Preserve the Beauty of Your Plantation Shutters
BWS Design • January 21, 2019

There are reasons people prefer plantation shutters over blinds. Cleaning is definitely one of them. No matter how clean we keep our homes, dust does accumulate. Regular dusting of your plantation shutters will help deter sticky buildup. When we forget to add them to our routine cleaning, we may find them dirtier than we expected with caked-on grease and dust. 

The Best Way to Clean Plantation Shutters

There are dusters that can help you keep the dust off your indoor, plantation shutters like the  round Swiffer  that you can bend and extend. Depending on what material your shutters are made, there are  different cleaning methods  to follow when there is more than just a little dust to wipe away.

Wood Shutters

As you may or may not know, water can warp wood, and harsh chemicals can ruin your wood shutters. To clean wood shutters, use a vacuum with a brush attachment, a dry dusting cloth, a soft-bristled, dusting brush, and a small brush that you can slightly dampen.

  1. Vacuum all the loose dust.
  2. Wipe each slat with your dusting cloth or dusting brush to remove any dirt that wasn’t vacuumed away.
  3. For noticeable dirty spots, use the small brush dry first to see if the spot(s) brushes away. If not, dampen your brush and gently scrub.
    1. Dry off immediately.

Polywood Shutters

If your synthetic shutters are not very dirty, simply follow the wood shutter cleaning directions. If they are quite filthy with noticeable dust and grime buildup, you can add water and/or cleaner.

  1. Vacuum away loose dust.
  2. Wipe with dusting cloth dampened with soapy water or window cleaner.
  3. Dry off after you clean to further remove loosened dust and grime.
  4. For those dirty spots, use a small, dampened brush to scrub away the dirt.
  5. Wipe dry.

Outdoor Shutters

You may be dealing with dirt and mold buildup on your outdoor shutters. A garden hose with a good spray nozzle or a pressure washer may remove most of the buildup. It might be a good idea to  include bleach into the water  to help clean away any mold. If the water spray doesn’t do all the work, you may also have to scrub or wipe them off with a brush or cloth. The worst part of dirty, outdoor shutters is when they are out of reach, and you have to use a ladder.

Staying Safe on Ladders

Picking a sturdy ladder for working outdoors is important for safety. If your ladder is not high enough to easily reach the shutters, you should consider buying a better-suited ladder as found on  Morning Chores . If you don’t want to invest in a new ladder, you may want to contact a rental business.

Businesses that Rent Equipment

Maybe you need to rent a ladder and a pressure washer to tackle the stuck on dirt stuck on your outdoor shutters.

  1. Home Depot offers  rentals  for almost anything do-it-yourselfers need from ladders to trucks.
  2. Your local Ace Hardware may offer rental equipment.

A Decorative Way to Reduce Indoor Dust

Certain plants have air filtering qualities that you may want to add into your home’s décor. There are plants known to reduce dust as found on  Hunker .

Understanding the All of the Beauty of Plantation Shutters

Cleaning plantation shutters are definitely easier than cleaning blinds, but there are other reasons shutters are appealing to many people as found on  Everyday Health . With routine dusting, you can keep your shutters looking new, and enjoy the additional benefits: “aesthetics, privacy, ventilation, durability, energy savings, child safety, furniture and carpet preservation, capital home improvement, and can be used as room dividers and cabinetry.”

At  Just Blinds, Inc. , we have been helping our customers, both homeowners and contractors, with the best in window treatments to add quality and beauty in homes and offices. Plantation shutters do add an extra beauty to any home or office, and  we are here  to answer any questions you may have.

Expert Advice by Just Blinds

What Your Window Treatment Says About You: A Personality-Based Guide

April 23, 2025
Your selection of window treatment products and services is not merely about getting a job done. Rather, if you look hard enough, you can find direct correlations between the type of person that you are and the window treatment that you select. We have created this personality-based guide to help you best discover what kind of window treatment truly matches your spirit. The Dependable Type: Wooden Blinds You are the person that all of your friends can count on. You are the type of person who truly sticks to your plans when you make them, and you are the type of person who will choose wooden blinds for your home. Privacy is important to you when selecting your blinds, and that is why you find yourself pulled into the idea of putting up wooden blinds. Besides that, they happen to be highly functional, and that's not something that you are willing to pass up either. The Planner: Blackout Curtains Those who value truly getting the most value out of their blinds or anything else that they install in their homes will think very carefully about their options. For those people, going with blackout curtains makes a lot of sense. They want to gain as much value as possible out of their options, and they know that they can significantly improve their quality of sleep and so much more when they opt for blackout curtains. These also happen to be a great option for those who work night shifts or other odd hours and yet still want to enjoy their sleep. They need blackout curtains to help increase the quality of that sleep and allow themselves to get their day started right. The Tech Enthusiast: Smart Shades They roam among us: The type of people who are quick to adopt any new technology and get to work figuring out how it can improve their lives. These people are great because they are not afraid to take a risk and because they help to move our society forward. They simply want to get more out of each day, and they often do so by adopting and using the latest technologies. These individuals will gravitate towards smart shades for the following attributes: Innovation - Who wants to stick with the boring old ways of shading one's house? Smarter options are now available, and you better believe that the tech enthusiasts among us are willing to latch on to them. Efficiency - These shades are a more efficient option for those who care about that kind of thing. They can be easily activated and set up to open or close automatically (how cool is that?!). Progressive - The "cool" factor is a big deal for people who fall into this category as well. They might not admit to it right off the bat, but they care deeply about what others think about them. As such, they want window shades that have that cool factor attached to them. The Dreamer: Sheer Curtains Finally, we land upon the dreamer. This is the person who views every day for the possibilities that it can bring. They are not scared off by those with a negative attitude. If anything, they believe that they can change those people! Instead, the dreamer wants sheer curtains because they bring in soft light, open spaces, and bring about a feeling of possibility all throughout the house. Sheer curtains are the ideal option for someone who classifies themselves in this way. They will receive plenty of compliments on their curtains, and they will appreciate how open they are to the world.  Which kind of person are you and which window treatment option makes the most sense for your personality? For more inspiration and ideas, reach out and contact us today.

5 Unexpected Places Homeowners Are Installing Outdoor Shades

March 13, 2025
We all know and understand the concept of installing outdoor shades on a patio. It is the classic way to create a cool and comfortable space for yourself and your friends to spend some quality time together outdoors. There is nothing wrong with that, but it is limiting to think that the patio is the only part of one's property where outdoor shades are appropriate. There are some surprising and unexpected places where homeowners have taken to installing outdoor shades recently. We want to take a look at some of these to provide you with ideas for your next home improvement project. 1) Balconies Some homes are built quite close together, and some homeowners naturally feel like they would like to do more to protect their privacy. Although their neighbors might not intentionally be looking through their balconies, it is easy for the human eye to drift. Thus, some city-dwelling homeowners have made the choice to install outdoor shades in this area. On top of keeping prying eyes off of your property, outdoor shades also block the sun rays from your balcony as well creating a more comfortable space to spend some time. 2) Outdoor Kitchens One of the most delightful social experiences that someone can have is to invite over a large group of friends for a meal cooked outside. It gives everyone the opportunity to share stories, laughes, and a bit of food all at the same time. Of course, this is best done in an outdoor kitchen. Your outdoor kitchen is a space where you should feel comfortable and have the ability to entertain a large group of people all at the same time. This means looking at installing outdoor shades to provide an extra layer of protection from the heat of the sun. Thus, this has become another area where homeowners are quickly installing outdoor shades. 3) Poolside Lounges Now we are really talking! Who doesn't love to kick back with their favorite cold beverage and spend some time relaxing next to the pool? That is what you can enjoy more completely when you set up a poolside lounge with outdoor shades. Poolside lounges are meant to be a place where you can spend several hours at a time. However, it can get pretty hot while doing so if you don't put some outdoor shades in place. Get those shades up so you can let all of your worries melt away as you take in the smell of pool water and sunscreen. 4) Garden Areas Do you enjoy a little gardening in your downtime? You might like it even more after setting up outdoor shades that protect you from the excessive heat of the sun. Gardening is labor-intensive work and can take several hours of diligent labor to do it properly. However, you don't want to overextend yourself and end up getting physically overworked. Keeping some of the sun away is an excellent way to ensure that you don't overdo it. Just make sure that you check up on the sunlight needs of the various plants that you intend to put into your garden before installing outdoor shades. 5) Exterior Windows Did you know that it is possible to reduce your energy bills by installing outdoor shades? It's true! If you place outdoor shades on the exterior windows of your home, you can reduce the strain placed on your air conditioning by naturally reducing the overall temperature within your living space. This means less money out of your pocket and more money for working on your next project.  There are many interesting places where homeowners are installing outdoor shades these days. For more creative ideas on what you can do with yours, reach out and contact us now.