The Easiest and Hardest Window Coverings to Clean

Choosing the Best Window Coverings for Easy Cleaning

August 14, 2025

What's your reaction when you realize it's time to clean the blinds? Dread? From firsthand experience, blinds are one of the most time-consuming and frustrating areas in the house to clean. Their design, material, and placement can make the task even more tedious and unpleasant.

Yet, cleaning your window coverings is important as they trap dust, allergens, and odours more than many other surfaces in your home. Fortunately, it doesn't have to be a constant hassle. By choosing window coverings that are easier to clean, you can save yourself a lot of time and effort.

This guide will walk you through the best window covering styles and materials to choose if you don't like spending too much time cleaning.

The Easiest to Clean Window Covers

Roller Shades:

These only require a damp cloth to wipe down the smooth surface. There are no slats or folds to trap dust, and many are made from dust-resistant materials. They're usually made with a minimal amount of fabric, which means fewer odours and fewer allergens.

Wood or Vinyl Shutters:

Shutters contain a hard surface that's easy to wipe down or dust, depending on how much dirt is on them. They're pretty durable and usually only require mild cleaners. They're also resistant to moisture and stains, as well as being fixed in place, which means they won't sag or wear down over time.

Vertical Blinds:

This upright style has fewer horizontal surfaces, which means there's less space for dust to build up. They're also easy to wipe, especially since many of these blinds feature removable slats. Pets and children tend to touch them less, which means you'll get fewer fingerprints to clean off, too.

The Moderately Difficult to Clean Window Covers

Cellular shades:

Also known as honeycomb shades, these window covers have no slats, but they do have pleats that allow dust to settle in pretty easily. They can be vacuumed with a brush attachment, but in general, they're spot-clean only and don't need to be washed by a machine. They're also difficult to clean at the top due to their structure.

Roman Shades:

While stylish and versatile, these shades need to be vacuumed regularly, as folds in the fabric tend to trap dust. You'll also want to spot clean them, which is usually easier to do after taking them down. For an easier clean, you'll also want to check whether the fabric used is machine washable. Some are, but other varieties need to be cleaned by hand.

Pleated Shades:

Similar to honeycomb models, in that dust tends to settle in the pleats, these should be gently dusted or vacuumed as their lightweight construction makes them extremely delicate. Although they can look good almost anywhere, they're not ideal for high-moisture areas, as they can easily build up mildew that requires constant cleaning to avoid.

The Hardest to Clean Window Covers

Venetian Blinds:

Venetian, or horizontal blinds, have dozens of slats that make them a giant magnet for dust, dirt, and grime. They require regular dusting and frequent deep-cleaning. They also require a higher level of care, as they're easily bent or damaged if they're wiped too aggressively. On a per-square-foot basis, they're easily the most difficult type of blind to clean.

Heavy Drapes:

Drapes often like to attract and trap pet hair, dust, and bad odours. They're often too large for standard residential washers and dryers, which means they have to be professionally dry cleaned. If they aren't washed properly, they can shrink or wrinkle, which ruins their appeal. They're also very bulky and awkward, which means they won't be easy to take down or put back up for cleaning.

Sheer Curtains:

With curtains, you'll need to wash them frequently to make sure they always look clean. These washings should be done by hand, as they're too delicate and fragile for a machine. Even if they're cleaned well every time, they're still liable to get stained or discoloured by sunlight and dust. Air drying is also a complicated process, as these curtains can be very tricky to hang properly.

Tips to Make Window Coverings Easier to Maintain

No one is saying you have to go with one of the easier models if you'd prefer something else. However, from a cleaning standpoint, these will take more time and effort to maintain. If you don't mind a little extra work, these options can still make your décor pop.

On that note, here are a few tips to keep in mind. If you have pets, try to avoid floor-length drapes whenever possible. We all love our furry family members, but we also know how much they shed, chew, and leave odours and dander behind. Drapes that extend to the floor with pets are a disaster waiting to happen.

Using an anti-static spray or dust-resistant treatment on your window coverings is another great idea. Anything that prevents dirt or dust from building up on surfaces without damaging them will save you plenty of cleaning time over the long run.

Make Cleaning Easier with the Right Coverings

Of course, it's important to point out that this list is designed to help people choose window coverings that are easiest to clean. If your home has a certain style or design that makes one of the more difficult options the best choice, that's okay, too!

Now that we've looked at the most common types of commercially available covers in approximate order of how easy they are to clean, you'll have a better idea of which style you should buy if you don't enjoy cleaning very often. In general, choosing washable materials will make window cover cleaning significantly easier and less time-consuming than their hard-to-clean counterparts.

The Best Cleaning Solution is to Choose Luxoclean

For a truly simple solution that is guaranteed to leave your window coverings looking beautiful, spotless, and sure to make your guests jealous, consider hiring a professional cleaning services company.

If you live in Kitchener, Waterloo, Guelph, or the surrounding areas and you have lots of window coverings or other tricky surfaces that you just can't get clean or have any other cleaning needs at your home or business, call the friendly professionals at Luxoclean.

Their cleaning experts will take care of almost everything you need, as well as window coverings, windows, floors, walls, and everything else in your home. With their years of experience, they know how to clean any surface, fabric, and item inside your home without causing any damage.