How To Repair Window Fashions

Venetian blinds continue to be popular, which means there are a lot of broken venetian blinds waiting to be fixed. Fortunately, it's not hard to do.

Fixing window blinds

To repair a frayed or broken cord, follow these 10 simple steps:

1. Using a flat head screwdriver to push them up, open the mounting brackets.
2. Pull gently on the lift cord until the blinds fold up completely.
3. Lift the blinds out of the brackets.
4. Cut the cord with scissors at the frayed part, then pull the unwanted piece through the opening in the bottom bar.
5. Create a temporary splice by attaching a new piece with hot glue, then reinforcing it with electrical tape at the join.
6. Rehang the blinds and feed the new cord through the pathway.
7. Gently pull on the old lift cord with one hand, guiding the repaired cord through the slats and into the head box hardware with the other hand.
8. Pull the new lift cord down, so that it's even with the bottom bar.
9. Remove the splice and slide on any plastic pull-plugs.
10. Tie a knot in the end of the cord to secure the plugs.

To repair a broken slat, take down the blinds as above, then:

1. Pop off the plastic cap on the bottom rail with a flat head screwdriver.
2. Pull out the cords through the hole in the bottom rail and cut the knot on the end of the cords.
3. Remove the damaged slat by pulling the string through the openings in the slats until you reach it.
4. Slide the new one into the place in the strings where the old one was.
5. Tie a knot in the end of the cord and push the cap in the bottom rail back in place.

Repairing window fashions

Curtains, drapes and valences make your windows more appealing, while providing privacy and controlling the room's light. They look less appealing, when soiled by dirty hands or torn by wayward claws.

Spot cleaning drapes between dry cleanings is easy to do. First, get the dust off with a lint brush or vacuum brush nozzle. For stains or fingerprints, mix a squirt of mild dishwashing liquid into a cup of warm water, or use foam upholstery cleaner. With a dampened sponge, lightly work the suds or foam into the stain.

Rinse and wring the sponge, then blot away the soap. Remove remaining moisture with a clean cloth, then air-dry. Zap water spots with a garment steamer or iron.

In the case of tears or snags in the fabric, you can solve those with just a few stitches. Simply match the thread to the fabric color, and the thread's weight to that of the drape. Back stitching is best for repairing seams, and tiny overhand or cross stitches work best for tears.

How to repair a window treatment's other common flaws

If a drape won't open when you pull the cord, check to see if it has slipped out of a pulley. Make sure that the hangers and other hardware aren't bent or dirty.

When a curtain or drape hardware comes loose, you can replace with longer nails or screws. If a cord ravels or breaks, install a new cord by using the old cord as a guide.

Broken, stained or sagging window treatments look pitiful. Taking a little time to repair your window fashions will make your home appear much happier.