Lanai & Pool Cage Cleaning
WildBlue

WildBlue is a young community. Lennar began planning the roughly 3,500-acre site in Estero in 2018, with Stock, WCI and Pulte among the builders, and more than 800 acres of it is freshwater lake. Homes on recent listings date from 2019 onward. For most owners, this is the first time the pool cage has needed a professional cleaning.

Screens facing big water and wooded preserve catch insects, pollen and spider webs, and shaded frame members grow green film. Water-facing cages commonly need cleaning more often than street-side ones.

Lake-facing cages here look out over long stretches of open water, and that water shapes how the screens get dirty. Mornings are humid along the shore, and condensation settles on the mesh before the sun reaches it. Midges and other small insects that hatch along the shoreline are drawn to screens and porch lights at night, and their remains build up in a gray layer on the lake side.

Preserve lots have a different problem. Trees and brush on the edge of the property shade one side of the cage for much of the day, and the frame on that side stays wet longer after every rain. Green film shows first on the bottom rail and the lower corners. Pollen in spring and falling leaves after storms add a brown layer on top.

Newer enclosures are in their best condition now. Annual cleaning keeps the aluminum finish from starting to oxidize and keeps screens open and bright.

New aluminum still has a factory finish, usually bronze or white. Salt from the Gulf is farther away here than in coastal Estero, but humidity and lake spray still start oxidation over time. Washing once a year removes the grime that holds moisture against the paint. The goal is simply to keep a new cage from ever needing a brightener or a recoat.

Stock homes here sit on 85-foot lots, and Peninsula lots run 102 and 140 feet wide, so many cages are generous. A standard cage starts at $299. For a larger cage in the 1,500 to 2,500 square foot range, pricing begins at $399. Owners with a summer kitchen under a birdcage-style roof pay from $499. That price covers the extra surfaces and the time needed to protect grills, refrigerators and counters.

Pool decks inside the cage collect leaf litter and algae in the corners. A cage + deck package handles both in one visit.

Pool decks in new construction are often pavers or travertine with a lot of color. Leaf litter in the corners and algae along the shaded edge are the first things to show. Our cage plus deck floor package handles both and starts at $399. Smaller screened patios on homes without a pool start at $249.

New pavers hold their color best when they are sealed early. If you want that done after the deck is clean, see paver sealing and sanding in WildBlue. Sealing waits until the deck is fully dry, so it is usually a separate day.

Many WildBlue owners keep a boat at the marina or a kayak on their own dock, and the lanai becomes a staging area for gear, fishing rods and wet towels. Things left on a lanai floor leave rust rings, mildew patches and water marks. We move everything, clean under it and put it back where we found it.

Lake views are a big reason people buy here, so screens matter. Dust and pollen make a screen look gray from inside the house and soften the view of the water. After cleaning, the mesh looks darker and more transparent again. Owners often notice the difference most at sunset.

Docks and dock decking on the lake side are separate from the cage, but we can add them to the same visit on request. That way the lanai and the path down to the water are finished together, with one gate entry and one appointment.

Timing works well around the rainy season. A cleaning in late spring removes pollen before summer storms set it into the screens. A cleaning in late fall, before winter guests arrive, sets the lanai up for the busiest months. Lake-facing cages often look best on that twice-a-year schedule.

Families with children and pets use the lanai every day, so we avoid harsh chemicals on the floor and rinse thoroughly. Pets should stay inside until the deck is dry, which usually takes an hour or so on a sunny afternoon. Toys, bowls and beds are moved off the floor before we start and set back afterward.

Because WildBlue is gated, we confirm gate registration with you or your manager before each visit. You do not need to be home. We need the cage door unlocked and a working outdoor spigot. When we finish, we email before-and-after photos and a written record of what was cleaned and any repairs we noticed.