Window coverings for each room in the home have their own special needs and requirements. Some require window coverings that allow light in or keep light out. Some needs are for privacy, insulation or aesthetics. Over the next few months, we will deal with our recommendations for each room of the home per month and things to consider when picking window coverings.

As it is January and with most of us home, many will be spending lots of time in the kitchen; whether baking tasty treats or preparing hearty meals for the family. Thus, I will be dealing with the kitchen window coverings for this month.

The biggest issue with having any type of covering in the kitchen is knowing there will be steam, splattering grease or just the odd spill. You can knock over that jar of tomato sauce that was on the counter. Choosing a window covering that is easy to clean is of the utmost importance. You also want to find something that will allow light into the room and allow you a view to the outside. This can make menial tasks such as clearing a table or washing dishes more pleasant. 

Cleaning is a big issue in the kitchen and your window coverings should be easily maintained. You want to find something that won’t absorb liquids, splatters, and grease. A great option would be PVC shutters. They are durable, sleek, fashionable, and easy to clean. As the surface is solid and non-porous, they can be cleaned quite easily. Usually a little warm soapy water and a  clean cloth should work wonders. I would suggest dusting on a regular basis, with a microfibre cloth, as it can build with each layer of grease on the louvres.  Shutters will also allow you to control the amount of light entering the kitchen by opening and closing the louvers or each panel themselves.

Another good choice is faux wood horizontal blinds. For many of the same reasons you would choose PVC shutters, faux wood blinds are an inexpensive option. They are one of the easier coverings to clean. Though they’re not as sturdy as shutters, they do allow flexibility in regards to controlling light. They can also be removed if a more thorough clean is needed. An advantage to choosing faux wood is there is a larger colour and texture variety to choose from, whereas PVC shutters are usually offered in white or cream only. Also, the blinds can be lifted up to reveal the full view of your windows.

The final choice would be solar shades. This type of window covering is best described as those shades that you see in a restaurant or commercial setting. These shades are durable, easy to clean and available in many more colours, designs and variations. The one concern for these shades pertains to the amount of light that they filter out. There are varying degrees of light filtering with these shades, which is dependant on the size of perforations in the fabric. Larger perforations will allow more light, and vision through to the outside , but that will also allow less privacy at night once it becomes dark outside.

If considering sheer horizontals, cleaning is not as straight-forward. Each manufacturer has a different name for this type of covering but they are essentially the same thing. Though they are undoubtedly beautiful, elegant and delicate, they are fabric-based and much harder to clean. Having this type of window covering in your kitchen would look great, provide privacy and light but the fabric would be much more absorbent to stains and spills. Dust and dirt would also get trapped in the louvers if left open. Again warm soapy water would work if cleaning of the issue happens immediately, but be sure to use a cloth that is clean and of similar color to your shade. Color transfer is not something you want to have happen. Removing your shades and soaking them is also possible but be sure to hang them in the open position to prevent uneven drying and wrinkling.

I hope this helps to clear up which window covering is best for use in the kitchen. Keeping in mind that the kitchen does provide an opportunity for spills and splatters and build-up, you’d want to choose something that is easiest to clean. PVC shutters and faux wood blinds would be the best choices for this. Something fabric-based would be best served in other rooms.  

As a window covering consultant and a former residential cleaner, one of the more common questions that I have been asked is “How do I clean my blinds?” As different types of window coverings use different types of material to make up the covering, there are different ways to keep them clean and looking brand new for longer.

There are two main issues you will have with any type of window covering:

1. Dust is something that we have very little control over regardless of where or how high in the sky you live. Dust will settle on anything horizontal or that it can stick to, a wet or hot surface.
2. Children, regardless of age, love to touch your window coverings. Whether it is your toddler that has just finished their breakfast and is wearing half of it or your teenager that just ordered pizza and opens the blinds to watch for the Uber eats driver, finger prints are a main concern for your window coverings. 🙂

Here are the top cleaning tips for your type of coverings:

Shutters

The biggest issue you will have is dust. As shutters are not perfectly vertical, dust will settle on the louvers and with the sun being magnified through the window, the dust will actually bake onto the louvers. This will dull the finish of the shutters and is difficult to remove. A regular routine of dusting using a duster is easiest way to keep your shutters clean. Most dusters have an extendable handle and are adjustable, allowing you to reach those hard-to-reach areas. Pro tip: For the best results, you can also use a dry microfibre cloth and wipe down each louver by hand. The cloth will hold the dust particles more effectively than any duster. If you find the dust has baked on your shutters, then a clean cloth and warm soapy water will work to get the louvers clean. The more baked on the layers are, the more elbow grease you will need to remove it.

Wood or Faux Wood Blinds

The issues and cleaning process for these are the same as with shutters. Start a regular dusting routine and don’t forget to dust off the strings that run through all the route holes of your blinds.

With PVC vertical blinds, use a clean cloth with warm soapy water. Don’t forget to dust the horizontal track above, which is a dust magnet. With fabric vertical blinds, it is a bit more labour intensive. Remove each vane and the weight at the bottom and soak them for a while in warm soapy water in your tub. Also agitate them a couple times while soaking. Once you notice the dirt has been removed from the blinds, drain the water, rinse off each slat and hang to dry, ideally using an outside line. When the excess water has been removed, rehang your blinds and return the weights. This will allow the vanes to dry wrinkle-free.

Roller/Solar shades

These shades are relatively easy to clean. Using a clean cloth with warm soapy water should be sufficient to remove any dirt or fingerprints on your shade. Be careful not to rub too hard as this could damage the fabric.

Dual Shades

These shades, while being very versatile, can be a bit tricky to clean. Use a duster to get into the stitching. A vacuum at very low suction with a brush attachment will work very well too. For spot cleaning, a clean cloth with warm soapy water works well but, again, be aware of the amount of pressure you use.

Sunset Shades:

These are tricky as they have a way of trapping dust, bugs and anything that floats in between the louvers. In regards to spot cleaning, a clean cloth with warm soapy water is the best way. To get at the debris trapped inside the louvres, use a hair dryer on the cold air setting to blow out the dirt.

Cellular shades

As these shades are of a honeycomb design, they will collect a lot of dust. The best way to keep these shades dust free is to use a vacuum on low suction with a  brush attachment. Spot clean as needed but be aware of the fabric as some do stain easily.

Pro Tip: We’re always happy to help with any of your questions so don’t hesitate to reach out!