Few things are more idyllic than sitting in the living room and enjoying a pleasant cross breeze on a warm summer day. But that simple pleasure is easily disturbed by tiny pests crawling through holes in the window screen and buzzing around the house. Fortunately, you don’t have to replace the entire screen to keep…
A Solution That Nails It
Nail polish isn’t just for making fingernails look pretty — it’s also a brilliant way to fix tiny holes in a window screen. While this trick won’t work for large tears that have already spread, it’s highly effective for small holes roughly an eighth of an inch in diameter or less. If you catch a tear early, a few drops of polish will seal the gap right up.
You’re going to want to use clear nail polish rather than a colored shade, which will only draw attention to the tear. We recommend using a dedicated bottle — any cheap option will do — and keeping it in your tool kit, because a dirty window screen might introduce debris to the rest of the bottle when you return the applicator brush. If you don’t have a spare bottle, however, you can apply the polish with a cotton swab instead.
Once you have the nail polish ready, wipe down the affected area to remove any residue, allowing the screen to dry completely before proceeding. Dip the applicator brush or cotton swab into the clear nail polish and apply a thin coat onto the tear in the mesh. Once the first coat has dried, apply a second for good measure. Afterward, you’ll have a sturdy, invisible barrier that keeps bugs out and prevents the tear from worsening.
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Quick Fixes for Large Tears
For larger screen tears, nail polish likely won’t do the trick. Fortunately, products such as stick-on repair kits or self-adhesive tape are designed specifically to seal and hold tears in place. These handy adhesives are easy to cut to size and apply to any screen in just a few moments. Once the patch is in place, you can open the windows and enjoy the rest of that warm summer day.
