How to Clean Roller Shutters (inside and out)

If your roller shutters have started looking a little dull, sticky, or covered in cobwebs after a long winter, you’re not alone. Knowing how to clean roller shutters properly makes a bigger difference than most people expect, not just to how your home looks from the street, but to how smoothly your shutters actually operate. As we head into spring, it’s the perfect time to give them a proper refresh before you start opening and closing them for the warmer months. We’ll walk you through exactly how to clean roller shutters both inside and out, along with a few simple habits that will keep them running smoothly for years to come.

Why Roller Shutters Need Regular Cleaning

Over the colder months your roller shutters will have a build up of dust, pollen, cobwebs and grime that will settle into the slats and tracks. If left too long this build-up can start affecting how easily the shutters roll up and down. Left unchecked, dirt and moisture in the tracks can even lead to mould, rust or a sticky, jammed mechanism, which is a far bigger (and pricer) headache than a simple wipe down.

Spring is a great time to tackle this, since it’s also when most of us start opening windows and shutters more often after winter. If you’ve already worked through our guide on spring cleaning outside the house, adding how to clean roller shutters to that checklist is a natural next step.

How to Clean Roller Shutters: Step by Step

Before you start

1. If your shutters are electric, switch off the power at the wall or the electrical box before you begin.This avoids any risk of the shutters moving while you’re working on them.

2. Lower the shutters all the way down so you can access the full surface.

3. Gather your supplies: Soft-bristled brush, bucket of warm water with a squeeze of mild dish soap, a soft sponge or microfibre cloth, and a garden hose if you’re cleaning outside.

Cleaning the Outside

1. Use the soft brush to remove loose dust, cobwebs and debris from the slats before you introduce any water. This stops you from pushing grime deeper into the gaps.

2. Dip your sponge or cloth into the soapy water and wipe down the shutter in a downward motion, working from the top to the bottom so dirty water doesn’t drip onto sections you’ve already cleaned.

3. Pay attention to the side tracks and guides, as this is where dirt and grim tend to build up the most and cause sticking.

4. Rinse everything off with a hose on a gentle setting, avoiding high pressure directly into the tracks or motor housing.

5. Dry the shutters with a clean microfibre cloth to prevent watermarks, especially if you’re in a coastal area where salt spray can speed up corrosion.

Cleaning the Inside

1. Roll the shutters halfway up so you can reach the inside curve of each slat, which collects dust even though it’s protected from the rain.

2. Wipe each slat with a cloth dipped in soapy water, moving in the same top-to-bottom direction.

3. Use a small brush or the brush attachment on your vacuum to remove any cobwebs or debris caught in the corners and joins.

4. Dry thoroughly with a soft cloth before rolling the shutters back down.

Tracks and Mechanism

1. Wipe out the tracks with a damp cloth to remove build-up dirt and dust.

2. If there’s stubborn grime, use a soft brush with a little soapy water, then wipe clean.

3. Once everything is completely dry, apply a light coat of silicone spray to the tracks and moving parts. This keeps things running smoothly and helps prevent dust from sticking in the future. Avoid oil-based lubricants, as these tend to attract more dust rather than repel it.

If you’ve noticed mould or dry staining building up in the tracks alongside general grime, it’s worth reading our guide on how to remove mould naturally, as the natural melthods work well here too.

Keeping Your Roller Shutters Cleaner for Longer

Once you’ve done a full clean, a few small habits go a long way toward keeping your roller shutters looking and working their best:

• Give the slats a quick dust or wipe every few weeks, rather than waiting for grime to build up.
• Check and clean the tracks every season, particularly heading into spring and autumn when pollen and debris are at their worst.
• Keep an eye out for any stiffness or unusual noise when opening and closing, as this can be an early sign of a mechanical issue rather than just dirt.
• Your shutters are near windows, pairing this with our guide on streak-free window cleaning means the whole area looks fresh at once, not just the shutters themselves.

When to Bring in the Professionals

While knowing how to clean roller shutters yourself will handle most of the day-to-day grime, some jobs are better left to the professionals, particularly if you’re dealing with a large number of shutters, hard-to-reach upper-storey windows, or a build-up that’s been left for a long time. A professional clean can also pick up on early signs of wear that are easy to miss when you’re just focused on getting the dirt off.

At Simply Spotless, we can take care of the detailed, time-consuming parts of your home’s exterior so you don’t have to spend your weekend up a ladder. Ready to get you home looking spotless from top to bottom this spring? Book a home cleaning service or end of lease cleaner online instantly, and let us take care of the hard work.