How to clean Vertical blinds

Easy ways to keep Vertical blinds clean

Emily Booth one of the writers at Hillarys

In-home Advice Expert

Published: 18/12/2019

Updated: 16/03/2023

The louvres of a Vertical blind simply hang down, so they don’t trap dirt and dust very easily, which means they need very little maintenance to stay looking good. Follow our handy guide to help keep yours in pristine condition.

Here, you'll learn how to:

- Use the right technique and cleaning product to keep your Vertical blind in the best condition

- Clean the headrail of your Vertical blind

- Make sure the louvres continue to glide smoothly, using a silicone spray

- Correctly take down and rehang Vertical blind for more thorough cleaning

Simple cleaning with a damp cloth or sponge

Our blinds come in a range of practical fabrics, including soft and rigid PVC, which is very easy to wipe clean simply using a damp cloth.

If your Vertical blind is in a high usage area, such as a kitchen, you may find that you need to clean it more frequently to remove stubborn stains.

If a stain won’t lift easily with a damp cloth, you could try treating it with a fabric stain remover. Simply rub the affected area with the stain remover according to the manufacturer instructions. However, be aware that there is a chance that the treated area may look significantly lighter than the rest of the blind.

Cleaning your Vertical blind headrail

The headrail, which is where the operating mechanism sits, can gather dust and will also benefit from an occasional deep clean. Following the steps above, carefully unclip each of the louvres from the headrail brackets for easy access and wipe the headrail clean with a damp cloth.

You could also squirt a drop of silicone spray into the headrail, to keep the mechanism well lubricated and make sure the louvres continue to glide smoothly.

Use the spray sparingly and avoid contact with the blind fabric so that it doesn’t become stained

Thorough cleaning on a flat surface

There’s no need to take your Vertical blinds down to keep them looking great but it’s really easy to unclip them from the headrail if you need to. Follow the simple steps below to make sure you’re handling your Vertical blinds in the right way.

Unclip the chains from the bottom of louvres (the Vertical panels) and slide out the weights.

Remove the louvres from the headrail by holding each one at the top, tilt to 45º and pull the clip out of the hook.

Remove the plastic hangers in the top of the louvres.

Wipe the louvres clean

Lay the louvres individually on a flat surface

Using a mild detergent, gently wipe each one from top to bottom with a slightly damp, soft cloth.

Be cautious not to scrub the louvres too hard, as this may cause threads and scuffs.

More stubborn stains should be treated with a specialist stain remover, following the manufacturer’s instructions. Be aware that there is a chance the treated area may look significantly lighter than the rest of the blind.

Once you’ve cleaned all the louvres, give them a rinse with luke-warm water and dab any excess water off with a towel

Re-hang the louvres

Replace the weights back into the bottom of the louvres

When the louvres are completely dry, replace the top hangers and clip the louvres back on the headrail.

Finally re-attach the chains at the bottom

Alternative cleaning methods

There are some methods of cleaning Vertical blinds that we do not recommend for your Hillarys product.

For example, using a washing machine or tumble dryer, or submerging the louvres for a long amount of time in the bath could damage the fabric, so should be avoided.

Choose an alternative cleaning solution such as those explained above to keep your Vertical blind looking it's best.