How to Take Blinds Down

Opening the Blinds and Headrail

Pull horizontal blinds and roll-up blinds all the way up. Most horizontal and roll-up blinds come with a pull string. Pull the string down toward you and to the left. If you don’t see a cord, tug the blinds down instead. Raise the blinds until they are up against the headrail. For instance, Roman blinds may not come with a pull string. Roman blinds are fabric coverings attached to a roller. Pull the blinds up to make them easier to handle when you remove them. You may also need to access brackets behind the headrail, which is easier once the blinds are out of the way.

Rotate the vanes to half-open if you have vertical blinds. Vertical blinds are a little different and don’t retract. Instead, use the rotating rod or bead chain to open the vanes. Position the vanes so they are perpendicular to the headrail. Rotating the vanes protects them from damage and helps you reach the clips locking them to the headrail. If you're planning on saving the blinds to reuse them, you will need to remove the vanes before dismounting the headrail.

Press the clips to lift the valance if the headrail has one. A valance is a decorative cover on the front of a headrail. Examine the ends of the valence to find the small clips securing it in place. Push the bottom edge of the valence down, then attempt to pull it off the headrail. If the valence doesn’t snap off, lift the bottom edge again, then use a flathead screwdriver to pry the clip off of it. The valence clips get exposed to constant sunlight, so be careful when opening them. Old clips can be very brittle.

Check the headrail to find out how it attaches to the wall brackets. Climb up on a ladder, if necessary, to find the brackets underneath or beside the headrail. No matter what kind of blinds you have, there are several different ways they could be installed. Most headrails have clips that attach to brackets screwed into the wall. Other types of blinds have a spring system that pops off the wall. Horizontal and Venetian blinds generally have open or closed clips, making the headrail easy to slide off the brackets. Vertical blinds tend to have clips you need to press. Some headrails screw directly to the wall. Roman and cellular blinds often have spring systems, although some versions also have a tab that latches onto mounting brackets. Roller blinds often have spring-loaded mounts that can be released by using a screwdriver or turning a disk on the roller. Bob Villa Bob Villa, Home Improvement Expert First, identify your blind type and mounting style. In most cases, you can open the brackets gently with a screwdriver and slide out the headrail. Minimal tools, but maximum care. Avoid forcing anything. Patient, gentle handling prevents damage to the blinds and window frame. Rushed removal may bend brackets or scratch paint. Whenever working above ground level, make safety the priority.

Removing Horizontal Blinds

Open the brackets on the ends of the headrail using a screwdriver. Most horizontal blinds have small, square brackets on the front surface of the headrail. The brackets are like small doors that you can pry open with a flathead screwdriver. Wedge the head of the screwdriver between the bracket and the headrail, then lift it up. Open the bracket on the opposite end as well. The headrail usually will not fall out until you start pulling on it. However, keep a hold on it at all times in case it happens to come loose after you open the brackets. These brackets are very noticeable if your blinds have them. If you don’t see the square-shaped covers on the front of the headrail, look behind it. Mini blinds have the same kind of bracket as regular horizontal blinds.

Pull the headrail toward you to detach the blinds from the wall. Once you have the brackets open, nothing will be holding the headrail in place. Hold onto the headrail with both hands. Then, slide it out from the wall to remove it. Hold the headrail with both hands to balance it as you bring it down toward you. Then, lay it down on the floor.

Unscrew the brackets to remove them from the wall. The metal mounting brackets will remain on the wall. If you need to remove them, get a power drill fit with a Phillips head bit. Use it to rotate the screws counterclockwise. Finish by pulling the loosened screws and brackets off of the wall. You can leave the brackets in place if you plan on putting the blinds back up.

Detaching Vertical Blinds

Detach the vanes by opening the clips securing them to the headrail. Slide a flat object, such as a credit card, between the clip and one of the vanes. As you slide the card up, push the vane up gently toward the headrail. Then, pull both down at the same time to detach the vane. You will need to repeat the process for each vane. Removing the vanes by hand may seem a little tedious, but it protects them from damage. If you don’t plan on reusing the blinds, doing this is less important but still makes the blinds easier to move. Some types of clips can be opened by hand. If you’re not having any luck using a credit card, gently lift the clips and pull the vanes out.

Unscrew the headrail if it is attached to the wall. Stand underneath the blinds and look up at the headrail. You may be able to spot screws passing through the headrail and into the wall. Turn the screws counterclockwise until the headrail comes off of the wall. Hold onto the headrail to prevent it from falling once it comes loose. This type of attachment is common with inside-mounted blinds. Inside-mounted headrails sit inside the window frame. Outside-mounted blinds attach through brackets screwed to the window frame.

Use a screwdriver to open the bracket clips if your blinds have them. If the headrail isn’t screwed directly to the wall, it will have a pair of brackets and connecting clips on its back side. Stick the tip of the screwdriver between the clip and the headrail, then turn it until the headrail pops free. Loosen the other clip as well to remove the blinds. The clips will be between the wall and the headrail. You should be able to see them slightly sticking out from the blinds.

Remove the mounting brackets by unscrewing them from the wall. Find the metal brackets where the clips were if your blinds had them. Install a Phillips head drill bit into a power drill. Use it to turn the screws counterclockwise until you are able to slide the brackets off the wall.

Removing Roman or Cellular Blinds

Press the headrail back to loosen it. Grab it with both hands and move it toward the window. Push gently to avoid knocking it into the glass. As you push it, you should feel it begin to come out of the brackets. The metal brackets are hidden on top of the headrail. Both Roman and cellular blinds tend to have this kind of attachment mechanism. Roman blinds are shades that fold up when you pull on them. Cellular blinds are honeycomb-shaped shades.

Tilt the headrail and pull it toward you to detach it. Roll the bottom edge of the headrail back toward you. Keep moving it until its bottom edge is right over your head. Then, pull the headrail down to snap it off the wall. The headrail has to be pushed back first in order to unlock the brackets. If you try to pull the headrail out right away, it won’t budge.

Release the brackets with a screwdriver if you can’t remove the headrail. Your blinds will most likely have clips that need to be unlocked. Look at the back end of the metal brackets. Insert the tip of a flathead screwdriver between one of the bracket and the headrail. Twist it, then do the same to the other bracket to unlock it. Cordless Roman and cellular blinds sometimes have bracket clips. If you can’t move the headrail by hand, check the brackets. Keep one hand on the headrail. The blinds will fall once you unlock both clips.

Taking off Roller Blinds

Use a screwdriver to remove the child safety clip if you have one installed. The safety clip is a wall-mounted piece of plastic that is separate from the blinds. If you have one, the pull cord or chain will be wrapped around it. Locate the screw in the center of the clip and turn it counterclockwise to remove it. Your blinds may not have such a clip, so you can focus on dealing with the roller.

Unlock the roller by turning its disk if it has one. Check the roller for a small, serrated disk barely sticking out on one end. Spin it counterclockwise by hand until you hear it click. The click means you have successfully unlocked the bracket and can pull down the roller when you are ready. The disk is usually on the side opposite from the pull chain. If the wheel is stuck, push it with a dull knife or a similar tool.

Push the pin on the roller to free it from the mount. If you don’t see a wheel on the end of the roller, look for a moveable cap on the end of the roller. Slide a flathead screwdriver between the cap and the rest of the roller. While holding the roller with your free hand, push the screwdriver up against it to free it from the bracket. The pin is often on the end opposite from the pull chain. It is pretty small, so climb up on a ladder to get a close look at the roller. You may also need to slide a flathead screwdriver between the roller and the brackets to unlock the mounting clamps. Pry the roller toward you to remove it.

Lift the roller off the mounting bracket. Hold it with both hands and pull it toward you. If it doesn’t come out right away, don’t force it. Check to see where it is stuck. It may still be locked in place by a clamp, pin, or another component. You may need to push the roller in and then lower it toward you to get it off the mounting brackets.

Unscrew the mounting brackets to remove them. Use a power drill with a Phillips head drill bit on the screws holding the brackets to the wall. Turn the screws counterclockwise. Once they are loose, pull them out along with the brackets.