Cladding light strippers (CLS) are essential components of fiber lasers and amplifiers to remove residual cladding light within the system. However, inhomogeneous stripping in high-power applications leads to temperature spikes in the housing and could result in a failure of the entire setup. Here, we present simulations of both, a CLS structure optimized for homogeneous stripping and additional design changes enabling cladding light attenuation up to 47dB. We verified our findings by manufacturing the simulated structures using CO2 laser-machining and evaluated them regarding cladding light attenuation, stripping homogeneity, and signal light disturbance. The results are a crucial step to further push the high-power capabilities of fiber-based laser and amplifier systems.