How to clean shutters

Inspiration

BY Lisa Cooper

Published: 19 June 2022 Updated: 13 June 2024

Inspiration
Tags: Shutters

Cleaning shutters

Shutters are a beautiful window dressing in a room so it’s important to keep them looking their best. Read on to find out the best way to clean them.

Close up of amber vase on a wooden table with white shutters in the background.

There's something truly satisfying about a room that's clean and tidy and window dressings can play a significant role in our shutters, often the unsung heroes of your window treatments, play a significant role in achieving this ideal. Whether you have elegant wooden shutters or durable vinyl shutters, keeping them clean not only enhances their beauty but also prolongs their life. So here's our recommendations.

Close up of the bottom of a white tracked shutter, partially folded.

• Soft microfibre cloths or duster
• A vacuum cleaner with a brush attachment
• A soft-bristled small brush or a toothbrush
• Gentle cleaning solution (mild soap and water)
• A small bucket or basin

Close up of a microfibre cleaning brush against the louvres of a grey shutter.

Begin by gently dusting your shutters with a soft microfibre cloth or duster. Tilt the louvres open, wipe from edge to edge, then close the louvres and wipe from top to bottom, including the frame.

Close up of a silver-coloured hinge between the joins of a white shutter.

Dust can build up in the corners of the frame, or at the edges of the louvres and around the hinges. Take your small brush or toothbrush and gently brush these areas. The soft bristles shouldn't scratch or damage either the underlying wood, nor any paint or wood stain.

A hand-held vacuum cleaner dusting the louvres of a white shutter.

Using a vacuum cleaner with a brush attachment, work from the top to bottom, again paying attention to the edges and corners, to vacuum up any dust you dislodge with the brush. Regular dusting prevents build-up and makes cleaning much easier.

Close up of a man's hands wiping the louvres of a white shutter with a blue microfibre cloth.

For stains or handling marks, how you treat it depends on what kind of shutter you have. Wooden shutters need careful handling, as water will damage them, so wet a microfibre cloth then wring it out until it's barely damp before gently wiping, and immediately wipe over with a dry cloth. Vinyl shutters are water resistant and can be wiped in the same way, and for tougher stains on vinyl a mixture of a gentle dish soap and warm water should remove any grime, before wiping with a dry cloth.

Clean shutters can significantly uplift the ambiance of your home, making it feel more open, airy, and welcoming, so it's worth adding them into your weekly cleaning schedule as a relatively quick job that has a positive result.