Cleaning insect screens

[bobalobs]

The insect screens on our window blinds have circular stains from over enthusiastic use of aerosol spray fly killer at close quarters. Have tried to clean gently with a little soap and water without much success. Bleach has been suggested but not happy if it rots the screens. Any ideas? Thanks.

[PJay]

Hi Bob

If you mean the roll down ones. we took ours apart , quite easy to do, . I than soaked them in washing liquid. A gentle swish around in the bath, as I did not have a big bowl, and wanted to keep them flat as possible

Let them dry , easy in this weather, Came up like new.

We had squash fly debris on ours as well

I took the plastic strip off the ends, easy to thread back in the slots.

I have done ours more than once on our 12 yr van

PJay

[Brock]

We open the window as wide as possible, pull down the fly screen, I then hold up a board against the fly screen and my wife sprays the other side with a mild detergent in water. She now uses a soft auto detailing brush [not a floor brush] to sweep the mesh, using the backboard as an aid to put on more pressure. I stand there holding the board with arms aching. It's a delicate task.

 

Not sure this will cure your problem, as you have tried it [without the board?] but if careful, shouldn't damage the fly screens.

 

There was a thread about this some time ago but I can't find it or even remember what forum it was on.

[laimeduck]

Don't use bleach!

The usual screens are plastic coated fibreglass. My guess is that the carrier chemicals in the fly spray have discoloured the grey plastic outer coating on the screen. If soap & water have not shifted the marks, then they may not move at all. 

In desperation you could try WD40 sprayed onto a folded kitchen tissue and rub a small part of the affected area to see if it helps.