How to clean plantation shutters (PVC and timber)
Dust, wipe and dry: how to clean plantation shutters, with separate advice for PVC and timber, hinges, frames and kitchen or bathroom grime.
To clean plantation shutters, dust the blades with a soft cloth or brush, wipe them with a barely damp microfibre cloth, and dry them straight away. PVC shutters cope with damp wiping well, timber needs the driest touch, and on both the hinges and metal parts should stay dry.
In short
- Dust regularly with a microfibre cloth, soft brush or vacuum brush, tilting the blades so you reach both faces.
- Wipe marks with a barely damp cloth (mild soapy water for grease) and dry at once.
- PVC is waterproof but for interior use only, not continual soaking. Timber should never be soaked.
- Keep hinges and metal parts dry, and avoid abrasive pads, solvents and steam.
Our care instructions for plantation shutters
These are the care instructions in our shutter guide, and the steps below build on them.
- Dust regularly with a soft cloth.
- Treat marks using the care instructions for the material, PVC or timber (see below).
- Avoid abrasive cleaning.
- Do not soak hinges or other metal components.
- PVC shutters are for interior use only and should not be continually soaked. Keep hinges and metal parts dry, and keep the shutters clear of cooking heat.
- Timber has its own care needs, especially in humid rooms.
The quick answer for PVC and timber
Plantation shutters are made from separate blades in a frame, so the work is mostly dusting a lot of small surfaces carefully. The material decides how much moisture is safe.
| PVC plantation shutters | Timber plantation shutters | |
|---|---|---|
| Regular care | Dust, then wipe with a damp cloth | Dust, then wipe with a barely damp cloth |
| Grease and marks | Mild soapy water on a cloth, then rinse and dry | Barely damp cloth, dried at once |
| Moisture tolerance | Waterproof material, but interior use only and not continual direct soaking | Never soak; check care needs in humid rooms |
| Keep dry | Hinges and metal parts | Hinges, metal parts and the timber itself |
| Avoid | Abrasive pads, solvents, steam | Abrasive pads, solvents, steam, wet cloths |
Timber shutters are made from paulownia and can be stained or painted, so the finish matters as much as the wood. If you are still choosing between the two, our guide to PVC or timber plantation shutters explains which suits each room.
What you need, and what to keep away from shutters
You need only a few soft items:
- A microfibre cloth or feather duster
- A vacuum with a soft brush attachment
- A second cloth, damp and well wrung out
- A bowl of warm water with a drop of mild washing-up liquid (for PVC, and for grease on painted timber after a hidden-spot test)
- A thin flat ruler and a rubber band, for narrow gaps between blades
- A dry towel for the sill
Keep these away from your shutters: abrasive pads and powders, solvent cleaners, bleach, cleaning sprays aimed directly at the blades, and steam cleaners. Spraying onto a cloth rather than the shutter stops liquid running into hinges and joins.
How to clean plantation shutters step by step
- Tilt the blades open and protect the sill. Lay a dry towel along the sill and open the panels fully if you can, so the frame edges are easy to reach.
- Dust the blades. Tilt the blades so they slope gently downwards and dust the top faces with the microfibre cloth or vacuum brush, working top to bottom. Tilt them the other way to reach the underside.
- Clean between the blades. Wrap the microfibre cloth around a thin flat ruler, hold it in place with a rubber band, and slide it between the blades. This reaches deep into the gap without bending anything.
- Wipe with a barely damp cloth. Wring the cloth out well so it never drips. Wipe each blade along its length, then follow with a dry cloth.
- Do the frame and panel edges. Wipe the frame, T-posts, midrails, hinges and the overlap lip where panels meet with a dry cloth, using a barely damp one only where there are marks.
- Let it dry. Leave the blades open for a while so air reaches all surfaces.
Tip: Dust before you damp wipe. Wet dust turns to a grey film that is much harder to remove, particularly on white PVC and on painted timber.
Cleaning PVC and timber plantation shutters
How to clean PVC plantation shutters
Our PVC shutters are made from an aluminium-reinforced polymer, and the material is waterproof. That makes them the easiest shutters to keep clean and the usual recommendation for wet areas.
Wipe with a cloth wrung out in warm water with a drop of mild washing-up liquid, then wipe again with a cloth rinsed in clean water and dry. Light colours such as Glacial White tend to show grease and hand marks, so wipe fingermarks near the edges of the blades soon after they appear.
The PVC points above still apply: interior use only, no continual soaking, and hinges and metal parts kept dry. Read more about the material on our PVC plantation shutters page.
How to clean timber plantation shutters
Timber shows its grain through stain or paint, and both finishes are easily damaged by too much water. Dust with a microfibre cloth or vacuum brush, then wipe marks with a barely damp cloth and dry each blade straight away.
Do not soak the timber, leave water sitting on a blade, or use a wet cloth. Test any cleaner on a hidden spot first, such as the underside of a lower blade, and avoid abrasive pads, which can scratch stain and paint. Furniture polish and oils are best left off unless the care information for your shutters recommends them, as they can leave a film that holds dust.
Timber needs more attention in humid rooms, so check the care needs before choosing it for a bathroom or laundry. Our timber plantation shutters page covers the finishes.
Hinges, frames, T-posts and the overlap lip
The panel details collect dust in places a general wipe misses.
- Hinges: Wipe with a dry cloth and keep them dry. If a hinge squeaks or feels stiff, do not spray anything on it. Contact us first.
- Overlap lip: Every panel has a D-mould, an overlap lip that blocks the view between panels. Run a dry cloth down the channel where panels meet.
- T-posts and midrails: Dust the tops, which are flat and collect the most.
- Tilt mechanism: PVC shutters have a concealed tilt mechanism, so keep moisture away from the blades' edges. If your shutters have a visible tilt rod, wipe it with a dry cloth.
- Frame: Wipe the frame, including the inside edges of a Z-frame or L-frame, with a dry or barely damp cloth.
Shutters in kitchens, bathrooms and laundries
Wet and cooking areas make shutters dirtier faster. PVC shutters are a good fit for kitchens, bathrooms and laundries because the material is waterproof, and our kitchen blinds and bathroom blinds pages show where they sit among the alternatives.
- Kitchen grease: Wipe within a day or two if you can. Use warm water with a drop of washing-up liquid on a cloth, rinse the cloth, wipe again and dry. Keep hinges and metal parts dry and away from cooking heat.
- Bathroom humidity: Run the exhaust fan or open a window after showers so moisture does not sit on the blades. Wipe condensation from frames and blades with a dry cloth.
- Mould spots: Wipe with a damp cloth, dry the area thoroughly, and improve the ventilation. If mould keeps returning, deal with the moisture source first. Our overview of how to clean blinds covers the other window coverings in the same room.
A simple cleaning routine
Little and often beats an occasional big clean, because dust that never builds up never needs wet cleaning. Treat these as a guide and adjust for your home.
| Task | How often | What to use |
|---|---|---|
| Dust blades and frame | Every week or two | Microfibre cloth or feather duster |
| Vacuum blades and panel edges | Monthly | Soft brush attachment on low suction |
| Damp wipe of blades and frame | Every few months, or when marks appear | Barely damp cloth, then a dry cloth |
| Kitchen wipe-down | Weekly, or after heavy cooking | Warm water with a drop of mild washing-up liquid, rinsed and dried |
| Check hinges and blade movement | Twice a year | Look and feel only; contact us if anything is stiff or loose |
Three habits make the biggest difference. Wipe fingermarks from the blade edges where people push them open, keep the room ventilated so humid air does not settle on the blades, and dust before every damp wipe.
When it is not dirt
Cleaning will not fix a blade that no longer tilts smoothly, a hinge that has come loose, a finish that is peeling or a panel that no longer sits square. Our guide to plantation shutter problems and how to fix them covers what to check first. These may be defects, and the shutter warranty covers qualifying defects under its terms. Take a photo, note your order details, and contact us rather than adjusting or oiling anything yourself. You can find warranty and measuring protection details on our warranty and SureFit page. For the full picture of what shutters are and how they work, see the plantation shutters guide.
Questions
What are the care instructions for plantation shutters?
Dust regularly with a soft cloth and treat marks using the care instructions for the material. Avoid abrasive cleaning, and do not soak hinges or other metal components. PVC shutters are for interior use only and should not be continually soaked.
Can I use water to clean plantation shutters?
Yes, sparingly. Use a barely damp cloth and dry it straight away. PVC shutters cope with damp wiping better, while timber should never be soaked or left wet.
How often should plantation shutters be cleaned?
Dust every week or two and give them a damp wipe when marks appear. Shutters in kitchens or near dusty roads may need it more often.
Can I use a steam cleaner on shutters?
No. Hot moisture can be forced into joins and hinges, and metal parts should stay dry. A damp cloth and a dry finish is safer.
What should I do if a blade or hinge is loose or stuck?
Do not force it or oil it. Take a photo and contact us, because it may be a defect that is covered by the shutter warranty.
Explore plantation shutters
See PVC and timber plantation shutters, made to your measurements.
Keep reading
Plantation shuttersPVC or timber plantation shutters: which suits your room?PVC suits wet rooms and painted finishes, while timber suits dry rooms where you want grain or a stain. Compare the two room by room.
Care & cleaningPlantation shutter problems and how to fix themRubbing panels, uneven gaps, loose blades and stiff hinges, with the checks to make first, the small adjustments that help and when to stop and ask.
Plantation shuttersPlantation shutters: the complete guideWhat plantation shutters are, how they work, what they are made of and how to plan frames, panels and measuring before you order made-to-measure shutters online.
