7 Tips on How to Clean and Maintain Roller Shutters
Why should you bother cleaning your roller shutters, you might ask? Aside from the fact that numerous months’ worth of dust can considerably decrease the aesthetic quality of roller shutters, dirt and debris that have accumulated over time can disrupt the smooth functioning of roller shutters. Dirt and debris can get stuck in the side guides or the pelmet boxes and prevent the roller curtain from moving along easily.Purchasing good roller shutters was a good investment. Don’t let that investment go to waste because of neglect.
Get Rid of Dust and Debris On Surfaces
Don’t just hose down the roller shutters. You might do more harm than good if you do. Carelessly hosing down roller shutters might accidentally lodge debris from the surface into the side guides and jam the mechanism. Using a soft and dry cloth, remove dust and debris on the surface of the roller shutter first.Avoid using steel wool or scrubbing brushes for this. While the surface of roller shutters is made of highly durable material, it might suffer wear and tear at your hands if you aggressively scrub it down on a regular basis.
Image by Tesa Robbins from Pixabay
Use Warm Water and Mild Detergent
Once you have gotten rid of the dust and debris, wipe down surfaces with a mixture of warm water and mild detergent using a soft cloth or soft sponge. Avoid using abrasive cleaners and other harsh chemicals and solutions for this because, as with abrasive scrubbers, you might speed up the wear and tear of your roller shutters instead of maintaining them.
Hose Down Surfaces then Wipe them Dry
Using a garden hose with just the right amount of water pressure, rinse out the soapy water on the surface of the roller shutter. DO NOT spray squirt water directly into the pelmet. After rinsing the surfaces, wipe them dry with another drycloth.
Remove Dust and Debris in the Side Guides
After drying the surfaces of the roller shutters, raise the roller curtain so that you can reach the side guides. Using a soft bristle brush, carefully remove the dust and debris along the side guides. Carefully work on this part of the roller shutter so as not to disrupt its smooth operation. DO NOT hose down the side guides with the same amount of water pressure that you used for the surfaces. Lower the water pressure so as not to dislodge any part of the guides. Let the side guides air dry completely before lowering the roller shutters again.
Remove Dust and Debris in the Pelmet
People often forget to check the pelmet when they are cleaning their roller shutters. Unfortunately, leaves and other litter may have been blown by the wind into the pelmet. If these also accumulate in there, they will start to affect the performance of the roller shutter over time. Use a broom with a long handle to carefully sweep off whatever dirt may have ended up there. Let the pelmet air dry completely before using the roller shutter again.
Clean from the Inside As Well
Another thing that people forget to do is to clean the roller shutters from the inside as well. Just because other people cannot see itdoes not mean you can let that part remain dusty or even grimy. The dust and debris that you leave there might also disrupt the mechanism from working properly over time.
Some Maintenance Tips
Make a habit of cleaning your roller shutters once every four to six months. At least once a year, apply grease on the bearings and lubricate the side guides to ensure that the roller shutter rolls along the mechanisms smoothly. Open and close the roller shutters with care to prolong their optimum performance. Finally, use your roller shutters regularly. Leaving roller shutters unused for too long might cause problems in the mechanism, much like how a car that has not been unused for a long time starts having problems. Roller shutters do not demand much attention when it comes to cleaning and maintenance. If you do it carefully and regularly on the recommended time frame, then you will be able to make good use of your roller shutters for a long time.
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Author: Varun Rana
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