How to Clean Window Screens (and When to Call a Pro)
Most people forget about screens until they look out a freshly cleaned window and it still looks hazy. Up here in Northeast Georgia, screens catch pollen, red clay dust and cobwebs all year. Below is how we recommend you clean them yourself, and when it makes sense to have somebody else do it.
Why dirty screens matter
A screen sits right in front of the glass. When it’s caked with pollen and dust, it dims the light coming in and makes the view look gray, even if the glass behind it is spotless. Dirty screens also drip dirt back onto your clean windows the next time it rains. So we clean screens on every window job.
How to clean window screens yourself
What you’ll need
- A soft brush (a dish brush or a soft car-wash brush works)
- A bucket of warm water with a little dish soap
- A garden hose with a gentle spray nozzle
- Old towels
- A flathead screwdriver or a screen-removal tool, if your screens are tight
Step 1: Take them out and label them
Screens aren’t always interchangeable, even when they look the same. Before you pull them, number each one with a piece of painter’s tape: “kitchen left,” “upstairs bath” and so on.
Most screens pop out with small tabs or spring clips. Go easy on them. The frames bend easily, and a bent frame won’t seat right when you put it back.
Step 2: Dry brush first
Lay the screen flat on a towel or a clean patch of driveway, and brush off loose dust and cobwebs before you get anything wet. If you skip this, the pollen turns into a paste.
Step 3: Wash gently
Dip the brush in soapy water and scrub both sides with light pressure. Pushing hard can stretch or tear the mesh, especially on older screens.
Step 4: Rinse low and gentle
Rinse with the hose on a gentle setting. Don’t use a pressure washer on screens. It can blow the mesh out of the spline, and then the screen needs rescreening.
Step 5: Dry completely before reinstalling
Stand them up against a wall or fence in the sun and let them dry all the way. Putting damp screens back traps moisture against the frame and can leave water marks on your freshly cleaned windows.
Cleaning screens without removing them
Some screens, especially on second-story windows, are a pain to remove. For those, a vacuum with a soft brush attachment gets a lot of the dust off from the inside. Follow up with a barely damp microfiber cloth. You won’t get it as clean as a full wash, but it helps a lot.
Screened porches are a different job
A screened porch works like one giant screen, and it tends to be the dirtiest one on the house because it faces the yard. Since you can’t take the panels out, they have to be cleaned in place, carefully, so you don’t stretch the mesh or soak the porch furniture.
We clean a good number of screened porches. One customer wrote this in a Google review: “You have no idea how filthy they get and how much your view improves when they are clean.”
While you’re there: check the tracks and sills
With the screens out, it is a good time to look at your window tracks and sills. That’s where dead bugs, pollen and dirt collect. A vacuum crevice tool and an old toothbrush get most of it out. If your windows stick when you open them, dirty tracks are often why.
When to call a pro
You can handle screens yourself if you’ve got a one-story house and a free afternoon. It’s worth calling someone when:
- Your screens are on the second story and you’d need a ladder to reach them.
- You have a screened porch that hasn’t been cleaned in a while.
- You’re already getting the windows cleaned. Doing it all at once makes more sense than cleaning glass behind dirty screens.
- The screens are old and fragile, and you’d rather not risk tearing them.
Screens get cleaned on every window cleaning We do, at no extra charge.
Booking in Braselton, Hoschton, Jefferson or Buford? Screens and screened porch screens are covered on our window cleaning page, or call (706) 870-3769.
Common screen questions
Can I use vinegar? A mild mix of water and a splash of white vinegar is fine for screens. Rinse well afterward. Skip harsh cleaners and bleach, which can break down the mesh and the spline over time.
What if a screen is torn? Small holes can be patched with a screen repair kit from the hardware store. Big tears usually mean the screen needs new mesh. Cleaning won’t fix those, so set them aside and get them repaired before you put them back.
How often should screens be cleaned? For most homes around here, once a year in spring, after the heavy pollen, is enough. Screened porches and homes on open land often look better with a second cleaning in the fall.
Window Warriors is owner-operated, insured and based in Jefferson, and screens and tracks are included when we clean windows. First cleanings are done by hand, and every job has a 7-day rain guarantee. If you want a hand with yours, call us at (706) 870-3769 or send a quote request.