Cleaning paper accordion shades

[TravelingS]

Anyone know of a way to clean these day/night blinds? Water seems to soften the fiber and cause a bit of wrinkling. I need to be able to remove some light spots.

[Ray,IN]

They are fabric not paper. Some folks have reported good results from washing them in a new plastic trash can. Then they allow them to drain while laid out flat on something solid, after that they collapse them as if raised in the up position until dry, this folding when wet then allowed to dry restores the original folds.
I"ve never tried this method yet, but when they require washing that's how I'll do them.

[jrollf]

I washed them by putting them in the trash and installed roll up shades in their place [emoji16]

[Bangorbob]

Originally Posted by jrollf

I washed them by putting them in the trash and installed roll up shades in their place [emoji16]

Great response. I agree 100%

[Bobby F]

I had to restring two big shades, so I washed them also. I filled a bathtub with warm water and Oxycleen and some Ivory dishsoap, let them soak for an hour, and then sprayed them off fairly directly. Let them drip closed, then let them dry extended, and they came out looking very good. I worried about the pleats weakening, but they all folded right up when dry.


(ETA: After they mostly dried, I compressed them between boards and clamped them for a bit, to flatten out the fabric and sharpen up the creases.)