HOW TO KEEP A SCREENED-IN PORCH CLEAN
A screened-in porch or three-season room is the perfect backyard addition for family and social connection. Extra space makes it easier to host family gatherings. Protection from bugs allows you to enjoy late-night talks more often, and deeper into the night.
Throughout bright Spring mornings, sun-soaked Summer days, and crisp Autumn afternoons, an enclosed deck space protects your guests and enhances your outdoor living.
Screened-in living areas exist in a middle ground between indoor and outdoor living space. That means they have their own set of unique cleaning needs. Let’s run through our best tips for cleaning the screens on your enclosed porch.
Unsure of the difference between a screened-in porch and a three-season room? Learn more from DecksDirect here!
Table of Contents:
How To Clean Your Screen Porch
Cleaning Tips For Porch Screens & Three-Season Rooms
Cleaning your screens doesn’t have to be a daunting task. Get your outdoor living space party ready in just one afternoon with these screened porch cleaning tips for you and your home!
1. Clear Away All Debris
Use a small leaf blower, mini vacuum cleaner, or Swiffer Sweeper® to move all debris from the sides of your room to the center of the screened-in area. With a broom and dustpan, totally remove any loose debris that may have made its way through the screen openings or via any screen doors.
2. Wipe Away All The Dirt and Pollen
Using a clean, wet microfiber cloth or dishrag, wipe off dust, dirt, and pollen from all surfaces. Rinse the damp cloth frequently to make sure you are cleaning the surface, rather than spreading a mess around. If you have a ceiling fan, wipe down all of the fan blades once springtime comes.
Next, use a glass cleaner and cloth on any glass surfaces like tables, windows, and accessories. Not only will a glass cleaner, such as Windex®, clear away stuck-on residue but it will also remove any illness-causing germs.
3. Sweep Out the Old
Take your household broom and remove any spiderwebs or dust bunnies hiding under furniture, along the ceiling or in the corners of your enclosed porch. If you have any pesky insects like ants or gnats, this is a great time to place any insect traps.
4. Wipe Down the Screens
Clean your porch screens with warm water and an all-purpose cleaner. Gently scrub each screen panel using a utility brush, washing dirt away from the screen mesh. Also scrub the metal or vinyl frames around your screens, as they can accumulate dirt over time. Rinse the screens thoroughly with a garden hose, and allow them to air dry.
5. Wash Away Pet Smudges
If you’ve got a pet, chances are they’ve left you some nose smudges to clean off your windows and sliding glass doors. You can do this with hot water and paper towels - often with no glass cleaner required!
Simply wipe the area clean with a wet paper towel, then immediately dry it with a dry paper towel. You can use a standard glass cleaner if you’d like, or if you notice streaking or glare after you’ve cleaned.
6. Mop the Space and Let Dry
Lastly, use your garden hose to fill a bucket with warm water and an all-purpose cleaner or mild dish soap and mop the porch floor. Be sure to scrub each corner, crack, and baseboard for a thoroughly clean porch.
Let your floor air dry for one to three hours before moving all patio furniture back in place or allowing pets to enter the outdoor area.
Learn more about the basics of deck framing and building in our Deck Framing Guide and learn deck parts and terminology in the DecksDirect Glossary of Deck Terms and Lingo.
Browse more deck design and railing style notes to upgrade your backyard space and deck in the DecksDirect Railing Style Guide: the quickest way to learn if your home is more suited for a classic aluminum deck railing or a strong, composite railing line.