Cleaning tip of the weekThe house could use a major overhaul once in a while. Cleaning expert Marja Middeldorp therefore helps to solve everyday problems. This week: roller blinds.
A question from Alie Wagenaar about her roller blinds: ‘I have spider poo and mosquito poo on my white roller blinds. How do I get it clean again?’
Actually, Marja is ready to answer these kinds of questions every week, rubbing her hands, but on the phone she falls silent for a while. ,,It is of course a good question and I am going to answer it”, she begins cautiously. ,,But I have to say that I don’t use roller blinds myself because they are so difficult to clean. Let me also say that this is my way. There are probably hundreds of other ways, but that’s how I do it and it works best for me.”
What are roller blinds?
,,A roller blind is a piece of fabric, impregnated, so a bit harder. You can hang it by the window and roll it down so you can’t see in and it obscures. You also have them made of bamboo or other materials, but they are usually made of fabric. If you roll them up, the critters sitting on them are crushed and leave marks behind.”
What do you need?
“I put two kitchen steps in the garden myself, so that you can hang them there instead of in front of the window. You may also be able to do it in the shower room if you don’t have a garden or balcony and, if necessary, put it in the bath. In any case, you need some space for it.”
Buy a lemon too, Marja advises. And concentrated dishwashing liquid. By this I do not mean the cheapest variant – they are often diluted. Concentrated dishwashing detergent will take you three times as long. You also need ammonia. Finally, make a bucket with some lukewarm water, in which you make the soapy water.”
– Kitchen stairs (preferably two)
– Lemon
– Tub
– Cotton swabs
– Bucket
– Washcloth
– Concentrated detergent
– ammonia
– Garden hose or shower
How do you handle it?
“You should be able to unclip the roller blinds at the top. If possible, place the curtain between two kitchen stairs and roll it out completely. That way you can easily reach it from both sides”, explains Marja.
“Prepare the soup. You only put a few drops of dishwashing liquid in the water and a small splash of ammonia. Always add the water first, otherwise the ammonia will smell unpleasant. Cut the lemon and squeeze it over a container to use the lemon juice. Don’t use a bottle of lemon juice, real lemon juice is better. Take a cotton swab, dip it in the lemon juice and use it to touch the stains on the blind. The acid of the lemon juice allows you to soak in for a while – not too long, though.”
Then it’s time to clean the large surface. ,, Take the washcloth, put it around your hand, use the soapy water and then clean the roller blind. Run a soft, loving hand over the surface. Like washing a baby. You may have to hold back the fabric with your other hand.”
Finally, take the garden hose or a shower head and rinse the soapy water out. According to Marja, this is not necessary with a firm beam. And not with hot water. Just spray it clean and the stains should be gone. If not, you may be able to repeat the same actions.”
What’s so hard about it?
“Certainly if the roller blinds are light-colored, you often still see stains. This is a trauma for me, I was always messing with it. Also because there is such a wooden or iron rod at the bottom that you have to work around. So my advice would be to think twice before getting roller blinds. They can be beautiful, but also think about how you keep them clean.”
According to Marja, the same applies to blinds. “It is also a clumsy job that many people could use some help with. Shall we cover those tips next week?”
Do you want to ask Marja Middeldorp a question? Send an e-mail to this address ([email protected]) with your name. Check out more cleaning tips below:
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