CARING FOR YOUR OUTDOOR BLINDS

Outdoor shade blinds can improve the functionality and look of your al fresco area significantly!

Because they add such value to enjoying a year round outdoor lifestyle, it is important that the Blinds are properly maintained to ensure a lifetime of enjoyment!

Caring for shade blinds requires less effort than clear PVC blinds, and is relatively straightforward. Shade blinds carry less risk of being scratched or clouded by poor handling, but they still need regular upkeep to ensure they last well into the future.

Wind them up or keep them down?

Custom Blinds promotes two different systems of shade blinds, which operate differently, and have slightly different nuances.

Firstly we sell and install the Ziptrak channel guided system, which comes with its' own "Caring & maintenance" guidelines. Click on this link to find out what's best!

We also promote a tensioned blind system that is operated with a gear mechanism and crank handle. This enables extending and retracting the blinds a simple process so that you can arrange your blinds at a suitable height suitable, provided there is an anchor point available to clip the blind onto and tension it up!

There are times when it is better to wind your blinds up to ensure safety and durability. Common sense needs to be applied!

Blinds are designed to be extended and it's best to keep them in the vertical fixed position as much as possible. This allows the material to maintain its shape. Keep in mind that if your blinds are too tight, the material may start contracting or 'wasting' in the middle due to the tension. Simply loosen the tension slightly to allow the blind to fill out.

When experiencing heavy gusts or high winds, it is vital the blinds are kept rolled up. If not, you may cause damage to the blinds and potentially the structure to which they are attached. Damage caused in this manner is not usually covered under the Manufacturer's warranty.

Do not roll up your blinds if they are wet. Moisture can be captured inside the rolled up layers and if sunlight filters through the material, the moisture can heat up and cause irreparable damage that may void your blinds guarantee.

How to ensure the durability of your Blinds?

Don't leave foreign matter, such as dirt, bird droppings or tree sap, in contact with the fabric/material of the shade blind for an extended period of time. Regularly clean both sides of the material using a soft cloth and water. Here is our recommended cleaning process:

1. Remove any particles on the shade blind material to avoid scratches when wiping with a cleaning cloth.
2. Wipe gently with a soft fabric cloth using diluted warm water mixed with a water-based cleaning detergent (one part detergent to ten parts water). Avoid hard scrubbing which may damage the surface of the material.
3. Rinse completely with fresh water and wipe dry with a soft lint-free cloth or sponge.
4. Allow to dry completely before rolling up.

It is also a good idea to occasionally hose your shade blinds with fresh cold water to keep them looking clean and crisp.

Be careful with the detergent you choose for your shade blinds. Natural detergents work best. Avoid non-diluted detergents, cleaning fluids, soap, insecticides, garden sprays, petrochemicals, solvents, and bore water.

If you have tougher stains:

1. Mix a weak concentration of household detergent with lukewarm water (one part detergent to 20 parts water) Make sure you avoid detergents with solvents!
2. Use a soft cloth or sponge to wash the fabric.
3. Rinse off any residue with fresh cold water.

Regularly tending to your shade blinds ensures you're getting the most out of the product. Prolonged neglect of your blinds could potentially result in damage to your blind/s material and shorten its life-span. But with a regular wash, you're ensuring years of trouble free protection from the sun and the weather.

Looked after correctly, your Custom Blinds supplied products will

LOOK THE PART... DO THE JOB... AND LAST THE DISTANCE!!