Building an aluminum screened enclosure on your property is an amazing asset! Enclosure’s raise your property value, provide you with your own personal outdoor oasis, and provide you and your family with a safe, private area to enjoy the beautiful Florida weather! As a bonus, they also keep bugs, leaves and other debris out of your pool!
So, how do you make sure you’re getting the most out of your space? What are the best ways to clean and maintain it? This blog post will answer some of those questions for you!
We asked our Aluminum and Screened Enclosure experts, Brad and Debra Flora what their top recommendations were for homeowners who were looking to maintain their enclosure. Here are their responses!
The thing we recommend MOST is getting a professionaly done softwash. A softwash is different from a pressure wash as it uses significantly less power, and also includes detergents such as soap or bleach. Think of a softwash like a high powered hose with a little bit of suds to get the work done. If you choose to go this route, we highly recomend getting a professional to do it as they will know the best formulas and ratios to use so that your screen does not become filmy from detergent. Also, they’ll know the best power and technique to use to avoid tearing or damaging your screens.
If you’re looking for something a little less intense, and you’re feeling the DIY route, we recommend following these steps!
Step 1: Gather Your Supplies!
Gather these supplies: hose, dish soap, bucket, soft microfiber cloth, a drying cloth, sponge, broom, and gloves if you have sensitive skin!
Step 2: Remove all furniture
Remove all large furniture / plants / toys from the area. You don’t want your nice out-door couch getting water logged.
Step 3: Sweep it all Down
You track in dirt and other things from the grass when you walk from your yard to your enclosure. You don't want the water you’re cleaning the screens with to make your concrete area muddy.
Step 4: Start Spraying!
Get that hose out and start spraying! Use gentle pressure to wash down the screens and the aluminum beams. It's incredibly satisfying (and maybe a little gross) to watch all of the pollen, dirt, and leaves the screen enclosure catches wash away.
Step 5: Scrub a dub-dub
Fill your bucket up with water and just a smidge of dish soap (seriously, too much will leave a film - you can even skip the soap all together if you prefer). Gently use a sponge to wipe down the screen panels. Pollen, dirt, and even bugs can get trapped here. You can use a microfiber cloth to wipe down the aluminum beams during this step. Do not use anything abrasive on the beams! While they're sturdy and strong, abrasive substances (such as a scrub brush) can scratch the powder coating on the aluminum, leaving you with a streaky and scratched beam.
Step 6: Rinse!
You're coming to the end of the process! Like exiting an automated car wash, go ahead and give everything a gentle rinse over. Make sure you get all of the soap off of the screen panels!
Step 7: Dry or let Dry
There are two ways to do this step, dry it with a gentle cloth or let the sun dry it. With the Florida sun, it'll air dry just fine. But if you’re a little OCD or just want to feel the satisfaction of having everything “done” go ahead and take a gentle drying cloth to pat down your screen panels and wipe down your aluminum beams.
Congrats! You're all done!
Now sit back, relax, and enjoy your beautiful outdoor space!