How to clean window screens, in place or taken out
To clean window screens, vacuum both sides with a soft brush attachment first. Then wash them with warm water, a little dish soap and a soft brush, rinse gently with a low spray or a damp cloth, and let them dry completely before they go back in. If the screens don't come out easily, vacuum and wipe them in place from the inside.
Dirty screens make clean glass look dull, and they drop their dust on the sill every time the wind blows.
What do you need?
- A vacuum with a soft brush attachment
- A soft-bristle brush or a sponge
- A bucket of warm water with a little dish soap
- Microfiber cloths
- Old towels, and a bathtub or an outdoor spot to work
- Painter's tape and a marker, to label screens by window
How do you take the screens out?
Screens come out in different ways. On double-hung windows, many screens slide up in a track or have small pull tabs or spring pins at the bottom: lift or press, then tilt the bottom in toward you. Some only come out from the outside. If a screen is fiddly or the window is on an upper floor, clean it in place instead of forcing it.
Label each screen with a piece of tape (front bedroom left, kitchen and so on) so it goes back in the right window.
How do you wash screens, step by step?
- Vacuum both sides with the brush attachment, gently.
- Lay the screen flat on a towel in the bathtub, or on a clean patch of ground outside.
- Scrub lightly with a soft brush dipped in warm soapy water, in small circles, both sides.
- Rinse with the tub's shower on low, or a hose on a gentle setting. A hard spray stretches the mesh.
- Wipe the frame and the spline groove with a cloth.
- Dry. Shake off the water, stand the screen on its edge against a wall on a towel, and let it dry completely before it goes back in.
While the screens are out, clean the window tracks and sills, which our windowsill and track guide covers.
How do you clean screens in place?
- Vacuum from the inside, top to bottom, with the brush attachment.
- Dab, don't scrub, with a microfiber cloth dampened in warm soapy water and well wrung.
- Follow with a plain damp cloth, then let it air dry.
- Towel on the sill to catch drips.
A lint roller picks up pollen and dust off a screen between washes.
What about pollen and city grime?
In spring, screens catch a yellow film of pollen, and city screens catch soot and dust from the street. A monthly vacuum while the windows are open keeps it from building up, and it means less of it blows in onto the sills and floor.
How do you fix small problems while you're at it?
- Small holes: a screen patch kit closes small tears.
- Loose spline: press it back into the groove with a spline roller or a flat screwdriver.
- Bent frames and big tears: a hardware store can rescreen a frame.
How often should you clean screens?
Vacuum them monthly while the windows are open. Wash them twice a year: in spring before the windows open, and in fall before you close up. Our inside window guide covers the glass.
Want help with the rest of the house?
Book Deep Cleaning online. If screens are a priority, ask about them when you book and put them in your booking notes.
FAQ
How do you clean window screens without removing them? Vacuum the screen from the inside with the brush attachment, top to bottom. Then dab it with a microfiber cloth dampened in warm water with a drop of dish soap, and follow with a cloth dampened in plain water. Keep a towel on the sill for drips.
Can you hose off window screens? Yes, on a low setting, once they're out of the window and laid flat or leaned against a wall. A hard spray can stretch the mesh or pop the spline out of the frame.
How often should you clean window screens? Vacuum them once a month or so while the windows are open, and wash them twice a year, in spring before you open the windows and in fall before you close them up.
Book a cleaning
Our service area: every Philadelphia neighborhood, plus the Pennsylvania suburbs within about 30 miles of Center City, in Montgomery, Delaware, Bucks and Chester counties. Book online at phillyscleanteam.com/book-now, or call or text (215) 798-7576, 9 AM to 9 PM, every day.
