I’ve been at this for a little over a year and I generally don’t wash the sliding glass door screens. I’ve had some difficulty with removal/install and then they don’t slide in place. I tried cleaning them in place for a bit but it just didn’t fit with my flow as we have a pretty dusty area so I would either have to get my mop all muddy, bring the bucket around with another mop or figure something else out.
So I just spell it out in my estimate this way:
Service to Include:
Inside/Outside Glass
Frame & Sill Wipe Down
Remove & Hand Wash Window Screens
Sliding Glass Door Screens Brushed/Dry Dusted
and it has generally worked out fine. I had a customer today send me a photo telling me I missed a screen. It was a photo of the sliding glass door screen so I’m working on a response. I’m just going to explain it but I don’t like anybody being disappointed with the finished product.
Anyway, I just want to know what everyone else does, especially if you’re dealing with very dusty/dirty SGD screens.
Also, if you do clean them what’s your process and how long does it usually take you?
I’m curious about this too, as I also tend to skip them.
I tried wiping them with a cloth for a while, but sometimes it streaks and then I have to thoroughly wipe the whole thing to make it look alright. Too time consuming, so I kind of just stopped doing them.
Currently, I only courtesy-wipe window screens unless they pay extra for a thorough cleaning.
Ah interesting. I generally include window screen cleaning in my pricing and don’t bother separating it out unless someone specifically requests, basically one lump sum and this is what is included. I charge $4.50 / screen and will go up from there if they are large screens or extremely dusty/dirty. I remove and clean the window screens with my mop before I start the windows and will just tap them dry if they weren’t too dirty to start with. The dirty ones I’ll rinse after I mop them to prevent any dust from hanging on.
The only option I add to estimates is window tracks cause they are annoying and I don’t want to price myself out of a job if someone doesn’t even want the tracks done.
I just couldn’t find a good flow for cleaning sliding glass door screens.
Yes, they can be a pain. You just have to figure them in a complete clean. Some we take them off the track and clean them, others we clean in place with a saturated mop - depends on the condition of the rollers - then flick to the outside with a hand towel and dry with a bath towel. With that said, if they don’t look bad I am good with skipping them until they do start to look dirty.
We clean them and their tracks. Never take them off, too many problems.
Usually we just wipe them down with a damp micro-fiber , same as window screens.
If they are really dirty they get scrubbed with window mop and the tapped off and dried with micro-fiber.
If they are really, really dirty the hose comes out, then scrubbed, then rinsed and then they get flicked off and dried with micro-fiber.
Often, if I am using wfp I clean them with that.
Every job is different, so yes, depends on condition. Maintenance cleans (quarterly) are great. First time is the hassle, after that they don’t have time to get so bad so it is easier.
For me I clean all screens, if they are removal able then they get washed using my screen washer after I soap them up first using this
If they are not removable then I also use the above sprayer, however with both I do not use the solution that comes with the bottle, if the screens are not really bad I will just use soap mixed with water, if the screens are quite bad I will use some SH and maybe even some EBC, I walk around the house spraying about 10-15 screens at a time, some times this is the whole house other times this is a portion of the house.
You want the soap to dwell for a few minutes but not dry on the screen, then simple rinse off with a hose. Alternatively if I have my house washing trailer with me I would just soft wash them as takes about 1/4 of the time (which is why my next vehicle I get will be a UTE with a canopy which I will build the system into the back and be able to lose the trailer).
I can never understand why people never think to just use a hose and some soapy water…
People as in home owners or people as in me? I know I can use a hose and soap but if you have a ton of dirt on the track you need to vacuum that all up or you’ll end up with a nasty muddy mess. Also, if you don’t have a hose within reach like the case of this previous home that will make it a bit difficult, unless of course you have a house washing trailer.
I use a damp cloth and wipe the screen mesh on both sides. Never had a complaint.
I once choose to remove one and really scrub it with soap on the frames next to the hose because it was so nasty, I didn’t feel right about just doing a basic wipe on that one, but otherwise, I try to be quick with those.
I always remove them, and they get rinsed off with the rest of the insect screens. Solar Screens are money though. Sometimes down here they have a solar screen meshed into a slider. Becomes heavy when that mesh is wet and there is wind.
