How to Remove Blinds

Blinds are often overlooked as window treatments, but much like light fixtures, they can be an essential part of room design. A smart choice in blinds can act like an accent piece, completely transforming the mood and feeling of a room. Swapping out a stock set of blinds for something in a different style or color makes for a great way to bring new life to a room without breaking the bank.

But before you can change things up, you'll have to get the old blinds down! It might seem like a task worth calling the handyman, but whether you're redecorating the living room or just looking to clean away a few months of neglect, removing blinds from a window is an easy process. Make sure you have screwdrivers, a stepladder and a friend handy if your blinds are large or heavy, and the rest is a snap.

Regardless of the type of blind you're removing, the first steps are universal. Before attempting to remove your blinds, be sure to clear the space around your window. Remove curtains and curtain rods, shift furniture away from the area and be sure to give the blinds a light dusting if needed.

If there is a valance or a piece of metal or wood molding covering the top of the blinds, remove it. You can do so by lifting the lower edge of the valance and then gently pushing the hinged clips that hold it in place up with a flathead screwdriver until it pops off. Once the valance is off, you'll have access to the brackets that secure the blinds' headrail. The next steps vary based on the type of blind.

Easily the most popular and common style of horizontal blind, Venetian and mini-blinds are simple to remove. Draw the blinds up and secure them first by using the locking mechanism and then by tying the blinds' cord around the retracted stack of slats. Next, you'll need to open or release the brackets securing the headrail of the blinds, either by pressing in spring tabs, flipping up or pushing out the brackets with a screwdriver or unscrewing the bracket covers with a Phillips head. Once the brackets are released, you can slide the headrail out and the blinds will be removed.

The process of removing vertical blinds is similar to that of removing Venetian and mini-blinds: the biggest difference is that you'll want to remove the vertical slats ​before​ attempting to remove the headrail – otherwise you may damage the blinds.

You can do this with your fingers or a flathead screwdriver, by slightly opening the clips that hold the slats in place, and then removing them from their hook or other fastening point. Once this is done, remove the blinds by either opening the securing brackets and removing the headrail, as you would with Venetian or mini-blinds, or – if the headrail is screwed directly into the wall or ceiling – unscrewing the apparatus with a Phillips head screwdriver.

While pleated blinds and cellular blinds look great and make for excellent insulators, removing them can be a slightly more complicated process than with the more common horizontal blind styles, because they tend to be attached with a series of clips. Depending on whether the blinds are cordless or not, you'll either need to push and tilt the headrail backward to remove it from its brackets or, if cordless, press in or unscrew the tabs on the back of the headrail, allowing you to release it from the brackets.

Roller blinds, also known as roller shades, are easy to remove but can be tricky at first glance. They generally lack valances and complex brackets, but the brackets on each side of the roller are different: One side will have a post to secure the roller, and the other will have a lever that clamps down on the end of the roller. To remove roller blinds, first ensure that the blinds are retracted fully, then swing open the lever bracket. Lift the roller out of the bracket gently, then pull it from the securing post. You can then remove the mounting brackets by unscrewing them.