[Linds Russell]

Can anyone tell me how to clean fabric roller blinds. Also how should they be priced for cleaning both sides and how long roughly should it take to clean one?

I have a regular customer who wants 7 of them cleaned and I am clueless on this one. 

Ta

[garybristow]

what colour are they,if they are the usual off white they are almost uncleanable.if you do do them i would vacuum carefully with a brush attachment,mix up some pro chem fibre shampoo till suddy,use a clean tery towell or sponge, gently wipe acrooss the surface without over wetting. try one first see how it comes out,dont expect a great result.i have also done the same using dry cleaning solvent ,if you try dry clean method be careful of the backing of the blinds as they can come apart or bubble.
as far as price goes perhaps do on time basis,not gonna be a money spinner as the result is limited.
i used to have a dry cleaning bus and that was my method,hope it helps   gary bristowclean
nb pro chems fabric restorer also good option but beware as it contains some solvent   good luck !!!

[Ian Gourlay]

Hi as you will see I have been dealing in roller blinds for 12 Years

The above advise is good.

Most manufacturers just remmonend laying flat on a white  towel and wiping down with soapy water.

If its got mold you could have a problem

Please note Roman blinds should be dried cleaned.

With verticals some fabrics are machine washable

but be very careful

I once visited a client who had been sold blinds by another company

The first lot were machine washable the second lot were not.

She put them in the machine they went a funny shape

she then tried ironing them they really went a very funny shape.

She had asked were they washable to which the answer was yes , but not machine washable.

I also visited another client who had amazing white blinds I thought they were new , but they were 12 years old

She soaked them in the bath once a year in a bleach solution  but   that would only work on some fabrics

My advise stick to the mild detergent wipe down method

[Linds Russell]

Thanks for that Gary.

I have spoken to a former blind manufacturer who says avoid cleaning as they will get damaged and possibly discolour. I also spoke to the owner of a domestic cleaning business who said her girls use water with lemon juice and it works well with minimal moisture contact.

They are all off white by the way.

[Linds Russell]

Thanks Ian - great knowledge!

I will try it on one blind and see how it goes.

I told the customer I had never done it before but would take advice from here before proceeding.

[Ian Gourlay]

You could try doing roller in situ

However they  say keep away from sun

In the olden days manufacturers had an extraction tool for blind cleaning.

I have tried that method but found you had to be careful with the suction if doing it in situ,

Also for a roller you need a large flat service for the entire blind as they crease easy

[Buckland]

Ian

I have used your patented (!) M D W D M (mild detergent wipe down method) and I didnt even know I knew it! 

As you say you need a good clean flat surface - I have a valued (IE rich) customer who had this large kitchen with custome made blinds all with slats of wood SEWN into the fabric - I do all her carpets but these were different - I took them on with assured confidence but when I got them back to base I was very cautious - it was a clean house but these were covered in greasy dust - they came up perfectly clean - all handwork - very lucrative but not something Id do often except for very good customers - no one else is really chasing the blind cleaning business in a domestic sense