4 Steps to Clean Your Window Screens, from a Professional Window Cleaning Service
As summer arrives, backyard barbecuing, beach days, and, unfortunately, bug battles become part of the season. Window screens can capture bugs and particles, eventually impacting your indoor air quality. When you add moisture from humidity or rain, screens and window sills can also become a breeding ground for mold spores.
To maintain clean and clear windows, it’s crucial to ensure that your window screens are properly cleaned to prevent these issues. Here’s 4 steps on how to clean a window screen this summer.
1. Remove and Rinse Screen
First, carefully remove the window screens from their frames, staying careful not to knock them and cause dirt, dust, or bugs to fall off and make a mess. This process usually involves releasing a few clips or tabs.
Once you’ve removed the screens, take them outside and rinse them with a garden hose. If you don’t have a lawn or somewhere to put them, washing them in the bathtub or shower is a good option.
2. Scrub with Cleaning Solution
Prepare a cleaning solution by mixing water with a few drops of mild dish soap in a bucket. For Ambassador Window Cleaning’s top cleaning recipe, check out this blog post.
Using a soft brush or sponge, gently scrub both sides of the screen in circular motions. Be thorough, paying special attention to corners and edges where dirt, pollen, and dead bugs tend to collect, but avoid pressing too hard on the screen to prevent damage.
3. Rinse and Repeat
After scrubbing, rinse the screens again with the garden hose (or in your bathtub) to wash away the remaining soap. Make sure all the soap is completely rinsed off, as any leftover residue can attract more dirt in the future.
If your screens are especially dirty, you may need to repeat the scrubbing and rinsing process.
4. Air Dry and Reinstall
Allow the screens to air dry completely before reinstalling them. Lay them flat in a sunny spot or prop them up against a wall in a dry, well-ventilated room to ensure they dry evenly.
Once they are fully dry, carefully reattach the screens to their frames. Properly dried screens prevent mold and mildew from forming.
Maintain Clean Window Screens and Reduce Allergens This Summer
Whenever you notice a build-up on your screens, repeat the cleaning process as necessary. During allergy season, you may want to clean your home window screens more frequently, especially if you’re affected by allergens. Otherwise, cleaning your screens once a season should suffice.
If you find that regular cleaning isn’t providing long-lasting results, consider using pollen filter screens, which use fine mesh to block many plant allergens from entering your home. Additionally, you can further reduce allergens and moisture by keeping your windows closed during:
Warm, humid weather
Rainy, damp weather
Early morning hours, when certain pollen counts spike
Overnight, when condensation adds to humidity in the air
If you still notice issues with your window screens or windows, contact Ambassador Window Cleaning for professional services. We offer residential and commercial window cleaning service, as well as cleaning for gutters, roofs, solar panels, and stainless steel architecture.
