Cleaning Plantation Shutters

Plantation shutters add a truly cosy and elegant quality to your home. At Décor Blinds, our shutters are made with Thermalite, making them not only aesthetically pleasing, but also practical. They are water resistant, fire retardant and provide 3 times the insulation of timber. They require very little maintenance as they will never crack, warp or yellow.

However, that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t keep them clean. If you let dirt build up, that lovely aesthetic suddenly turns your home exterior quite dingy, which can be a reflection on the owner.

clean plantation shutters

Cleaning shutters isn’t like cleaning a countertop, so if you’re not sure exactly how to go about it, we’ve taken the liberty of providing you with some tips. We value our customers and want you to get the most out of your purchase.

Use a vacuum on your shutters

It seems odd to use a vacuum on anything but your carpets, but they get a good amount of reach and are highly functional cleaning tools. If you clean the slats with a vacuum once a week, you’ll be able to keep it regularly maintained so that bits of dust or dirt don’t turn into caked on grime.

Give it a proper scrub

The best way to give each of your slats a proper clean, no matter how far up they are, is to use a hose, some hot water and some detergent. Below are the steps to follow:

  1. Get out the hose and give the shutters a good spray. This will loosen up any dirt already on there and make it easier for you when it’s time to scrub.
  2. Fill up a bucket with 4 parts hot water and 1 part dish detergent. Don’t use a cleaning supply that is too harsh; avoid all-purpose cleaners. Give it a good mix up so that the water is nice and soapy.
  3. Find something to scrub with, like a brush with a long handle or a mop.
  4. Dip the scrubber in the hot water and start from the top of the slats, scrubbing away until the slats are squeaky-clean.
  5. Take the hose to it again to get rid of the soapy water residue.

Dust if you can’t be bothered to scrub weekly

You can extend the time in between scrubs by dusting your shutters every once in a while. Using a feather duster or a lint-free cloth, dust both sides of each slat thoroughly so that dirt and grime doesn’t build up over time.

When in doubt, spot clean

Maybe you can see a few bits of bird faeces or kitchen grease stains, but the whole shutter system isn’t a mess. A little spot cleaning never hurt anybody. Use a damp cloth or a toothbrush to get after small stains and save yourself the hassle of a big scrub.

If you need more advice on how to keep your Thermalite plantation shutters clean, get in touch with one of our experts at Décor Blinds. We are here to help you keep your blind system as functional and aesthetically pleasing as possible.