Home Improvement

First off. This picture is vile and while I appreciate your need for assistance, you have ruined my day and I will be busy puking for the rest of the week.

To answer your actual question: I recommend just replacing it. Extra screen and cord is cheap and easy to install.

Trypophobia trigger crowd checking in.

So I was playing around with some tweezers and it actually seems like I can peel it off with some difficulty, although it comes up in pieces. Considering none of my other screens look like this, I'm wondering if it is actually some sort of purposeful hazy coating that got destroyed over the years??? Is that a thing??? It only seems to be present on the inner surface of the screen, not the outer side. Scrubbing does nothing to it put it can be peeled off it seems. Just gonna take me forever to do.

I’m still trying to wrap my head around what it actually is. Never seen anything like this but just replace it. Perhaps update with a wider shot of the full screen panel

This may be a bad suggestion, but if the screen itself is made of metal, maybe you could burn off the film

Sounds like it’s time for a new screen

I would try a brush a sparse and tough bristle. Like a whole bunch of toothpicks at once

Close the window then get a high pressure hose/washer and spray it until it’s clean.

Pressure washer should help. One of those basic electric ones should be enough.

So you can't take it out? Soaking would probably do it. Not knowing what it is, I'd first try soaking in dish soap. If that doesn't work, soak in vinegar which dissolves a lot of stuff (works the same as CLR, but not as strong).

But like the other guy says you can replace it. Might be worth that just to save the labor of cleaning it. You can get large rolls of the stuff, shouldn't be hard to find.

is it from wildfire smoke?

I've worked in a lot of kitchens and carbon build up is one of the worst things to remove. Might be best off replacing it as others said.

Hot vinegar will remove sugars. Rubbing alcohol or other solvents will remove oils. For burned carbon we used something called carbon off which is very caustic because we're also made of carbon.

Any uniqueness to your climate or location? I see a lot of green in one of your photo backgrounds, could this be built up pollen and dust bound by minerals from the rain? Maybe combined with the residue from other cleaning attempts.

I would try a bristled scrubbing brush with dish soap first. If that didn't work, I'd try the brush with a weak vinegar to see if it's a pH issue.

I totally thought this was going to be a bunch of little cans of beans when I zoomed in.

I was going to say replace it but you replied to someone above saying the same thing. I still say just replace it but by buying the material, which can be bought cheaply in rolls, and reuse the frames

Something strong like CLR or Citric acid might get rid of it

Seriously just replace it. It's so easy to do. Get a kit like this (check measurements) and forget about it! It comes with everything you need to replace it. Watch a YouTube video and you're golden.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Phifer-36-in-x-84-in-Black-Pet-Screen-Kit-with-Spline-and-Roller-3025886/205001783

Maybe compressed air?

Pressure washer? Might be overkill, but if you get one with enough horsepower it could do the trick.

My first vote is same as everyone else’s, but…maybe TSP?

Soap and warm water, along with a brush. You'll need to scrub it a bit, and to keep things soapy. Be careful not to push too hard and stretch out the screen. Spray the screen off with a hose when finished scrubbing. Repeat as necessary.

I use a window fan at home, and the screen gets gunked up. Just takes some soap and a little elbow grease to get it clean.

Pack your bags and move away.