Many of my customers ask how best to clean their internal shutters to maintain their appearance. There are several options, all simple, and one of the biggest benefits for those who suffer from asthma or other dust triggered allergies is that this means removing and reducing dust.
Personally, I prefer to vacuum dust away using the soft brush attachment of my vacuum. This is quick, easy, and removes all visible dust. Using the soft brush means there should be no scratching or marks and this is what I usually recommend to my customers. It’s simple to give both the shutter panels and louvres a quick clean at the same time as vacuuming the room.
Another alternative is to use a duster, or dust removing cloth. I would not advise using polish, as this may eventually start to break down the paint or stain finish. I find hand dusting a little laborious, so tend to stick to the vacuum, but dusting can be extremely effective.
For those with allergies, it’s easy to see dust on the surface of the louvre blades, so you can check whether it needs to be cleaned and how thoroughly they have been dusted. While curtains have to be taken down and washed but harbour dust between washes, giving the shutter doors and louvres a regular clean is an extremely easy way to minimise dust.
If your internal shutters have a mark or appear to be noticeably dirty then they can be wiped with a damp cloth, but the cloth should be rung out as much as possible so that minimum amounts of water come into contact with the actual shutter itself. By gently rubbing most marks will be easily removed.
My plastic shutters are wipe-cleanable, which is why they are ideal for a playroom or where constant cleaning may be needed. This is the perfect option for you if you want something durable that can be wiped clean regularly or that you know will get dirty quickly. In the past, I’ve recommended them for seafront properties as the salt can be wiped away.
At present, I don’t offer a specific cleaner, although I’d love to find something to pass on to my customers. So if you have found something you have used successfully used for cleaning internal shutters I would love to hear about it.