Have your RV blinds become discolored or non-functional and you’re unsure what to do with those old, unwanted window coverings? Don’t worry. This post explores various rewarding (financially or otherwise) ways to dispose of your old RV blinds, shades, & window coverings.
Used or old motorhome blinds can be painted or repaired to make them reusable. Or they can be recycled or upcycled, transforming them into something of greater quality or value than the original item. For spiritual benefit, you can donate used RV blinds to a charity like Salvation Army, which will deliver them to a homeless family.
Scroll on to learn more about when and how to dispose of old blinds, along with replacement options and FAQs.
7 Quick Signs You Need to Get Rid of Old RV Blinds
- Child Safety Concerns – Are the cleats or tension devices securing your RV blinds’ cords broken, or the lift cords have loosened or come out of the roller mechanism? They are a serious safety concern for your kids. Immediately repair the safety system or dispose of the blinds.
- You’ve Just Updated Your Decor – Are your old blinds a mismatch for the refreshed RV interior? Try updating the blinds too. If the new blinds aesthetic doesn’t work, disposing of them and getting a replacement is a good idea.
- Slats No Longer Fit Tightly Into Each Other – Is the light control and privacy of your RV trailer compromised? Better replace old window coverings with new ones.
- Dysfunctional Lift System – If the blinds are hard to raise or lower, try to locate and solve issues with the lift mechanism (roller, top down/bottom up, or motor-powered). In vain? Dispose of them.
- Discolored or Cracked Due to Sun Exposure – Blinds exposed to direct sun during longer journeys are prone to fading and cracking in a few months. Either line them with a sunproof fabric or get ready to dispose of old blinds after 2 to 5 years, depending on material, quality, and climate.
- Mold and Mildew Growth – If you frequently drive your travel home in rainy weather, the blinds will likely attract mold and mildew growth in a few weeks. Washing them may not remove stubborn fungus. You’ll need to consider disposing of them.
- Risk of electric shock – It’s when motorized blinds get broken or damaged.
8 Practical Ways to Dispose of Old RV Blinds
1. Paint the Blinds If They Have Faded
- Step 1: Take a photograph of the old blinds and show the same to the paint seller to get a color-matched paint.
- Step 2: Unmount the blinds and disassemble the slats.
- Step 3: Clean the slats and lay them on a flat, sun-exposed area of your mobile home.
- Step 4: Apply 2-3 thin coats of spray paint and let them dry completely.
- Step 5: Rehang the blinds and enjoy travel in a renewed RV interior.
Practical Expert Tips
- Use fabric paints or acrylics on fabric blinds. If you have faux wood blinds, use paints specifically designed for vinyl or plastic; otherwise, they may crack or peel.
- Hold the can 8 to 10 inches from the surface of the blinds and spray side to side along the length in a sweeping motion with a slight overlap.
2. Repair Them If They’re Broken, Torn Out, or Dysfunctional
- Use multi-purpose glue or fabric tape to repair broken slats or torn out fabric vanes.
- If the slats are irreparably broken, slide them out and put the replacement slats in their place.
- If the roller mechanism is jammed, use a silicon based spray to put it back to operation.
3. Upgrade Them with Motorization, If You are Looking for Luxury
Automating your old mechanical blinds is a quick, 15-minute process!
- Remove the roller tube.
- Replace the chain-drive mechanism with a motor.
- Connect a pre-programmed wireless remote (that came with the blinds) to the blinds.
- If the motor is smart home compatible, integrate it into your existing smart home automation and enjoy raising/lowering your upgraded RV blinds using your smartphone or voice commands.
4. Send Them to a Recycling Center for Reuse in a Different Form
- Unmount the broken or torn blinds.
- Disassemble them.
- Separate reusable parts, such as headrail and motor, from the slats or fabric panel.
- Retain the reusable parts and take the rest (fabric panel, slats, etc.) to a nearby recycling center. If in doubt, ring the center head to make sure your old blinds will be accepted as a scrap.
- Most centers accept plastic or aluminum blinds, as they are widely recycled.
Note
Take aluminum mini blinds to a metal scrap yard. It’s very likely that you’ll get money for the scrap metal.
5. Consider Upcycling Your Old Campervan Blinds – Get Something Better, More Valuable
Old campervan blinds can be upcycled in a number of ways. For example, you can transform them into new, more useful items, such as:
- Pillowcases, tote bags and accessories (from fabric Roman blinds)
- An art canvas (from sturdy roller blinds)
- Wall art and decorative rosettes (using old cellular fabrics)
- Woven baskets (from old woven wood bamboo blinds)
6. Make Them Cordless If They’re a Safety Hazard for Your Kids
Simply substitute a string-based lift appratus with a spring roller system, top down/bottom up control mechanism, or a motorization optioin.
7. Donate Old Blinds to a Charity – Help a Homeless with Your Used Blinds
Look for a charity that operates in the State you live in. For example, Habitat for Humanity ReStore functions in each of the 50 states. Ring them to confirm if they accept old but usable RV blinds. If they respond with a ‘yes’, take the shades to their closest charity collection center.
8. No Longer Usable – Destroy Your Old RV Window Treatments
- Destrying the fabric or slats (whichever material they are made of) until they are not recognizable as window coverings.
- Put them in a black garbage bag. Sew, seal, or knot the open end of the bag.
- Put the garbage bag in the black waste cart in the nearby waste disposal plant. Make sure the bag fits inside the cart with the lid tightly closed.
Caution
Before putting them in a waste bin, you much check local municipal rules to see if they allow that kind of blinds disposal practic.
How to Repurpose Used RV Window Blinds
- Useful items, tools, & crafts – Repurpose old RV blinds into useful household items, garden tools, and DIY crafts.
- Boxes & bins – Paint the slats of old wood, vinyl, and metal blinds to use them as labels for boxes and bins.
- Create work of art – Cut bamboo blinds into smaller sizes, create stripes or fun patterns, and paint them in multiple colors.
- Make a basket – Creat a quick storage solution with your destryoed mini blinds using double-sided tape, stapler, scissors, and ribbon.
What to Do After Disposing of Old RV Blinds – Install New, Better Ones
Here are some popular options that camper truck owners typically consider when looking for new window coverings for their recreational vehicles:
RV cellular shades – consider this option with tremendous insulation power, if you plan to travel in unbearably hot or cold weather. But cellular blinds are not dustproof – their empty compartments are likely to collect dirt and pollen, adding to the difficulty of cleaning. According to the US Department of Energy, cellular honeycomb blinds can prevent summer heat gain through RV windows by up to 60% and reduce winter heat loss by up to 40%.
Roller blinds for RV – Want to block light with sleek, slim shades that fit and easily go up and down inside the RV window frame? Select roller shades in your desired opacity, i.e, sheer (for driver’s cabin), light filtering (for RV living room), room darkening (for RV media room), or total blackout (for RV bedroom).
RV Roman shades – It’s all about classic aesthetic plus modern functionality. For better energy efficiency, select thick fabrics in flat fold, soft fold, front slat fold, or European relaxed fold designs.
RV mini blinds – An affordable, lightweight option with tiltable slats to precisely customize natural light and privacy in your travel trailer’s interior.
Safety Tip
When buying new blinds for your RV, always go with a cordless, CPSC-approved option. New US Federal regulations prohibit the sale of the most corded custom window coverings for homes and motorhomes due to severe risks of strangulation, injury, and even death to the children.
Frequently Asked Questions
How to get rid of a junk RV?
- Sell your junk RV as the price of scrap.
- It is still usable, donate it to a homeless person, so they can use it as a shelter.
- Have your RV towed to professional junk recycling service center. They’ll pay you the scrap value, crush the vehicle and send the usable metal to a steel mill to be upcycled to a new RV, a car, or a truck.
Can you throw away old blinds?
Absolutely, that’s one way to dispose of old RV blinds.
- Vinyl blinds – Check with your local recycling facility to see if they accept materials like hard plastics.
- Wooden RV blinds – Either compost the wood from old blinds or use it as firewood, if they’re untreated.
What can I do with broken blinds?
Solution 1: Repair to restore functionality
- Rejoin the ends of broken slats using a heavy-duty all-purpose glue.
- Make sure there are no gaps between for the light or air to pass through.
Solution 2: Restyle them for a decorative purpose
- Cut them into pieces of different shapes and sizes.
- Design patterns on the pieces using a painter’s tape.
- Use them for wall ornamentation.
Solution 3: Repurpose them into a headboard
- Take the intact slats from the torn or broken linen RV blinds
- Weave them into a unique headboard design
- Resize them according to the size of your bed and enjoy your new headboard!
How to throw away old blinds?
- Step 1: If your old blinds are made of faux wood like vinyl, crush the slats into small pieces of 2 to 2.5 inches. If they are made from fabric, disassemble them into fabric vanes.
- Step 2: Twist the metal components into a compact mass. If they are hard to be bent, use a circular saw to cut them into pieces.
- Step 3: Pack the material in a white plastic bag.
- Step 4: Dump the bag in a trash container installed in your street.
Does anyone take used blinds?
If your used blinds have only faded or slightly broken and are still in working order, US-based charities and social service providers like Habitat for Humanity ReStore, Salvation Army Stores, and Goodwill will accept them as a donation. Your old blinds will be new to someone else. For example, Habitat for Humanity ReStore, a non-profit housing organization working across all 50 states in the US, will take your used window coverings and get them placed in a deserving home.
Need More Help?
We are ready to further assist and provide information about disposing of old, broken, discolored, cracking RV blinds. Contact our experts for consultation using 24/7 Live Chat or call (800) 490-5720 or email support@rvblinds.com today!