The Dos and Don’ts of Caring for Plantation Shutters

Have you decided to get plantation shutters in Buffalo? They are a beautiful and useful addition to your home, but they will need some care and maintenance. This is more than just cleaning. Here are the dos and don’ts of plantation shutter care.

Do Always Move the Louvers in the Middle

The shutter part of your window covering is known as the louvers. When moving them (whether for cleaning or regular use) make sure you grab them by the middle. Grabbing by the sides will put excess strain in the wrong places and risk damage.

Don’t Use Excess Force to Move the Louvers

You shouldn’t need to put excess force on your Buffalo shutters. If you find them stiff to move, readjust the screws on the side. Loosening them will help to make your shutters easier to open and close. Excess force will damage the framework.

Do Clean Regularly

Your shutters in Buffalo will collect dust and dirt, especially exterior shutters. Make sure you clean them regularly. Dust daily to help ensure brightness of the paintwork, especially for interior shutters. You can then wipe down with a damp cloth once a week to remove any build ups, particularly in the corners of the louvers and within the hinges.

For exterior shutters, you’ll want to wipe down at least once a month. They will get away with slightly longer cleaning regimes because they are designed to handle harsher elements. However, if you live in an area that has had a lot of bad weather, cleaning more regularly will help to protect the paintwork, vinyl, and other materials.

Do Remove the Hinges to Clean

Once a month, take your shutters off the windows and remove the hinges. You want to deep clean the hinges to get rid of the build up of dust and dirt. This is especially important for exterior Buffalo shutters, where the dirt will build up quickly.

Don’t Keep Shutters Open for Long Periods of Time

While you want to open your shutters fully for cleaning and letting some large amounts of daylight in, the window coverings are actually designed to be closed. This is why they have louvers, so you can control the amount of light you let into your home. Keeping your shutters open for long periods of time will damage the hinges and put excess pressure on the framework.

Open them for cleaning them, cleaning the window, and getting to the window to open it. Exterior shutters can remain open for longer, but make sure they are supported with the locks and correct exterior framework.

Do Move the Louvers Regularly

Allow more light into your home by opening the louvers. You can then close them at night to preserve privacy and block out car headlights and lamp post light coming into your home. Move the louvers regularly to avoid them from locking up. This will also help you direct light to protect items in your home from UV damage.

Plantation shutters in Buffalo are among the most expensive types of window coverings, but they are worth that cost. To make the most of your window coverings, you need to care for them regularly. Follow the above dos and don’ts for your Buffalo shutters and make sure they last for decades to come.