Cleaning Wood Shutters

What You Will Need:
• Vacuum Cleaner with soft brush attachment 
• Dusting cloth 
• Wood Polish (spray type, such as Pledge) 
• Toothbrush 

The Cleaning Process:
1. At least once a week, sometimes more often (depending upon environmental conditions, such as pet hair, pollen, etc.), using the soft brush attachment on your vacuum cleaner hose, lightly vacuum your shutters to keep them free of excess dust/debris build-up. 
2. At least once every month, spray a dusting cloth with wood polish, and dust the shutters thoroughly. You may need a stepping stool or small ladder to reach your shutters. NEVER stand on a chair or table; these items were not meant to support your standing weight and they could easily tip or break, resulting in injury. If using a ladder or step stool, make sure it is placed on firm, level ground and, if necessary, have someone hold the ladder or stepping stool steady while you perform your job. 
3. If your shutters have small grooves or crevices that collect dust and dirt, spray the toothbrush lightly with your spray polish and use it to clean out the hard-to-reach areas. 
4. Do not use soap and water to clean wood shutters as the water may damage or warp the wood.

Cleaning Vinyl or Poly-synthetic Shutters 

What You Will Need:
• Vacuum with soft brush attachment 
• Bucket 
• Mild Grease-Cutting Dish Soap 
• Warm Water 
• Two wash clothes or cleaning rags 
• Toothbrush 
• Soft, Absorbent Towel 

The Cleaning Process:
1. At least once a week, sometimes more often (depending upon environmental conditions, such as pet hair, pollen, etc.), using the soft brush attachment on your vacuum cleaner hose, lightly vacuum your shutters to keep them free of excess dust/debris build-up. 
2. In a bucket, combine warm water and dish soap to form a sudsy cleaning solution (about 1 teaspoon of dish soap to 1 quart of water). 
3. Dampen cloth in sudsy water, and wash the shutters thoroughly. You may need a stepping stool or small ladder to reach your shutters. NEVER stand on a chair or table; these items were not meant to support your standing weight and they could easily tip or break, resulting in injury. If using a ladder or step stool, make sure it is placed on firm, level ground and, if necessary, have someone hold the ladder or stepping stool steady while you perform your job. 
4. Dampen your second cloth with clean (non-sudsy) water, and rinse away any soap residue. 
5. Wipe the shutters thoroughly with the dry towel. 
6. If your shutters have small grooves or crevices that collect dust and dirt, dip the toothbrush in the sudsy water and use it to clean out the hard-to-reach areas.