Window and door screens are created to let fresh air into the home, while keeping insects, birds, and debris out. But just like every other component of a home, they can easily and quickly become filthy, which can have a negative impact on their appearance and ability to function properly. As part of your winter home maintenance program, you might want to add cleaning your screens to the list of tasks.

Should You Leave the Screens in, or Take Them Out?

Winterizing your home should definitely involve cleaning window screens. As far as leaving them in or taking them out during the frigid winter, that’s entirely up to you. Some experts agree that taking them out and storing the screens during the winter can allow much more natural light to come into the home. Others suggest leaving them in, as long as they have been thoroughly cleaned.

When Should You Clean Your Window Screens?

The best time to clean your window screens is during the late fall when overnight temperatures start dipping towards zero degrees. However, if you’re still worried about bugs (considering how warm it has been up until now), you may want to wait until after the first freeze comes and goes. At this point, it would be an ideal time to take the window screens out and give them a thorough cleaning job, because they’ve been collecting dust for the past few months. Dirt and dust can heavily soil the mesh and leave a less-than-perfect view. Ideally, screens should be cleaned twice a year: once right before winter, then again during the spring.

How to Clean Your Window Screens

The first thing you should do is vacuum the screens with a soft brush attachment on a handheld nozzle. Then use a soft brush to scrub them with a mixture of a few drops of dish soap and a bucket of warm water.

Rinse off the screens with a hose, then wipe them down with clean sponges. Leave them out in the sun to air dry.

You’ll have an opportunity to inspect the screen for any damage or wear after taking them out. Look for holes, tears, and other types of damage, and have them repaired or even replaced if necessary.

In this case, your go-to source for professional screen repair, replacement, and installation is Doctor Screen. With our experience and innovative tools, we ensure optimal service each and every time. And with our mobile screening trailers that we bring right to your home, the process is as fast and convenient as it gets.

Get in touch with Doctor Screen today to have your screens repaired or replaced before the winter hits.