

Removing Mildew From a Pool Cage

By Chris Anzalone

A pool cage, or pool screen enclosure, is a large cage surrounding a swimming pool, usually consisting of aluminum bars and sometimes fully covering the pool area with see-through screens making up the walls and roof. It is a permanent foundation structure through which people must pass to gain access to the pool. It can prevent children and others from entering the pool unsupervised; a screened cage enclosure can serve to keep out dirt, dust and debris. If your pool cage becomes subject to mold growth, you can clean the mold using the proper disinfectants.

Scrub the pool cage with soapy water on a soft sponge. Mild liquid detergent can kill mold and mildew, thanks to the weak acids that it contains, and will not harm aluminum the way that alkali cleaners will. Never attempt to scrub your pool cage with an abrasive sponge or a scouring pad, or the aluminum with scratch permanently.

Mix a solution of chlorine bleach and water if detergent fails to clean the mold from a pool cage. It only takes a little bleach to kill mold with incredible strength, so use no more than a 1:16 concentration, or 1 cup water and 1 gallon bleach. Sponge the bleach solution liberally over the mold on your pool cage. Scrub firmly to loosen and remove the mold spores, all while wearing rubber or latex gloves to protect your sensitive skin.

Rinse your pool cage with cool water to remove the detergent or bleach. If you have any plants or grass near the pool cage, water it down as well; undiluted bleach runoff can kill the foliage nearby. Remove all traces of detergent or bleach from your pool cage.

Dry the surface of the pool cage just to remove the heavy surface moisture. You do not need to remove every drop of moisture; the sun and wind will do that for you, but by giving the drying process a head start, you can prevent the accumulation of water spots on your pool cage.


Things You Will Need

  • Ladder
  • Mild liquid detergent
  • Chlorine bleach
  • Rubber gloves
  • Soft sponge
  • Towels
  • Pressure washer
  • Pressure-washing detergent


  • You can also remove mold from your pool cage by pressure washing it. Fill the reservoir with a mild pressure-washing detergent and use only a low-pressure spray. Then rinse and dry the pool cage.