Spring Cleaning Your Shutters

 

Now’s the time to spring clean your home before you can enjoy all that this summer has to offer! No matter what type of shutters your home has, you want to keep them looking their best. Vinyl, natural wood, and painted shutters all need routine cleanings to add the desired beauty and character to your home. If possible, routine cleanings once a month are optimal for outdoor shutters. But, a once a year spring deep cleaning session is beneficial for many reasons.

Keep reading for tips on how you can deep-clean your home’s outdoor shutters, efficiently and effectively.

If your home has vinyl shutters:

You’ll need a vacuum cleaner with a soft brush attachment, a buck, dish soap, warm water, two washcloths, a toothbrush, and an absorbent towel.

1. Using the soft brush attachment, lightly vacuum your shutters to free them from excess dust and debris.
2. Combine warm water and dish soap in your bucket, forming a sudsy cleaning solution.
3. Dampen the first washcloth with cleaning solution and wash shutters thoroughly.
4. Dampen the second washcloth with clean water and rinse shutters thoroughly.
5. Wipe the shutters with a dry towel.
6. For small cracks and crevices, use the toothbrush sprayed lightly with wood polish.

If your home has painted shutters:

These shutters require a similar cleaning approach to vinyl shutters.

If your home has wood shutters:

You’ll need a vacuum cleaner with the soft brush attachment, a dusting cloth, wood polish, and a toothbrush.

1. Using the soft brush attachment, lightly vacuum your shutters to free them from excess dust and debris.
2. Then, dust the shutters with the dusting cloth and a small amount of wood polish.
3. For small cracks and crevices, use the toothbrush sprayed lightly with wood polish.

For other types of outdoor shutters:

You’ll need dish detergent, water, a soft bristled brush or sponge mop, a bucket, and a hose or pressure washer.

1. Fill your bucket with a solution of 4 parts water and 1 part dish detergent.
2. Use the hose or pressure washer to spray away any loose dirt and debris.
3. Starting at the highest shutter, dip your mop into the soapy water and begin scrubbing away any dirt and debris from the siding. Continue working your way down.
4. Use your hose or pressure washer to rinse.
5. Dry if necessary.