How to Clean Shutters at Home?

Window shutters are an amazing home improvement idea on any home. They add a dash of classical style and elegance to your home while at the same time offering protection against extreme weather. When well chosen, shutters blend perfectly with the rest of your home’s decor to improve curb appeal and add value to the entire property. They also offer privacy and enable the homeowner to cut costs on energy consumption through natural air conditioning and ventilation. But for exterior shutters to perform optimally and retain their appeal, you have to care for them through regular cleaning properly.

In this article, you will learn how you can clean shutters at home to keep them looking new.

Cleaning Wood Shutters

Wood shutters are very common and for many good reasons. They give your home a more authentic feel and they are durable. You can customize them to suit your home decor and they give your home a magnificent look. To clean wood shutters, you need a vacuum cleaner, soft dusting cloth, and spray type wood polish. To maintain your wood shutters looking elegant always, you need to clean them every week to avoid dust and grime build up.

• Start by inspecting for any damage on the wood slats and any staining. It is important to get such damage repaired early enough to avoid costly repairs in the future.
• In the case of staining, you will need to rub using a damp cloth. Once you remove the stain, wipe away the dampness with a dry cloth and continue with the next step.
• Wood shutters require special cleaning with a recommended wood cleaner and a soft cloth. You should only use products recommended by the shutter manufacturer to avoid damaging any treatment used. 
• Avoid using soap and water which seems like an easy way to wipe away dust and dirt.
• Water easily ruins wood house shutters hence the need to use a wood cleaner.
• You can then polish off the wood slats with spray type polish to give them their groove back.

Cleaning Aluminum Shutters

Aluminum exterior shutters are now a popular alternative to wood due to their lightweight nature, durability, ease of installation, low maintenance among other reasons. However, even these durable shutters require proper care to increase their lifespan. You should regularly dust aluminum shutters within reach.

• For aluminum shutters on exterior windows, you can use water and gentle detergent to keep them spick and span.
• You should get a strong ladder to reach every shutter. Start by hosing down any dirt on the closed shutters.
• Mix gentle detergent and water in a bucket and gently clean the metal slats and the groves.
• Start from the top and clean the shutters from the siding.
• Make sure there’s no grime and dirt on the edges of the aluminum shutters before you rinse the soap mixture with a hose.
• Remove all soap before the shutters dry to avoid ugly marks on the window shutters.

Cleaning Vinyl/Faux Wood Shutters

One of the main reasons homeowners go for vinyl exterior shutters is their ease of maintenance. They are easy to clean like with all plastics in your household. These shutters require no special attention to an area also easy to customize.

• To keep your vinyl shutters looking like new, you need a vacuum cleaner, soft brush, Mild Grease-Cutting Dish Soap, washing rugs, warm water, and soft, absorbent towel for drying.
• To remove excess dirt and grime, you need to vacuum vinyl shutters every week. This not only keeps them gleaming but also makes your cleaning work easier.
• To clean vinyl shutters, mix warm water and soap detergent and using a damp cloth, clean the shutters thoroughly.
• Rinse the shutters using the soft damp cloth wipe away the soap residue.
• Rinse the shutters using clean water and use the other soft cloth to dry the shutters.
• You can use an old toothbrush to reach grooves and crevices on the vinyl shutters.

Avoid Harsh Detergents on All Shutters

While most materials used in shutter manufacture are sturdy to withstand extreme weather, it is advisable to avoid using harsh chemicals when cleaning these window fittings. Whether you have aluminum, wood or vinyl shutters on your windows, use a gentle detergent to avoid causing damage to the shutters.

Some detergents are corrosive and will even eat away metal surfaces. Plastics can also react with harsh chemicals leading to fading and deterioration of your vinyl shutters. For wood, shutters avoid detergents and instead use recommended wood cleaners and a soft cloth to swab any stains and dirt on the surfaces.

Precautions When Cleaning Exterior Shutters

While it is possible to carry out DIY window shutter cleaning, it is important to appreciate the danger involved. Many people have suffered fatal accidents when trying to reach high windows. If you have to clean your house shutters, make sure you have a strong ladder with a firm platform to support your weight and the cleaning materials. If you have a fear of heights or you feel this task is too risky, call in a cleaner and let the professionals do the work.

Dust Your Shutters to Reduce Cleaning Work

Most homeowners forget all about the exterior shutters until they deteriorate to a point where replacement is necessary. You can avoid this eventuality by simply dusting your shutters using a microfiber sloth regularly. This wipes away the dust and grime that would otherwise buildup and compromise the integrity of the slats. Dry dusting using a feather brush guarantees your window shutters look like new all the time.

Regular cleaning for exterior shutters is a crucial albeit commonly overlooked home maintenance chore. Now that these fittings play such an important role in protecting and embellishing your home, you need to give them proper care. Regular dusting and cleaning of vinyl and aluminum shutters will keep them looking great which in turn maintains your home’s curb appeal. For wood shutters, you should dust them regularly, wash them and polish them to restore them to their initial glory. Go ahead and apply these simple and effective cleaning tips for your house shutters.