It's no secret that cleaning products often contain harsh chemicals that can damage your health. For example, formaldehyde is a popular ingredient in many household cleaners, yet it's been linked with cancer and respiratory irritation.
It's tempting to use purpose-made cleaners on roller blinds because they seem like an easy solution, but you don't have to fill your home with chemicals. Here's an overview of how to clean your roller blinds easily and without harsh chemicals:
General Cleaning
You can vacuum your roller blinds once a week, but dirt will still accumulate between the fibres, so you should take them down every six months and give them a thorough clean. Simply unroll them across a flat surface and use a dry cloth or soft brush to remove loose dirt.
Next, half-fill a bath with warm water and pour 250ml of white distilled vinegar and 450g of soda crystals into the water. The acidic nature of the vinegar makes it naturally antibacterial, and soda crystals are known to be a natural deodoriser and stain remover.
Leave the blinds to soak in the bath for a couple of hours and then wipe them with a sponge or microfibre cloth. Drain the dirty water out of the bath and rinse the residue off the blinds. All that's left to do is dry the blinds over a rack or line and reattach them.
Spot Cleaning
If you have a small stain on a blind, such as a grease spot or squashed insect, it's easy to remove it without taking the blind down. Make a stain removal paste by combining a teaspoon each of bicarbonate of soda and soda crystals with a few drops of warm water. The bicarbonate of soda effectively lifts the stain out of the blind as it's a mild abrasive. Rub the stain remover into the stain with a toothbrush and leave it for around 5 minutes. You can then remove the residue with a cloth and a little warm water.
Tackling Mould
If your roller blinds have been exposed to high humidity you may notice mould spores growing on them. Mould should be tackled as soon as you notice it as it can cause respiratory problems. Start by taking the blind down and brushing off any surface level mould. This should be done outdoors to prevent scattering mould spores around your home.
The blinds should then be washed in the bath as detailed above, but once they are removed from the bath they should be treated with lemon juice squeezed into a spray bottle and liberally sprayed over the blinds. Then, sprinkle salt over the blinds and leave them for 30 minutes. Lemon juice has antifungal properties, and salt absorbs the moisture from the blinds. Once you rinse the lemon juice and salt off the blinds, try to let them dry in the sun.
Before cleaning your blinds consult the manufacturer's care guidelines, and remember not to scrub too hard or you could damage the material. For more tips and suggestions, contact local experts such as Roslay Blinds & Curtains.
Share18 February 2015
Hello. My name is Dean and this is my home and garden blog. Last year, I decided I needed to improve the look of my home. I visited several home and garden centres and various different shops but I just couldn't find the items I wanted. I had this dream of creating a really cool and funky look based on an African design I had seen. My friend suggested that I customise the items to create the look I wanted and began to give me some lessons. I really enjoyed the process and I learnt a lot about how to improve your home and garden.