Take the screens out, lay them flat, and scrub both sides of the mesh and frame with mild soapy water and a soft-bristle brush. Rinse with a gentle hose spray, dry the frame with a cloth, and let the mesh air dry before refitting. Do it at least once a year, or every three months near the coast.
How often should you clean window screens?#
Andersen's screen cleaning instructions say at least once a year for most homes. In coastal, industrial or agricultural areas, Andersen recommends at least every three months, since salt, soot and field dust build up much faster there.
A practical rhythm:
- Spring, before the windows start staying open. This is the big one, since it gets rid of the winter's grime and whatever pollen has already landed.
- A quick vacuum of the screens in midsummer if you live near a busy road, a beach or farmland, or if someone in the house has pollen allergies.
- A once-over in fall before you close up the house or take the screens down for winter.
If you can see a gray haze when you look through the screen, or run a finger across it and it comes away dark, it's overdue.
How to clean removable window screens#
- Take them out the way the window maker intends. Most slide or pop out with tabs or spring clips. Don't force a frame that sticks, because the corners bend easily.
- Label each screen as it comes out (a strip of painter's tape with "kitchen left" works). Screens that look identical often aren't, and a slightly wrong fit leaves gaps for bugs.
- Lay the screen flat on a clean surface outside, like a tarp, an old sheet on the lawn, or a patio. Leaning it against a wall while you scrub puts all the pressure on the mesh.
- Rinse off loose dust with a garden hose on a gentle shower setting.
- Mix a little dish soap into a bucket of warm water. Andersen calls for mild soapy water and a soft-bristle brush for both the mesh and the frame.
- Scrub the mesh lightly in small circles. Flip the screen and do the other side. Support the mesh from underneath with your free hand if it starts to bow.
- Wash the frame, paying attention to the corners and the bottom rail, where dirt collects.
- Rinse thoroughly with clean water, as Andersen specifies. Soap left in the mesh is sticky and pulls in dust.
- Dry the frame with a soft cloth, then tap the screen gently to shake water off the mesh. Lean it somewhere shaded to finish drying.
How to clean window screens without removing them#
Some screens are fixed, retractable, or on windows you can't safely reach from outside. You can still get them most of the way there:
- Vacuum both sides you can reach with the soft brush attachment on low suction.
- Roll a wide lint roller over the inside face for leftover pollen and pet hair.
- Wipe with a microfiber cloth dampened in soapy water and wrung out well, then go over it with a cloth dampened in plain water.
- Put a towel on the sill to catch the drips.
For retractable screens, follow the manufacturer's in-place cleaning instructions. Pulling a retractable cassette apart to clean it can leave you with a screen that won't roll back up.
Can you pressure wash window screens?#
Don't. The mesh is thin, and the spline (the rubber cord that holds it into the frame's groove) can pop out under that kind of force. Even a hose nozzle on "jet" is too much. Use the shower or mist setting and let the brush do the work.
The same goes for stiff scrub brushes and scouring pads, which stretch the mesh and leave it baggy.
Check for damage while they're out#
While a screen is clean and in your hands is the easiest time to spot problems:
- Small holes in the mesh can be patched with a screen repair kit.
- Mesh pulling out at the edges usually means the spline has shrunk or cracked. Replacing the spline is a cheap fix.
- Bent frames won't seal against the window and let insects through. Straighten gently or replace the frame.
- Torn or brittle mesh, which is common on windows that get strong afternoon sun, should be rescreened rather than cleaned.
Clean the window while the screen is out#
Screens come out for cleaning, so it's the obvious time to wash the glass and vacuum the tracks and sills too. Wash the glass first, using our guide on how to clean windows, then put the dry screens back. Make sure every clip or latch engages so the screen doesn't fall out in the next storm.
A word on screens and safety#
Screens keep insects out. They don't keep people or pets in. The CPSC's childproofing guide says window screens are not effective for preventing children from falling out of windows, and recommends window guards or limiting openings to four inches or less. Keep that in mind while the screens are out, too: an open window with no screen and a curious toddler or cat nearby is a real risk.
If you're working through a bigger seasonal list, screens sit naturally in a spring home maintenance checklist. Do the blinds the same day so the room is dust-free when the windows open. A yearly ChoreLists.com reminder each spring (or quarterly by the coast) keeps it from slipping.