The Popular Window Treatment That's Easiest To Maintain, According To An Expert

When you're choosing among window treatments for your home — blinds, shades, shutters, or curtains — looks are important, but are you thinking about which choice will be easiest to clean and maintain? In her exclusive conversation with House Digest, Dashing Maids founder and CEO Ashley Matuska Kidder doesn't hesitate to name her best selection. "Shutters hold up longer and are far easier to clean," Kidder says.

While "shutters are typically large and can be easily wiped/dusted/washed as needed," Kidder cites difficulties with cleaning the other window treatments. "Blinds, depending on the size and what material they are fabricated from, can be challenging to clean," she explains (but if you already have them, check out the easiest ways to clean your blinds). "Smaller slat blinds make for a very tedious and time-consuming job." Because curtains need cleaning just two to four times annually, Kidder notes that they're not as time-intensive, but it can be a project to take them off the rod to properly wash and dry them.

"Shades might be middle ground since they don't require much, but when they do get dirty they are almost impossible to clean yourself," she observes. Because vacuuming and spot cleaning does little to the full appearance, Kidder states, "you will likely need to hire an upholstery cleaning company to come out and properly clean them while they are still attached to the wall."

As she explained in her exclusive conversation with House Digest, Ashley Matuska Kidder's top tips for cleaning shutters and blinds include using a Swiffer duster or lightly damp microfiber towel, as it's a simple and easy method to keep things tidy.

Kidder says that vacuuming them with a brush attachment is another great option for keeping the dust at bay and cleaning them swiftly. "Leave the slat blinds or shutters angled down towards your window," she advises. "They will naturally collect less dust over time," she says, noting that "if the slat is angled down and inward into the home, the dust from within your home will settle on it more."

As easy as shutters are to maintain, Kidder observes that people make mistakes in cleaning them, such as using "the wrong cleaning agents." She notes that, "excess buildup of a cleaning product that has fragrances or other carcinogenic ingredients can cause dirt and dust to stick to the blinds and shutters more often, making them more difficult to clean and requiring you to do it more often."

Speaking exclusively with House Digest, Ashley Matuska Kidder noted that most people don't clean their window treatments as often as they should for proper upkeep. "Excess build-up can cause the blinds to wear down more quickly over time and makes for a longer process to tackle them when you do," she cautions.

Kidder instead recommends maintaining them more consistently. She suggests that a once a month cleaning with a quick dust or wipe using a microfiber towel and water "will make your life easier and make them last longer." Increasing the frequency of wipe downs is one of the best simple cleaning hacks to keep your home tidy. Kidder notes that "blinds or shutters over a sink, stove, shower, or other high humidity or high traffic area will need to be cleaned more often." (But choosing vinyl shutters is a great way to elevate your bathroom with a durable window treatment that's easy to clean).