How to Clean and Maintain Your Pool Screens

By the Coral Springs Pool Screen Repair team · Published October 25, 2026

In Coral Springs and the rest of North Broward, pool cage screens collect a steady layer of pollen, dust, oak and palm debris, and sooner or later green or black staining from mildew and algae. Dirty screen looks bad, cuts airflow and makes the pool area feel closed in. It also wears out faster. The good news is that cleaning screen is simple, as long as you're gentle with it.

Why cleaning matters

Phifer, one of the largest screen makers in the US, says clean screens give better visibility, better airflow and a longer screen life. HomeGuide's pool enclosure research adds that mold, mildew and algae growing on the enclosure corrode fasteners, screening and framing over time. In other words, regular cleaning isn't just cosmetic. It protects the parts that hold the whole enclosure together.

How often to clean

Phifer recommends cleaning screens once a year, and more often if they're exposed to frequent wind, rain or dust. HomeGuide also suggests an annual scrub. For a pool cage in South Florida, a practical routine looks like this:

• Every few weeks: knock off loose leaves and debris, especially on the roof screen above the pool, with a soft pool brush or leaf blower on low.
• Once a year, at least: a full gentle wash of walls and reachable panels.
• After storms: rinse off debris and look for new tears.

What you'll need

Phifer's cleaning guide lists simple tools:

• A soft-bristle brush. Phifer notes screens can be damaged by a hard-bristle brush.
• A garden hose with a spray nozzle.
• Gentle dish soap and a bucket of lukewarm water. Phifer says a 50/50 mix of water and white vinegar also works well.
• A sponge.

Phifer's FAQ has one important rule: rinse metal screen with water only, and clean vinyl-coated screen with a mild soapy solution, avoiding hard scrubbing. Most pool cage screen is vinyl-coated fiberglass or polyester. If you're not sure what's on your cage, our screen types guide can help you tell.

Step by step

1. Clear the deck. Move furniture, cushions, toys and pet bowls away from the walls you're cleaning.
2. Rinse first. Use the hose on a light spray setting, not a jet, to wash off loose dirt. Phifer specifically says to keep the hose on light pressure because screens can be fragile.
3. Wash gently. Dip the soft brush or sponge in the soapy water and lightly work over the screen. Refill with fresh solution when it gets dirty.
4. Rinse again. Rinse off all the soap residue so it doesn't dry on the mesh.
5. Let it dry. On a sunny day the screen will dry quickly in place.
6. Look as you go. Cleaning is the perfect time to spot small tears, loose spline and rusty screws.

Two common-sense cautions. First, try to keep soapy runoff and dirty rinse water out of the pool, and check your water chemistry afterward if a lot got in. Second, never lean a ladder against screen panels or climb onto the cage roof. Roof panels are best left to a professional with the right equipment.

About pressure washing

It's tempting to blast a dirty cage clean, but high pressure is hard on screen. HomeGuide warns that fiberglass screen can start to shred within 3 years if it's power washed. A strong jet can also push screen out of its spline channel. If you hire someone to wash your enclosure, ask how they clean the screen itself, and make sure it's a low-pressure method suited to screen.

For stubborn mildew, HomeGuide notes that professional enclosure washing usually uses a diluted bleach solution to kill mold, mildew and algae before rinsing. If you want to try a stronger cleaner yourself, check the screen and frame makers' instructions first, test it somewhere out of sight, and never mix bleach with other cleaners.

Seasonal maintenance checklist

HomeGuide's maintenance list for pool enclosures includes these items. A quick walk-around a few times a year catches most problems while they're still cheap:

• Screen. Replace panels with large holes as soon as they appear. Small tears grow in the wind.
• Spline. Check that the rubber spline isn't coming loose or deteriorating.
• Fasteners. Replace rusty screws, bolts or anchors as they appear. If many are rusty, see our enclosure repair page.
• Hardware. Lubricate door hinges and latches. A sticky screen door gets slammed and torn.
• Paint. Remove peeling paint, sand off any corrosion and touch up.
• Cables. Check the bracing and tie-down cables before and after each storm.
• Gutters. HomeGuide recommends a pool cage gutter to direct water around the structure.

Our hurricane prep guide covers the storm side of this list in more detail.

When to call a pro

Cleaning won't fix screen that has reached the end of its life. If the mesh has turned chalky or shiny white, feels brittle, or keeps tearing along the frame, cleaning it just exposes the damage. At that point it's worth reading our screen lifespan guide and getting a quote for a rescreen. Roof panels, rusty fasteners and anything structural should also go to a professional.

We connect homeowners in Coral Springs, Parkland, Coconut Creek, Margate and Tamarac with local screen pros. Use the form below to get a free quote.

Sources

• Phifer: How to clean screens
• Phifer: Insect screening FAQ
• HomeGuide: Pool screen enclosure repair cost