Before you begin, consider covering your mouth and nose to avoid breathing in the mold spores as you begin to disturb them.
Start by dry brushing the affected areas of the blinds (use an old toothbrush for small areas and a soft-bristle brush for larger areas) to remove surface spores.
Spot treat the contaminated areas of the blinds with a fabric-safe cleaner specifically formulated to kill mold spores, diluted according to the manufacturer's instructions. Alternatively, if you can't find a suitable cleaner or want a more natural way to clean your blinds, try a mixture of lemon juice and white vinegar.
Treat polyester roller blind fabric gently; if your blinds are made of PVC or vinyl, they are more resistant to mold than polyester blinds, but are also less likely to pick up mold, and black mold on these types of roller blinds can usually be wiped off.
If you find that this isn't the case, you can scrub PVC or vinyl blinds more enthusiastically than polyester blinds, as long as you use a soft brush to ensure the bristles don't scratch or even break the fabric.
Can you remove mold or stains by dry cleaning your roller blinds?
If your blinds do have stains or mold, and you've done your best to clean them with little success, roller blinds can actually be dry cleaned to completely kill mold spores and bacteria and remove all but the most stubborn stains. Not all dry cleaners offer this service, though, so you may need to shop around.
Can You Prevent Mold from Growing on Blinds?
If you're looking to buy new blinds for your kitchen or bathroom, choosing PVC or vinyl is a smart choice because they're waterproof and mold-resistant, making these types of blinds ideal for damp or humid environments and less likely to mold from exposure to moisture.
However, you can prevent or limit the chances of mold growing on any type of roller blind by keeping damp rooms well ventilated (for example, by opening windows after cooking or bathing or using a dehumidifier to remove condensation from windows and moisture from the air). If your roller blinds get splashed or wet, pat or wipe them with a towel, then roll them up and let them air dry completely.
You can even use a hair dryer on the "cold" setting to speed up the drying process, but try to aim for airflow rather than heat, as applying concentrated heat to your blinds can damage the fabric.
