning the roller blind fabric with a vacuum cleaner
Dry cleaning is done with a vacuum cleaner or a soft brush.

It is important to understand that dry cleaning is necessary not only for fabric care and maintaining a pleasant appearance of the product. It also helps to maintain the functional mechanism in working order, which can become unusable due to clogging.

Regular dry cleaning will help to avoid more radical cleaning methods in the future. Cleaning must be carried out in compliance with basic rules. It is forbidden to apply bleaches, stain removers and other cleaning chemicals to the fabric base.

DIY Roller Blind Washing Brush and Soap
To remove stubborn dirt, use a soft-bristled brush and soapy water.

Attention! It is strictly forbidden to bend the product, rub the fabric base with hard sponges, washcloths. Any mechanical damage is detrimental to the curtain.

Removing stains from roller blinds with a soft cloth
To clean, the curtain fabric must be laid out on a flat surface.

Before washing roller blinds, you need to know what you should not do during washing:

  1. Do not bend the product or use force when cleaning.
  2. Use regular detergents or cleaning agents, washing powders, bleaches and stain removers. Some of these products may be positioned by the manufacturer as "universal and safe for any materials", but in most cases they will simply ruin your curtain.
  3. Use a washing machine to wash the curtain and a hot iron to smooth it out. This may seem obvious, but many people still ruin their roller blinds in this way.
  4. Do not wet the coating too much. Any moisture will not benefit the fabric coating. Wetting is an exceptional, extreme measure, as it washes out the impregnation.
  5. Use hard sponges and brushes with hard bristles.
Soft cloth for removing water from the surface of the roller blind
To remove residual moisture from the curtain fabric, use a soft cloth.

What detergents should I use?

Before washing, you need to lay out the removed fabric on a flat surface and try to remove dirt from it using a soft brush or a vacuum cleaner with a fabric attachment.

If this does not help and the fabric does not acquire a presentable appearance, it should be lightly wiped with a damp sponge. To do this, take a basin, bowl or other small container, dilute the soap solution.

A bottle of liquid soap and water in a cup
The easiest way to prepare a working solution is to use liquid soap.
Grinding laundry soap on a metal grater
But you can take a piece of regular soap and grate it on a fine grater
Making a solution for cleaning roller blinds with your own hands
It is better to use soft water. If your tap water is hard, buy a bottle of plain drinking water.
Preparing a soap solution for cleaning roller shutters
Dissolve the crushed soap completely in warm water to form a foam.

Dampen a sponge in it. Note that the sponge should be slightly damp, but not wet. To do this, squeeze it out well. After washing with a damp sponge, the curtain should not be wet, it can only be slightly damp.

Sponge with soap solution for washing roller blinds
Before applying the sponge to the curtain, wring it out over a basin each time

Remember! Excess moisture is harmful to the fabric, moisture destroys the impregnation. Without impregnation, the fabric will lose its shape and become unusable.

Open type roller blind with a pattern
This is especially true for items with a pattern that can be hopelessly damaged.

Please note! When washing roller blinds yourself, do not add other cleaning agents to the soap solution.

When using a sponge, remember to wet the soft side of the sponge, not the hard side. Firstly, it cleans better, and secondly, it is better to avoid contact between the hard part of the sponge and the curtain.

Soapy solution on the surface of a sponge for washing curtains
It is much more difficult to damage a curtain with the soft foam side than with the hard side with a grater.

After cleaning, the fabric base must be left in a horizontal position until it dries completely. Drying should occur gradually, slowly and on its own. Using household appliances to speed up the drying of the fabric, including a fan, iron or hair dryer, can completely ruin your curtain.

Drying a roller blind after cleaning with soapy water
Just leave the curtain in a shaded room until it dries completely.

Also, to speed up drying, do not leave the material in direct sunlight. Too fast drying can spoil the shape of the product, so it is better to simply leave the curtain for a while in a dark, dry and well-ventilated room. While the curtain is drying, you can clean its functional mechanism from dust (and hair, if there are pets in the house).

Conclusions

As you can see, roller blinds are very difficult to clean at home, so they require careful handling. If you plan to cook near the blind, it is advisable to roll it up for a while, which will prevent dirt, greasy stains and other contaminants from getting on it. The fabric wound on the roller will be reliably hidden from contamination.

If a stain does form on the curtain, do not let it set in. The sooner you take the first steps to clean it, the higher the chance of success. First, try to clean the stain with a regular eraser. You can use mild stain removers on the fabric base, but only organic ones.

Removing pen marks from a roller blind with an eraser
A stationery eraser is convenient for erasing small stains

Remember! The main task of cleaning roller blinds at home is not to damage the fabric. It is very easy to ruin it, so you should be extremely careful.

If there is a need to iron fabric blinds, this can be done using the tip of the iron (very carefully!), but do not touch the seams with the iron under any circumstances. The surface temperature of the iron should be minimal. Ironing should be done exclusively using gauze or other thin fabric, this will protect the material and its impregnation from excessive thermal exposure.

Temperature regulator on a household iron
Before ironing the curtain, set the regulator to the minimum temperature

To sum it up, we can say that self-cleaning of roller blinds at home is possible, but in the process you will have to face a number of difficulties and limitations. Pay attention to roller blinds, and they will not only last a long time, but will also look great. The main thing is to follow the simple rules described in this article and handle the fabric carefully so as not to damage it as a result of washing.

Video on how to properly wash and clean a roller blind