How to Clean Wood Shutters

By eHow Home & Garden Editor

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Wood shutters add an element of style to any home, creating an emphasis around the windows and allowing for a contrasting color to be placed against the home for curb appeal. Wood shutters, sometimes called plantation shutters, can also be used indoors as well as outdoors, and regardless of where they are placed, they will need to be cleaned.

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Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

Feather duster
Vacuum with brush attachment
Toothbrush

Step1

Use a dry method to clean wood shutters. Drenching wood with water can lead to warping and damage the shutters. Even spray cleaners with ammonia in them are not recommended.

Step2

Take a vacuum and put on the brush attachment. Glide this over the wood shutters to remove most of the dust. If the shutters are outdoors, use a feather duster instead.

Step3

Tilt the slats out to get at the dust and dirt that collects in the corners. Use a dry toothbrush to get those hard-to-reach places.

Step4

Simple Green is a good product to use to remove any spots of stubborn dirt. Just lightly spray on a dry cloth and wipe the stain.

Step5

Bring out the wood's natural beauty if the shutters are unpainted with an occasional going over with a soft cloth and a non-wax polish.

Step6

Keep shutters clean by doing routine maintenance. A little dusting with a feather duster once a week will prevent a major cleaning project come springtime.