How to Properly Clean Your Plantation Shutters

Like any other part of your home, your plantation shutters need to be properly cleaned and maintained in order for it to look its best. When was the last time you cleaned your shutters? If the answer is never, or it’s been a while since the last time they’ve been cleaned, at Golden West Shutters, we highly recommend giving your shutters a good cleaning. You spend time vacuuming your carpet and mopping the tile to remove dust and dirt buildup, and you should do the same for your shutters. Keeping your shutters clean has many benefits, including increasing the value of your home and making your home more aesthetically pleasing. Clean shutters also ensure that they function properly and help prevent damage or warping of the louvers.

Location of the Shutters

The biggest factor to keep in mind before cleaning your plantation shutters is location. Depending on where your shutters are located, they will require different amounts of cleaning. Shutters in the kitchen, dining area, and bathroom are more prone to accumulate grime and require a more detailed cleaning, while shutters in the living room, bedroom, or office may just need a dusting.

Regular Dusting

As you would normally dust other pieces of furniture, like lamp fixtures and coffee tables, your plantation shutters will make do with a simple dusting most of the time. Using a dry microfiber cloth or duster, gently dust the shutter with the louvers closed. Then open the louvers and brush each slat individually on top and underneath. Make sure to dust the window sill and hinges, as well. While you’re at it, wipe the window glass with a streak-free glass cleaner for the ultimate clean.

Detailed Cleaning

Some plantation shutters will require a little more work to be properly cleaned. Keep your shutters looking their best with a solution of one teaspoon of dish soap in one gallon of warm water, and a soft cloth or sponge. Dip the cloth in the mixture and wring out the water until barely damp. Wipe down the exterior of the shutter, then wipe each louver individually until all of the buildup is removed. Take a clean cloth dampened with regular water to remove the soap and any leftover residue.

Material type

At Golden West Shutters, we make shutters available in real wood, faux-wood, and polyurethane. Each of these materials require different methods of detailed cleaning.

Real Wood Plantation Shutters

For real wood applications, like our Designer Series and Traditional Series plantation shutters, it is best to avoid using water and harsh chemicals to clean the shutters. Try to remove as much dust or dirt using a dry brush or duster. If that doesn’t remove everything, use a barely damp cloth to scrub away the grime, but be sure to wipe away excess water, as soon as possible, to prevent it from soaking into the wood. This can cause the louvers to become warped over time.

Faux and Poly Plantation Shutters

For non-real wood shutters, including our Essential Series plantation shutters, using the detailed cleaning method mentioned above is acceptable. Shutters made out of synthetic materials can withstand harsher cleaning materials and more moisture.

If you need assistance with your plantation shutters, don’t hesitate to contact the experts at Golden West Shutters – your premier source for high quality custom plantation shutters in Orange County, California. Visit our showroom in Lake Forest today to see how our custom plantation shutters can improve the look and value of your home!