A sliding screen door does a great job of letting you enjoy the fresh air of outdoors without letting bugs in or pets out. It does a great job, that is, until it stops working. Many of us have dealt with screen doors that are in the process of falling apart: the screen tears, the tracks jam and it squeaks like an angry bird. Instead of replacing your screen door altogether every couple of years, keep it working well and looking good with some regular maintenance.
Stay on Track
As people or pets walk in and out, the bottom track of your sliding screen door will build up debris like leaves, dirt or insects. This muck can get pretty nasty after a long time of getting rolled over, so take a second and clean it out regularly. Just use the hose attachment on your vacuum and give the length of the track a quick cleaning the next time you’re doing your floors. You may have forgotten how smoothly your door can slide, so do yourself this simple favor.
Clean the Screen
Don’t worry about picking up any expensive cleaner solutions or tools when you see that your sliding screen door needs cleaned. Just use a mix of warm water and dish detergent and apply with a dish brush to take care of most dirt and weather stains. If that doesn’t do the job, you can use a stronger cleaner like ammonia, but be sure to dilute it.
Stop the Squeak
Even if your sliding screen door is functioning properly, it will likely build up an annoying squeak over time. Fortunately, it’s an easy fix. Just keep a can of spray lubricant around the house and spray it on the interior of the tracks of the door if any squeaking or creaking starts. Make sure to protect any exposed areas of carpet or flooring in case of oil overspray. If any of the oil gets on the window, just use a paper towel with some soapy water and it will come right off.
