An enclosed porch provides an excellent space to gather with family and friends for holidays, parties, and pleasant days during the spring, summer, and fall. Your screened porch is also a barrier between the outdoors and the inside, keeping insects, leaves, and dirt out of your home. As a result, your porch screens can quickly become filled with debris. Fortunately, a few simple screen cleaning tips will restore visibility and help your enclosed porch look more attractive. Here, New Jersey Siding & Windows, Inc., provides screen cleaning advice to help you prepare your porch for gatherings, relaxing, and more.
Preparing for Screen Cleaning
You won’t need any special tools or costly products to clean your screens. Instead, most of the items you’ll need are likely available in your garage or stock of cleaning supplies. Prepare to refresh your screens by gathering the following:
- Vacuum with an upholstery attachment and crevice tool
- Soap
- Garden hose with a jet spray nozzle or pressure washer
- Water
- Sponge
- Duster
- Brush
- Cloths/rags
- Wipes
- All-purpose cleaner
Next, make sure all furniture, plants, and other items are out of the way. Dust the door frames, light fixtures, and ceiling fans before you begin cleaning as well to prevent dust from drifting into your screens once they’re clean. You should also consider wearing gloves and clothes you don’t mind getting dirty when cleaning your enclosed porch screens.
Removing Dirt and Debris
Start by vacuuming the screens from outside if possible. If your porch is located on a second story or otherwise inaccessible from the outside, vacuum the screens from the inside. Make sure to use the attachment and crevice tool to thoroughly clean any corners or edges where dust and dirt accumulate.
After your screens have been thoroughly vacuumed, use a garden hose with a jet spray nozzle or a pressure washer to wash the screens from the top to the bottom. Be careful not to apply too much pressure, as this may damage the screens. Wipe the screens with a soapy, wet cloth or sponge, or scrub them using a brush. Should any excess debris accumulate on the screen, window frames, floors, or other surfaces after washing, use a gentle all-purpose cleaner to scrub it away.
You might find some areas harder to clean, like the line where the porch surface and screen meet. Using wipes on these areas and any other edges can help remove soils in almost no time. After cleaning is complete, rinse your screens from the top down, making sure to remove any remaining loosened dirt clumps and suds. When you’re finished, you’ll be able to observe how much more light comes in now that your enclosed porch screens are pristine.
Enhancing Your Enclosed Porch
Keeping your enclosed porch’s screens clean will ensure you have a clear view of your yard’s beautiful landscaping, stunning sunrises and sunsets, and more. It’s also a great way to make your flexible indoor/outdoor entertaining area more welcoming for gatherings or simply spending time with family. To learn more about screen cleaning and caring for your enclosed porch or explore options for adding a screened porch or deck to your Northern New Jersey home, contact New Jersey Siding & Windows, Inc. Our team will provide a quote and answer your questions to help bring your vision to life.
