How To Care For Your Hardwood Shutters
The little bit of extra maintenance it takes to care for hardwood shutters is so worth it. You want to enjoy your beautiful wood shutters for a long time, so there are few things to do on a regular basis to protect your investment.
Before we get into how to care for your hardwood shutters, our pros at Lake Havasu Shutters suggest you check with your shutter company. It’s always best to be sure so you don’t void the warranty by cleaning your window treatments the wrong way.
Here are some shutter care tips from our pros.
Dust Shutters Regularly
Dust buildup is a problem for hardwood shutters. Over time, the buildup will wear away the protective finish on the shutter slats.
I dust my shutters regularly, making sure to get in-between the slats with a dust wand. I prefer to use a lambswool duster, but anything that fits in between the shutter slats will work. Dust your shutters weekly to avoid buildup.
- Dust shutters weekly
- Use lambswool; duster
- Use static duster
Cleaning Interior Shutters
Hardwood shutters are coated with a waterproof finish to protect the wood. Even so, you don’t want to use a lot of water on them because it can cause warping. Also, the hardware can get rusty.
Chemicals will cause damage to the shutter, so never use household cleaners on them.
How often you will need to clean them depends on how dusty your home gets and other things your shutters are exposed to. For instance, if you enjoy opening up the windows, you will find yourself cleaning the shutters more often because they are exposed to outdoor air pollution.
If you keep the dust buildup off your shutters, then generally:
- Wipe with a clean soft cloth once a month
- Use a damp sponge every other month
- Never use chemicals
- Don’t use too much water
Check The Shutter Hardware
Check on the hardware about every six months, depending on the amount of use your shutters get. Tighten any screws and look for rust or other damage.
Check with your shutter company to see what is warranted and what is not. At Lake Havasu Shutters, our hardwood shutters are covered by LTD lifetime manufacturer warranties. If you have hardware issues that are due to product defects, your shutters may be covered.
- Tighten screws
- Inspect hardware for rust or defects
- Check warranty info about product defects
