How to Clean Window Screens Without Tearing Them

Take the screens out, lay them flat, rinse both sides with a gentle hose spray, scrub lightly with a soft brush and warm, soapy water, then rinse again and let them dry before they go back in. Skip the pressure washer and stiff brushes: they stretch and tear the mesh.

What’s the best thing to clean window screens with?

Warm water with a few drops of dish soap. It lifts dust, pollen and grime without hurting the mesh or the frame. Here’s everything you need:

Painter’s tape and a marker, to label each screen
An old sheet, a tarp or a few towels to lay the screens on
A vacuum with a soft brush attachment
A bucket of warm, soapy water
A soft brush or a sponge (a car-wash brush works well)
A garden hose with a nozzle set to a gentle shower
A dry towel for the frames

How to clean window screens, step by step

Take them out and label them. Lift each screen by its frame or pull tabs, never by the mesh. If a screen has springs along one edge, push it toward the springs to free the other side. Tape a label on each frame that says which window it came from.
Get the loose dirt off dry. Vacuum both sides with the brush attachment. Dry dust lifts right off. Wet, it turns to mud in the mesh.
Lay them flat. Set the screens on the sheet or tarp, on the lawn or another smooth, flat spot. The ground supports the mesh while you scrub.
Rinse both sides. Use the gentle shower setting from a few feet back.
Scrub lightly. Dip the brush in the soapy water and wash with light strokes, up and down, then side to side. Flip the screen and do the other side.
Rinse until the suds are gone. Soap left in the mesh grabs dust.
Let them dry all the way. Shake off the extra water, wipe the frames with the towel, and stand the screens on edge to dry. A wet screen drips on your clean sills and picks up dust fast.
Put them back. Match the labels, set each screen into its track, and press it in by the frame. If one won’t seat, check that it’s right side up before you push harder.

While the screens dry, clean the glass and the tracks behind them. Our guides to both are linked at the end of this page.

Can you clean window screens without taking them out?

For a quick touch-up, yes. From inside the house, run the vacuum’s soft brush or a dry microfiber cloth over the screen to pull off surface dust and cobwebs.

For a real wash, take them out. Hosing a screen while it’s still in the window sends dirty water onto your glass, frames and sills. Most Treasure Valley water is hard, so that water dries into white mineral spots on the glass. Already spotted? Here’s how to get hard water spots off your windows.

Mistakes that tear or bend screens

Don’t use a pressure washer. Not even on a low setting. The spray can stretch the mesh or push it out of the frame.
Stiff brushes and scouring pads. Wire brushes, scrub pads and stiff bristles fray the mesh. Stick to soft bristles or a sponge.
Pushing hard in one spot. Pressing down on the middle of a screen stretches it, and stretched mesh sags for good.
Scrubbing on rough ground. Gravel and rock under a screen can poke through the mesh when you press on it. Lay something soft down first.
Harsh cleaners. Heavy-duty lime and rust removers can damage screens and frames.
Going hard on old screens. Sun-faded, brittle mesh tears easily. On older screens, skip the brush: rinse and wipe gently.

Pollen, dust, sprinkler spots and ash: Treasure Valley screens

Cottonwood fluff and spring pollen. They pack into screens every late spring. Wash after the fluff settles, and vacuum it off dry first.
Field and construction dust. Homes near farm ground or growing subdivisions get a steady film of dust. Rinse well before you scrub, so you’re not grinding grit into the mesh.
Sprinkler spots. Screens on windows the sprinklers reach can collect a chalky white crust. Mist those spots with half white vinegar and half water, wait a few minutes, brush gently, and rinse well. Keep vinegar off natural stone patios and sills.
Wildfire ash. Rinse ash out before you brush. Brushing it dry puts it right back in the air. Here’s how to clean smoke and ash off your windows.
Winter. Wash screens on a dry day above freezing, so they dry before they go back in. A bathtub with a towel in the bottom works for smaller screens. Taking yours down for winter? Clean them first and store them where nothing leans on the mesh.

How often should you clean window screens?

At least once a year for most homes, ideally in late spring with your window cleaning. Live near fields, construction or lots of trees, or keep your windows open all summer? Clean them every time you clean your windows. Here’s how often to clean your windows in Boise.

What if a screen is torn or bent?

A small hole can often be patched with a screen patch kit from a hardware store. Bigger tears and bent frames are a job for a screen shop. We don’t repair screens, but when we take yours off, we look them over and tell you about any tears or bent frames we find.

When to hand it off

Screen cleaning is simple, but it takes time. A house with a lot of windows can mean an afternoon of carrying, scrubbing and drying. Upper-floor screens are the hard part: a screen is awkward to carry up a ladder, and a gust of wind can catch it like a sail.

Taking the screens off and putting them back is part of every outside window cleaning we do, along with the glass, frames and sills. Add screen cleaning and we wash your screens on our XERO screen cleaning machine, then put them back once the glass is done. You can add track detailing too.

“Absolutely wonderful service! Great job, the windows are crystal clear and it doesn't even look there's a window there! The screens and tracks are spotless. Quick and neat at a good price. Our house has so many windows and they all look great!”

Nancy M. · Google review

We clean screens for homes across the valley, including Boise, Meridian, Eagle and Nampa. Get a free quote and add screens, or call or text (208) 484-5207, Monday through Saturday, 8am to 7pm.