To maintain their optimal beauty and effectiveness, external window shutters do need some easy upkeep. Regularly check wooden shutters for finish degradation to keep them in good condition. With a change in the environment, wood will naturally expand and compress. Although many timbers are kiln-dried to ensure little movement, minor cracks in the finish might still develop with time. Composite shutter preservation also needs little periodic maintenance.
Tips for maintaining external window shutters
1. Trim vegetation close to external window shutters
Trim back any plants, trees, or vines that are encroaching on or touching outside window shutters. When blown by the wind, extended branches might damage the external window shutters' glossy surface. Climbing plants stick to the shutters and become more difficult to remove, not to mention that they may wear down the paint. Regularly touching plants might potentially trap moisture on the façade, which could lead to the product degrading.
After a rainstorm, outdoor window shutters that are installed in regions with a lot of shadows will also have a hard time drying. To keep composite and wood shutters looking good, these areas may need more regular care.
2. Cleaning External Window Shutters
Shutters for exterior windows should be cleaned once a year to keep them looking good. Typically, all that is needed is a basic soapy water solution. A pail of warm water should have a few drops of dish soap added to it. To apply and loosen any particles, use a scrub brush with soft bristles. Use a garden hose to spray water to rinse.
For this technique, stay away from pressure washers. The finish of painted external window shutters may be weakened by, and sometimes lifted by, a pressurized water system. If untreated wood is subjected to concentrated, high-power water, it will rapidly absorb moisture.
3. Vinyl shutters
To bring vinyl external window shutters back to their original shine and color, periodic cleaning may be necessary. An ordinary garden hose may often be used to successfully clean exterior vinyl shutters. For extra cleaning, we recommend giving the area a light scrubbing with a soft bristle brush and a cleaning solution consisting of one-third of a cup of detergent and four quarts of water. A 5% sodium hydrochloride solution (Clorox, for example) may be used in place of water in the mix if mildew is a problem in your region.
Work your way down the shutter after beginning to wash. To get the dirt off the outside shutters, use a cleaning solution and let it stand for a while. Rinse well to prevent streaks.
4. Spot Paint on External Window Shutters
Over time, the original paint finish on the shutters might deteriorate, often due to outside factors such as blowing debris or animals. To stop moisture from penetrating, a simple touch-up of small imperfections is needed. In any locations where paint has degraded or has been scraped off, look for signs of softness in the wood. Before repainting the bare area with a paintbrush, thoroughly clean the surrounding area.
