The short answer
None of this is demanding. A soft brush, a damp cloth and a couple of habits keep a shutter installation looking new for years, and the same is true of blinds, doors and awnings with their own small routines.
- Shutters
- Soft brush, then a damp cloth if needed
- Avoid
- Solvents, abrasives, soaking timber panels
- Yearly
- Check hinges, magnets and blind mechanisms
Shutters
Dust with a soft brush or a vacuum brush attachment along the louvres. For marks, a barely damp cloth with mild soap, dried immediately. Never soak a timber panel or use solvent cleaners, they attack the finish.
Operate panels by the stile rather than the tilt rod, and that alone prevents most of the wear we get called about.
Blinds
Roller fabrics take a dry brush and a light sponge for marks; check the fabric's tolerance before wetting it. Venetians clean fastest with a duster run along the closed slats from each side.
Check cord safety devices are still attached and in use, particularly in family rooms.
- Shutters, brush monthly, wipe as needed
- Blinds, dust monthly, spot clean marks promptly
- Garage door, lubricate hinges and rollers, clear the tracks
- Awning, let the fabric dry before retracting where possible
Garage doors and awnings
Garage doors want their tracks kept clear and their moving parts lightly lubricated once or twice a year. Leave the springs alone. Awnings should be brushed free of leaf debris, and the fabric allowed to dry before closing where the weather permits.
The yearly once-over
Walk the house once a year: any panel rubbing, any magnet not catching, any louvre bank going loose. Each of those is a two-minute fix at that stage and a bigger job if left. If something is beyond a nudge, ring us.
Common questions
How do I clean plantation shutters?
A soft brush or vacuum brush along the louvres for dust, and a barely damp cloth with mild soap for marks, dried straight away. Avoid solvents and abrasives.
Can I use furniture polish on shutters?
No. Polishes and sprays build up on the finish and attract more dust. Plain water and a mild soap is what the finish is designed for.
How often should a garage door be serviced?
An annual lubrication and check of tracks and fixings suits most domestic doors. Anything involving springs should be done by someone with the right tools.
What if a louvre goes loose?
Most systems have a tension adjuster in the stile. If a quarter turn does not fix it, a pin may have failed, get in touch rather than forcing it.