You need to know how to fix broken mini blinds if you have kids or a naughty pet that repeatedly love to break and damage them. It’s actually way easier, and cheaper than I thought to do your own mini blind repair!
Find out how to fix common problems so that your window coverings can function again.

We live in an apartment, like a bajillion other people, so every window comes pre-installed with white mini-blinds. The apartment contract and rules state that the mini-blinds need to be free from damages in order to help keep up appearances.
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Broken mini blinds apparently equal ghetto apartment complex.
To keep future residents interested in renting, via the pristine mini-blinds, they periodically replace any broken ones for you. However, they charge us an outlandish $50 per mini blind replaced. Considering it takes them all of about 1 minute to replace one, and they only cost $3-6, it is major highway robbery happening!
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Our apartment recently stated that if they had to replace three or more mini blinds for you, you could be kicked out your apartment. Ca-razy! Especially considering at the time of that notice, we had, you guessed it, three broken mini blinds. Our kids really love destroying mini blinds!
In order to avoid $150 in charges and a potential boot, I determined to figure out how to fix mini blinds and save myself a bunch of money. So, I did what any sane 21st-century mom does, and searched Pinterest for a tutorial on how to fix mini blinds.
I came across this old post from DIY Project Crazy, and followed it to do my mini blind repair.
I picked up one brand new set of mini blinds for $6.25 from Lowe’s. I bought the cheapest one, because, well, we live in an apartment, and my kids regularly break the slats of the blinds.
There were some nicer, better light blocking blinds, on rollback at Walmart, randomly sitting right by the entrance, for $5, last week, but I bought the wrong size, so I had to return it. By then they no longer had the size I needed.
Because one set of mini blinds was so mangled by my kids, I just replaced the whole thing with the new blinds, using the rest of the mangled blinds as the supply source to repair mini blinds in two other rooms.
The good news is that I was able to repair some so that I didn’t have to do a whole new window treatment on every single window.
Keep in mind that high-traffic areas will have needs for repair more often than other areas. Some people opt to put in a different type of window treatment in those areas, but I think that no matter what, they’ll all need repairs.

However, if your mini blind is already longer than you need, and you only have a few slats to replace, you can use them for this tutorial and not have to spend any money!
Simple Steps for Repairing Common Issues
If you have a blind problem, there are a few common repairs that can work. If you can fix the individual pieces on your own, you’ll cut down on the repair costs and not have to buy all new window treatments!
Make sure that when you buy blinds, you select blinds that you’re able to repair. In the long run, you’ll have a few pieces that will need replacement slats more than likely. It’s just the way it is.
New window blinds are expensive to make so skip having to do blind installation and just try to get a new replacement slat or try another quick fix.
Using your own personal repair services is a great way to save money and time! Once you get to work on your window shades, you’ll have confidence that you can fix other things yourself, too!
How to Fix Mini Blinds
Materials Needed to Repair Horizontal Mini Blinds:
- Flathead Screwdriver or butter knife
- Long-nose tweezers
- Extra blind slats (may require buying a new set of mini blinds)
Time needed: 10 minutes
How to do mini blind repair
- Purchase or locate extra non-broken slats
If you don’t have extra slats at the bottom of your blinds (or need to replace several slats), buy a new set of mini blinds. You can find blinds in stores like Lowes, Home Depot, or Walmart and online through Amazon. Just order one set. I needed extra, non-broken slats to fix my blinds.
- Take off plastic stopper from bottom of blinds.
At the bottom of the blinds are little plastic tabs. Pop off the right one and the left one, with a flat head screwdriver, or butter knife, but leave the center one.
- Pull cord out of holes.
Pull out the cords that are in the holes. You’ll likely need to grab a pair of long thin tweezers to grab the knotted string in the center out.
- Unknot strings.
Unknot the center string. If you really can’t undo it, cut it right above the knot and burn the ends.
- Pull out center string to height of broken slat.
Pull the center string out of every slat until you reach above the last slat you need to replace. Do it on both the left and the right side. If you are using another set of blinds to replace a different set, you’ll have to do steps 2-5 on it, pulling out the number of slats you need to fix the broken set.
- Pull out all the broken and damaged slats you want to replace.
- Slide in the new, unbroken blinds in their place.
- Restring all the blinds with the center cord, making sure to come through from the same side.
- Push the string back through bottom rung and tie a new knot.
- Shove the knot and the extra strings back in the hole and cap it with the plastic piece you removed.
You’re done! You fixed your mini blinds!

If I wasn’t taking pictures the whole time, this simple DIY mini blind repair would only take 5-10 minutes. It is SO easy! Way easier than I thought it was going to be.
I was able to fix three blinds (one completely replaced) in only about 20-30 minutes and it only cost $6.25!
That’s much better than the apartment complex’s charge of $150!

I kept the broken blind, and because there were so many empty rows, I cut some off the excess strings, and moved the bottom up, and tied the center knots and put the plastic stopped over the holes.
Because I now know how to fix mini blinds and do my own mini blind repair, I won’t have to stress so much, or yell as much, when my kids break another slat on the mini blinds…. again.
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Chelsea @ Life With My Littles says
I had no idea you could do this! We are moving in 11 days, so I’ll have to go around to all of our blinds and see if there are any we need to replace! Thanks for the tip!
jenny @ Unremarkable Files says
Nice! These were in our master bathroom when we moved in and they’re still there, because let’s be honest, nobody ever sees our master bathroom so we’re not very motivated to decorate it ever. But the kids have slowly been breaking them all, too. I don’t know why it’s so fun, but they just love to snap the ends off.
Kathryn says
Great tutorial. I can’t stand mini blinds. They are so easy to destroy and hard to clean. Our newest house didn’t come with ANY window coverings and it’s not a new house. It’s bizarre. We have curtains up right now. If we ever get mini blinds again I’ll keep this in mind!
Lolonyo says
So I’m pretty sure this just changed my whole entire life!! I have a small child AND a VERY mischievous cat who have between them, destroyed every set of blinds in the house. LOL. I love you for this!!
Katelyn Fagan says
Ha ha ha! You are very welcome!!
Charlotte Burkholder says
Great tip! I have a current mini blind damager at my house.Didn’t try to fix them. We sometimes have just replaced them in the past. We just leave ours though for now. Couldn’t you just take the mini blinds out of your apartment for now or is that a big no-no? Thanks for sharing on Family Joy Blog Link-up. Please come back and join us again! Remember to leave your host a comment to increase the chance of being featured.
Katelyn Fagan says
I personally wouldn’t want to not have any mini blinds up in my home! I like the privacy, especially at night! And I don’t really want the expense of curtains (and having to put holes in the apartment walls). I also don’t think the management would go for that either, for the same reason they don’t want damaged ones hanging up – uniformity. Thanks for coming by and commenting!
Charlotte says
I think everyone that has naughty children should fix them first.
Charlotte says
I can understand the privacy issue if you don’t have curtains. We have blackout curtains in all the bedrooms. I had to remove my youngest child’s mini blind for safety reasons. We also had to shorten all the cords to most the others.
Katelyn Fagan says
The cords are terrifying!! Ugh.
Windy says
Use Cleats to wrap cords, they are for child safety and make the blind cords look organized
Liz Schweizer says
So smart! I didn’t realize you could repair mini blinds like this. Ours have extra slats at the bottom, so now I know how to repair them when needed and I already have the supplies. Thank you for sharing!
Katelyn Fagan says
Yes! Use the extra slats for sure!
Carolan ONeill says
This is also the solution for shortening ready-made blinds that come the standard 64 or 73 inches and your window is only 54 or 48 inches tall. You don’t want that stack sitting on your window sill. You can take the slats out of the blind ladder, cut the ladder to length and reattach the bottom rail. If you pay attention and cut correctly, it is a great way to have the custom look without the custom price. Use the shipping box to store the unneeded slats until you need them to replace a damaged one.
Katelyn Fagan says
Yes!! That works well too!!
Sahana says
So useful.Thank you for linking up with us at #HomeMattersParty. See you again next week.
Emily says
You saved my relationship with my cat. He wont appreciate it though…
Katelyn Fagan says
ha ha ha. Glad to help heal your relationship. 😀
Elise says
Thanks for the detailed post! I’m moving out and the blinds look good as new! Next time I will be more careful before fighting off a cockroach on the blinds with a metal ruler : /
Katelyn Fagan says
Ha ha ha. You do what you need to when there’s a cockroach involved!
Jeri says
Wow! Thanks for this! We rent 2 houses and always have blinds to replace. Even tho they are cheap, it still adds up. Will be doing this in the future. Again, thanks!
Katelyn Fagan says
Totally!! Glad to help!
David says
Does this work for the larger wooden blinds??
Katelyn Fagan says
I would assume if the string and pulley mechanism is the same, then yes.
L Gonzalez says
I also like to use saved slats (& the top valance slat) to use like a ruler/guard when painting close to
trim, etc.
Melinda Mitchell says
Katelynn, Why didn’t I read this a month ago??? WE are gonna get dinged on the blinds.
Just sign me, “Already knows we won’t get full deposit back.”
John says
Like many other commenters here I didn’t even know this was possible! WOuld’ve been nice to know before since I just replaced a set of blinds my cat destroyed last week 🙂
Marjorie says
thank you so very much – I just finished repairing my blinds and this tutorial guided me through perfectly! you did a great job on the step by step, both with the text and the pictures – I really appreciate it 🙂
They call me....Daaaaaad! says
Big Time Dad Here –
Great Tip you shared. Best Part of all….can be summed up in 2 words, when using th extra bottom slats:
NO MEASURING.
Thank you
Olivia says
Thank you so much! My cat broke 1 slat on EVERY SINGLE blind in the apartment.
I was going to replace the whole thing until I saw your post. Btw, I need the exact same blinds for my apartment as yours. Can I get a link on which blinds you bought from Lowes?
Thank you!
Angela says
What about vertical blinds? Have you played around with those much?
I found this guide by Chicology but was wondering if you had tried any of these? https://www.chicology.com/blog/2018/10/16/how-to-fix-broken-vertical-blinds-a-guide-for-the-not-so-handyman/
I have the worst luck when it comes to DIY (Yes I’m that person) so I like to get second opinions on the level of difficulty.
Michele says
Thanks. Window watching dog saw someone in front yard. He went crazy. Damaged binds. I searched, found your instructions. Easier than I thought. I still don’t like mini blinds, but at least they are not bent. Thanks again you are a $$$$ saver.
Katelyn Fagan says
You are so welcome!! We all need easy money savers!! And yeah… still not my favorite either. :p
Greg Sonata says
My kids have such a great time when it comes to destroying blinds whenever they go to someone’s house. I’ve always had to pay the hosts, but I think I’ve found a better alternative with this link. This has hence proved to be really helpful!