How to Repair Horizontal Window Blinds

Pull out the old slats and install new ones if they are damaged or broken. Pry off the caps beneath the bottom rail or long metal piece at the bottom of blinds with a flat screwdriver. Snip the ends of the cords with scissors. Pull the strings out of the holes until you reach the broken slats. Slide them out of the strings and push new ones in their place. Make sure the holes are aligned with the slats above and below. Thread the cords through the openings in the slats. Push the caps back in place in the bottom rail.

Replace the cord in the blinds if it is broken. Pop off the plastic plug from the underside of the bottom rail. Pull out the cords through the opening in the bottom rail. Cut the end of the cord with scissors and solder the old and new cords together with a wooden match or lighter. Tie a new knot in the end of the cord at the appropriate length.

Replace the wand tilter if blinds are not tilting. Lift the blinds out of the brackets above the window. Grab onto the metal end brace in the side of the head rail or long metal piece that carries the blinds with needle-nose pliers and pull it out. The wand tilter used to tilt blinds is connected to a long metal rod or tilt rod. Lift the wand tilter up with your fingers until it unhooks. Firmly press the new tilt wand into the grooves of the tilt rod and it should snap into place. Push the end brace back into the head rail.

Lift the blinds out of the brackets in the window if the cord lock is stuck and blinds will not move. Pull out the end brace from the head rail with needle-nose pliers. Locate the cord lock mechanism, which has cords running through the middle. Place a flat screwdriver in the pin in the cord lock mechanism and push it. This should release the cords.

Place the lift cords so they are even with the head rail while the blinds are still on the window if the blinds will not lift or lower. Lightly tug downward with the lift cords.