What’s a Lanai Pool Enclosure?
Lanais, pool cages, pool enclosures – whatever you want to call them, are covered porches that usually are partially screened to help keep insects and debris out from your pool area.
Lanais are extremely popular in places like Hawaii, and here in Florida. They’re a great option to add additional living space to your home so you can relax, entertain, and spend time with friends outdoors. Because they’re outdoors however, keeping them clean isn’t always as easy as cleaning the inside of your house.
What Are the Benefits of Having a Pool Enclosure?
Having a screened in space around your pool will help in a few different ways.
- Lets you enjoy the sun and fresh air while keeping out bugs and leaves
- Minimizes the amount of maintenance needed to keep the area clean
- Reduces evaporation of pool water and keeps pool chemistry more stable
- Helps maintain the pool temperature from getting too hot or cold
- Reduces (but doesn’t totally eliminate) the amount harmful of UV rays
- Helps slow algae growth in your pool
While these are definitely some great reasons to have a pool lanai, mold and mildew love to thrive in moist locations – especially dark areas. The constant high humidity of places like Florida means that your screens will quickly form green stains that will not only look unsightly, but can lead to physical health concerns if left unchecked.
Let’s get into how to clean the green.
How to Clean Your Pool Enclosure
Here are a few easy steps to getting your backyard paradise back in ship-shape. For the best results, it’s best clean your enclosure on a windless day when there is no rain forecast. Cleaning in the morning while the surface is cool, or in the late afternoon when the surface is no longer retaining heat will also help.
- Using a pressure washer, wash the exterior and then the interior of your screen enclosure. It’s generally better to start from the outside, because if you start from the inside and then do the outside, you’ll just blow dirt back into the area you just cleaned (and have to do it again!). Start out gently and gradually increase the strength of the spray to avoid damaging your screens. You can rent a pressure washer, but if you have the budget for it, it’s a great tool to have around for regular cleanings all around the house.
- Mix warm water with vinegar in a 50/50 ratio in a pump sprayer or other spray bottle. Spray any green mold you see on the screen or enclosure frame with the solution of vinegar and water.
- Using a scrub brush, remove the mold from the screen and framing. Take care not to scrub too hard on the screen to avoid damaging it.
- Using the pressure washer, rinse the areas you’ve scrubbed.
Other Ways to Remove Mold from a Pool Lanai
Besides vinegar and water, you can also use three quarts of warm water mixed with one quart of bleach to remove the green mold from your pool enclosure. Remember to wear rubber gloves and safety glasses when spraying the bleach and make sure you thoroughly rinse it off the screen with clean water to avoid weakening the screen.
Wet & Forget also makes some excellent products that can safely be used on a pool lanai without worrying about messing with your pools chemistry.
We highly recommend using the Wet & Forget Xtreme Reach™ Hose End because it can attach right to your garden hose and the nozzle makes it easy to apply to large surfaces. The sprayer includes a tip that lets your reach up to 30 feet high, so it’s great for hitting the high spots on your lanai.
Chris Gannon lives in Fort Lauderdale with his wife and 2 young daughters and is the Editor-in-Chief at Clean Finds. He enjoys helping readers learn more about living responsibly by writing primarily about conscious consumerism, green business trends, and environmental conservation.
