DIYbanter - View Single Post

wrote:
Two questions re vertical blinds:
1.The rotating plastic hooks no longer line up so the blinds do not
hang parallel. The local blind shop said to pull hard on the cord which
rotates them and they should all snap into alignment - they don't. I
think I will have to dismantle the rail - is it fiddly to do? Will I
end up with loads of small plastic parts all over the place and is this
the solution anyway.

If you use the cord to rotate so that most of them are parallel, you
might then be able to adjust individual louvres - sometimes the hook
rotates in the carrier that slides along the rail. I wouldn't recommend
dismantling the rail unless you really have to because you may end up
with LOSPPAOTP

2. The blinds themselves are quite dirty, stained with mildew at the
bottom, they should be white. Are they washable? They seem to be
treated with something, will they loose their strength?

There's quite a variety of materials blinds can be made of. I would
think that most would be washable with care. YMMV. I suggest unhooking
the louvres from the hooks (you might also find the connecting chain
along the bottom pull out of clips as well) and lay them flat in the
bath a few at a time. Scrub gently with a soft brush and use *cool*
water. Then lay flat on a bath-towel on the floor and pat all over to
absorb as much moisture as possible before hanging up vertically to dry.
Avoid getting them tangled, twisted, or crumpled.

If they are fabric then you can get "blind spray" which is used for
roller blinds to stop them fraying or buckling. It'll probably work on
verticals too. YMMV. Usual disclaimers apply. Ask the wife first.

Owain