Lanai & Pool Cage Cleaning
Shadow Wood Preserve

Shadow Wood Preserve is a gated community of about 440 acres in south Fort Myers, set between the Estero Bay preserve and Mullock Creek. Bonita Bay Group planned it around an 18-hole Arthur Hills course, with 293 home sites. Homes range from coach and carriage homes to villas and single-family residences, so enclosures run from a small screened porch to a large pool cage.

Humidity and occasional salt air near Estero Bay commonly speed aluminum oxidation. The chalky film doesn’t rinse off; a brightener removes it and helps keep frames from needing recoating.

Screens facing the preserve and lakes catch insects, pollen and webs, and shaded frames grow algae. Those panels usually need the most attention.

Wildlife is part of living beside a preserve, and the cages show it. Spiders build in the upper corners, wasps and mud daubers nest under the gutter line, and lizards and tree frogs leave small dark spots on the screens and frame. We brush out webs and nests before any water goes on, so they are removed instead of smeared across the mesh.

The golf course runs through and around the community, which puts many cages next to a fairway. Course-side screens gather mowing dust and fertilizer drift on the lower panels, and a stray ball can leave a dent or a tear. We look for punctures and loose spline as we clean and note them, so a small hole can be patched before the wind opens it up.

Estate homes often have large enclosures. We protect outdoor kitchens and furniture and quote the size you actually have.

Coach homes, carriage homes and villas usually have smaller screened lanais, sometimes on a second floor over a neighbor. For those we use a low-volume rinse and towel the floor edge so water does not run onto the unit below. Small lanais under 800 square feet start at $249, and we can do several in one building on the same day if neighbors want to share the visit.

Single-family pool homes carry more surface: tall screen walls, a screen roof that collects leaves and seed pods, cage gutters and a pool deck. We clear the roof panels by hand from ladders, never by walking on them, and wash them before the walls so dirty water runs over surfaces that have not been cleaned yet. A standard cage starts at $299.

Shade from the preserve trees keeps pool decks damp. Near steps, drains and the spa, a thin film of algae forms that is hard to see and easy to slip on. We clean the whole deck evenly with a surface cleaner, then hand-treat the steps and coping. The pool cage and deck package starts at $399 and covers both in one visit.

Orange or brown marks on kick plates, lower screens and lanai floors usually come from minerals in sprinkler water. They do not rinse away, and extra pressure only damages the surface underneath. We treat them with rust-removal chemistry that is safe on aluminum and pavers, and point out the sprinkler heads that are hitting the cage.

Residents here kayak and canoe on the nearby waterways, and gear often ends up stored on the lanai. Wet paddles, life jackets, towels and coolers hold moisture against the floor and walls, and mildew follows. We clean around stored gear or move it aside, and rinse the floor underneath, where the darkest spots usually are.

Older aluminum frames in this damp air develop a chalky white film that comes off on your hand. A brightener during cleaning removes it and evens out the color; it adds $75 to $150 depending on the size of the cage. We test a small section first, so you can see the result before you decide.

The community is run by its own elected board and owns its common areas, so we make sure our insurance certificate and gate details are in order before we arrive. If you are away for the season, we can work while the house is empty and send photos and a written record when the job is finished.

Timing the visit helps. Pollen from the preserve trees peaks in late winter and spring, and the summer rains bring the fastest algae growth. Many owners book once in late spring, after the pollen has settled, so the cage stays clean through the wet months. Seasonal residents often prefer the weeks just before they come back in the fall, when the lanai has been shut since spring.

For most homes, a cleaning every eight to twelve months keeps the cage in good condition. Preserve-side and lake-facing enclosures usually need the shorter end of that range, while interior lots in full sun can stretch closer to a year. Large estate enclosures of 1,500 to 2,500 square feet start at $399, and birdcage or outdoor-kitchen enclosures at $499.