Here’s something we see all the time: the glass is spotless, but the view still looks a little grey. Nine times out of ten, the culprit is the screen. A year of Ottawa pollen, cottonwood fluff, dust from the road and a few spider webs builds up in that fine mesh, and it sits right between you and the window you just paid to have cleaned.
If you’ve been searching for window screen cleaning services near you, here’s what’s worth knowing about screens, how to look after them, and when it makes sense to have them done with your windows.
Why dirty screens make clean windows look dirty
A screen is a fine grid, and every opening in it can hold dust. From inside the house you look straight through it, so a screen full of grime acts like a dull filter over the whole window. Outside, dirty screens also hold onto moisture and pollen, which ends up back on the glass after the next rain.
That’s why, when a window cleaning includes the screens and tracks, the difference is so obvious. You’re seeing the glass as it actually is.
What a screen cleaning usually involves
- Removing the screens carefully. Clips and spring tabs on older windows can be brittle, and bent frames don’t seat properly again.
- Washing the mesh gently. A soft brush and mild soapy water lift the dirt without stretching or tearing the screen. High pressure is the wrong tool here.
- Rinsing and drying before they go back in, so wet screens don’t leave streaks on freshly cleaned glass.
- Cleaning the tracks and sills while the screens are out. That’s where dead bugs, grit and leaves collect, and it’s also what makes sliding windows stick.
- Checking for damage. Small tears, loose spline and bent frames are easier to spot when the screen is out and clean.
Doing it yourself
If you’d like to tackle a few screens on your own, keep it simple. Take them out on a mild day, lay them flat on an old towel or a clean patch of driveway, and use a soft brush with a little dish soap in warm water. Rinse with a gentle spray from the garden hose, never a pressure washer, and let them dry completely before putting them back.
The hard part isn’t the washing. It’s reaching second-storey screens safely, and getting the tight-fitting ones out and back in without bending them. That’s usually the point where people call us.
When to have your screens cleaned
For most Ottawa homes, once a year is plenty, ideally done together with the windows so everything is clean at the same time. Spring is popular because it clears out winter grime before you open the windows for the season. Late summer is the other good time, after pollen and cottonwood season has passed.
If you’re selling, screens are worth doing before photos and showings. Clean glass behind a dusty screen photographs poorly, and buyers notice sticky, gritty tracks when they open a window. Sparkling windows are one of the small details that help a home show well, which is why Realtors call us before open houses; see our page on getting a home ready for showings.
Ask for screens and tracks when you book
We clean every window on your property, inside and out, and we bring all the supplies. When you book a window cleaning, just let us know you’d like the screens and tracks included so we can plan for it. We use biodegradable, phosphate-free soaps, which is better for your garden and the city’s water, as we explain on our eco-friendly page.
Estimates are always free. Call or text Jennifer at (613) 656 1464, or email info@glasswing.ca, and we’ll go through what you need and get you a quote right away.