Just purchased timber shutters? Congratulations! They’re a timeless and beautiful investment for your home: stylish, elegant and above all, intensely practical.  Now that you’ve gone to the practical and financial effort of installing such gorgeous window treatments, we know you’ll want to keep them looking as good as new for many years to come!

Whether yours are internal or external shutters, the simplest way to ensure that they get the attention they need is to include them into your weekly/monthly household cleaning schedule.  As we know, procrastination is the thief of time (and the friend of nasty cleaning jobs) so it’s easier to keep our homes in good shape with routine maintenance rather than leaving those not-so-pleasant chores until they’re really bad…

Are plantation shutters easy to clean and maintain?  Yes!  Here are some tips on how to keep your shutters ‘as good as new’ for many years to come:

Dust Regularly

Using an ostrich feather, micro-fibre or lambswool duster, flick the dust off your shutters regularly. These dusters are soft enough not to damage or mark your shutters, and they fit easily between the slats to dust both sides of the louvers while they’re open.  Next, close the shutters and simply remove any remaining dust using even downward strokes.  You may find it more convenient to vacuum your shutters using the brush attachment, however, take care that you don’t scratch the blades.

Wipe

Once you are satisfied that the dust particles have been removed, take a dry cloth and wipe down your shutters.  Do not use any harsh chemicals or abrasive scourers.  For painted or synthetic shutters, you can use a damp cloth and a mild soap solution.  Spot clean timber shutters if needed using a damp cloth – avoid using water on timber unless absolutely necessary.

Clean Surrounds

Be sure to give the whole window area a good clean, including the glass and window sill. Not only will the result be a sparkling, clean view of the outdoors, but it will help to prevent dust returning to your shutters.  Vacuum or sweep the floors around the window area then stand back, relax and enjoy the results!

Other Maintenance Tips:

Use Only as Intended

If your shutters have been installed with a tilt bar, be sure to use this for opening and closing, rather than trying to adjust them by grabbing hold of an individual blade.

Shutters in Wet Areas

Shutters are the perfect window treatment for wet areas such as the laundry, bathroom and pool area.  However, because of the high humidity of these spaces, it may be necessary to clean these shutters more regularly than those in other rooms of your home.

At Complete Blinds, we love Plantation Shutters as much as you do.  And by taking good care of them, you’ll have them for a lifetime!  If you’d like any further information, we’re here to share our advice and help you keep your shutters as beautiful as they were the day they were installed!  Call us today on (02) 8824 7975 for more expert tips on caring for your window treatments.