Lanai & Pool Cage Cleaning
Riverstone

Riverstone is a GL Homes community off Logan Boulevard, north of Immokalee Road, that opened for sales in early 2012. Around 800 single-family homes sit on about 640 acres, and roughly 300 acres or more of that is lakes and preserve. Homes on the market were built between 2012 and 2017, most with tile roofs, three-car garages and pavers on the drive, walks and patio.

Cages backing onto a lake catch morning moisture and pollen, and the shaded frame members grow green algae. The lower screen panels and kick plates go first.

Pool decks used every day by kids collect sunscreen, algae and dirt. In shaded corners, that becomes a slip hazard. A deck clean with the cage fixes it.

Orange or brown marks on light deck pavers and lower screen panels usually come from minerals in sprinkler water. Wherever a spray head reaches the cage, the staining builds up a little more each week. Pressure will not move it and can scar the pavers trying. We treat it with rust-removal chemistry made for pavers and aluminum, and point out which heads need turning.

Even on 2010s cages, aluminum frames begin to oxidize in North Naples humidity. A brightener now keeps them from chalking later.

Floor plans here run from about 2,000 to nearly 5,000 square feet, and pool cages follow the house. A smaller plan may have a compact cage over a pool and a strip of deck; the larger models often have a long covered lanai, a spa and room for an outdoor kitchen under a taller screen roof. We price the visit on the actual enclosure size.

Many Riverstone homes back onto one of the lakes, which is a big reason people buy here. Air off the water carries moisture and pollen straight into the mesh, and the lake-side panels turn green long before the side panels do. We give that wall a second, gentle pass with a mild cleaner so the view across the water comes back clear.

Preserve-side lots bring more insects and wildlife. Spiders build in the upper corners, mud daubers nest under the gutter line, and lizards and frogs leave small dark spots on the frame. We clear webs and nests before washing so they are not just smeared across the screens, and rinse the outside of the lower panels where bugs gather at night.

Families use these cages hard. Pool noodles, floats, toys, sunscreen, wet towels and a grill all live on the deck, and kids run in and out all day. We move everything aside and put it back, cover the TV and speakers, and clean around the edges where toys usually sit, since that is where the green film tends to start.

A slick pool deck is the biggest safety issue we see in family homes. Shade from the cage roof and constant splashing keep pavers damp near the steps, the spa and the sun shelf, and a thin film of algae forms that is hard to see. We clean the whole deck evenly, then go back over the steps and coping by hand.

Kids can be back in the pool the same day. We protect the pool and the equipment pad while we work, keep cleaning runoff out of the water and skim anything that falls in. When we leave, the pool chemistry is where it was, and the deck is clean and rinsed.

Newer cages have one advantage: the screens and frames are usually still in good shape, so a regular cleaning is mostly about keeping them that way. Dirt and algae left on powder-coated aluminum for years hold moisture against the finish and speed up wear. Cleaning on a steady schedule is the cheapest way to make a 2010s enclosure last.

Riverstone’s resort-style clubhouse is a short walk for most families, but the home pool is where everyday life happens. Annual cage cleaning keeps it bright and safe, and catching aluminum oxidation early on a 2010s frame is far cheaper than recoating later.

Ceilings and fans under the lanai roof are easy to forget. They gather dust that turns to gray mildew spots in the humidity, especially over a grill or near the pool. We wash the ceiling at low pressure with the power to the fans and lights off, wipe the blades and fixtures, and keep water away from wall-mounted electronics.

Timing matters with a family schedule. Spring pollen coats the screens yellow-green from about February into April, so many parents book right after it ends and before school lets out, when the pool gets the most use. Others prefer a cleaning just ahead of holiday visitors in late fall. Either way, we can usually work while everyone is at school or work.

For most Riverstone homes, one cleaning a year keeps the cage in good shape. Lake-facing cages often look better every eight to ten months. A standard cage starts at $299, a large cage of 1,500 to 2,500 square feet at $399, and a cage plus deck package at $399. Our crew is already registered with the Riverstone gate, and you get photos plus a written service record the same day.