How to clean window screens, in place or taken out

Step by step: how to clean window screens, in place or taken out

Safety first. Insect screens are not designed to hold weight: never let a child lean on one, and do not lean out of an upper-story window to remove a screen. If a screen only comes out from the outside on a second floor, use a properly set ladder or leave it to a pro.

1. 1

   Label each screen and take it out

   Put a strip of painter’s tape on each screen frame with the room and window, so it goes back where it came from. Open the latches or tabs from inside and ease the screen out of its track without bending the frame.

2. 2

   Check for tears before you wet it

   Hold the screen up to the light and look for holes, loose spline and bent corners. Small holes can be patched once the screen is clean and dry; a torn screen will only get worse with scrubbing.

3. 3

   Brush or vacuum off the loose dirt

   Lay the screen flat on a towel or tarp and run a vacuum brush attachment over both sides, or brush it off outdoors. Removing dry dust, pollen and cobwebs first means less mud in the mesh later.

4. 4

   Rinse with a gentle spray

   Lean the screen against a wall or lay it on the tarp and wet it with a hose on a soft shower setting. Do not use a pressure washer or a jet nozzle, which can stretch the mesh or pop it out of the frame.

5. 5

   Scrub both sides with soapy water

   Mix 2 to 3 gallons of warm water with a short squeeze of dish soap. Dip a soft brush and scrub the mesh lightly in overlapping strokes, then flip the screen and do the back. Support the mesh from behind with your other hand if it flexes.

6. 6

   Rinse and tap off the water

   Rinse both sides until no suds remain. Tap the frame lightly on the edge of a plastic bucket or the ground to shake water out of the mesh, which speeds drying and prevents spots.

7. 7

   Air dry, then wipe the frame

   Stand the screens on edge in the shade or lean them at an angle until they are completely dry, usually 30 minutes to an hour. Wipe the frame and corners with a cloth before reinstalling.

8. 8

   Clean the window track while the screen is out

   With the screen out, vacuum the window track and sill so the clean screen does not sit in dirt. Then put each screen back in its labeled window and make sure the latches catch.

How to clean window screens without removing them

Vacuum the screen gently with a brush attachment, then wipe it with a cloth dampened in equal parts vinegar and water. This quick clean takes a few minutes per window and works well between deep cleans.

Andersen suggests exactly this for in-between cleaning: vacuum with a brush attachment, spray a one-to-one vinegar and water solution, and wipe with a damp microfiber cloth. Put a towel on the sill first to catch drips, and support the mesh with your free hand so you do not push it out of the frame.

Screen types that need different care

Most screens are aluminum or fiberglass mesh and can be washed with soap and water, but a few types should stay dry. Check your window maker’s instructions if you are not sure.

Renewal by Andersen says its standard aluminum screens can be washed with mild soap and water and a soft-fiber brush, but its TruScene stainless screens should only be wiped with a duster or cloth, with no hose or water.

How often to clean screens, and when to repair them

Clean screens once or twice a year, ideally spring and fall, when you wash the windows. Spring removes winter grit and road salt, and fall removes summer pollen before you store screens for winter.

• Simonton recommends cleaning screens about once a year, washing with mild dish soap and a soft brush, and never pressure washing a screen or window. It also notes small holes can be fixed with patch kits from most hardware stores.
• Rescreen a frame if the mesh is torn along an edge, sags, or has more than a couple of patches. The frame can usually be reused.
• Clean the glass the same day so the whole window is done at once; see our guide to cleaning windows.

Mistakes to avoid

• Using a pressure washer or jet nozzle, which stretches mesh and pops the spline.
• Scrubbing hard on fiberglass mesh, which leaves permanent dents and bulges.
• Mixing up which screen goes in which window.
• Putting screens back while still wet, which traps water in the track.
• Washing fine stainless micro-mesh with water when the maker says to dust it only.