A 100-pack of woven stainless steel mesh screens, 5/8 in (15.8 mm) across. These are the small round filter discs that sit in front of anything you do not want grit, scale flakes, rust or debris getting into: faucet aerators, appliance inlet valves, fuel pickups, condensate lines, small pumps and funnels.

Stainless is the reason to keep a pack around. It does not rust, it does not soften in fuel or solvent, and it holds its shape when you press it into a housing. Pull it, rinse it, put it back.

Check the size before you order. 5/8 in (15.8 mm) is the small end of the range. It is the right neighbourhood for aerator housings, appliance inlet screens and small-engine fuel fittings. It is far too small for a kitchen, bath or tub drain, which runs 1-1/4 in to 1-1/2 in.

Why the stainless ones

No rust. Unlike plain steel or plated screens, these do not bloom orange the first time they sit wet.
Fuel and solvent safe. Gasoline, diesel, mineral spirits, lacquer thinner: none of it softens or swells stainless the way it does nylon.
Reusable. Rinse, blow out or brush and refit. Replace only when the weave is torn or packed solid.
Holds its shape. Stiff enough to press into a recessed housing with a fingertip or the end of a socket, thin enough to cup or fold.
Trim to fit. Ordinary tin snips take them down to a smaller diameter in seconds.
100 to a pack. Cheap enough to leave a strip in the van, the mower shed and the plumbing bag instead of hunting for the one you had.

Specifications

Material	Woven stainless steel mesh
Diameter	5/8 in (15.8 mm)
Form	Flat round disc, cups or folds by hand, trims with snips
Quantity	100 screens per pack
Mesh	General-purpose fine weave, not a micron-rated filter media
Reusable	Yes, rinse or blow out and refit
Not suitable for	Sink, tub and shower drains (1-1/4 in to 1-1/2 in)
SKU	SS-MESH-58-100

What people actually use them for

Plumbing and fixtures

Replacement mesh inside faucet aerator housings, kitchen and bath
Inlet screens on washing machine and dishwasher fill hoses
Ice maker and fridge water line inlet screens
Toilet fill valve inlet screens that clog after a main break or a water heater flush
Screening a mini-split or AC condensate line so it does not slime shut
Keeping scale and pipe grit out of small solenoid and mixing valves
Under a hose bib or rain barrel spigot fitting

Small engines, auto and equipment

Carburettor fuel inlet screens on mowers, trimmers, blowers and chainsaws
Fuel tank pickup and petcock screens
Inlet screens on small pumps, garden sprayers and pressure washer feeds
Breather and vent fittings that pull in dust
Screening a transfer funnel when you are pouring fuel or gear oil

Shop, paint and fabrication

Straining paint, stain, resin and solvent through a funnel
Catching swarf in coolant lines and parts washer nozzles
Media screens in tumblers and small blast setups
A disposable strainer for anything you would rather not run through a good filter

Garden, greenhouse and tank work

Over pot drainage holes to stop soil washing out and insects crawling in
Seed tray, bonsai and orchid pot drainage
Aquarium and hydroponic pump inlet screens

Will it fit?

Measure the opening, not the fitting. Pull the old screen out, lay it on a rule and check it against 5/8 in (15.8 mm). If the old one is smaller, trim one of these down with snips and deburr the edge. If the old one is bigger, this is not your part.

The one place these definitely do not go is a sink, tub or shower drain. Those openings are 1-1/4 in to 1-1/2 in and need a proper drain strainer, not a mesh disc.

How to fit one

Shut it down. Close the supply valve, or drain and isolate the fuel side, before you open anything.
Open the housing. Unthread the aerator, hose fitting, valve cap or fuel inlet. Keep the washer and any spacer in order.
Clean it out. Pull the old screen and flush the grit and scale that put it there in the first place.
Seat the new screen. Drop it flat, or cup it slightly with a fingertip or the end of a socket if the housing is recessed.
Reassemble and flush. Snug it up, turn the supply back on and run it for a minute to clear anything you loosened.

Frequently asked questions

What size are they exactly?

5/8 in across, which is 15.8 mm. Flat round discs.

Will they fit my sink drain?

No. Sink, tub and shower drains are 1-1/4 in to 1-1/2 in. These are less than half that. They are inlet and aerator screens, not drain strainers.

Will they fit my faucet aerator?

Many standard aerator housings, yes, but measure rather than guess. Unthread the aerator, take the old screen out and check it against a rule. If yours is smaller, trim one of these to match.

Can I cut them down?

Yes. Tin snips or heavy scissors, then run a file or a fingernail over the edge so a burr does not catch a washer.

Are they safe in fuel?

Stainless does not soften, swell or dissolve in gasoline, diesel or common shop solvents, which is exactly why small-engine fuel screens are made of it.

How fine is the mesh?

It is a general-purpose fine weave: fine enough to hold back grit, scale flakes and sediment, coarse enough to keep flowing. It is not a micron-rated filter media, so if your job calls for a specified rating, this is not that part.

Can I reuse them?

Yes. Rinse, blow out or brush them and put them back. Replace when the weave tears or packs solid.

Why 100 in a pack?

Because they cost pennies each, they live in the bottom of a bag, and the one time you need one you will not have it. A hundred lasts most people years.

Shipped from Sauk City, Wisconsin

Best Home Goods stocks these in Wisconsin and ships anywhere in the United States, so a screen that stops a Saturday job is a couple of days away rather than a couple of weeks. We keep them on the shelf for the plumbers, small-engine shops and homeowners around Sauk City, Prairie du Sac, Madison, Middleton, Baraboo and the Dells.

More shop supplies: Filters & Screens, Tools & DIY and Cleaning & Detailing.

faucet aerator screen

Stainless Steel Mesh Screens — 5/8 in (15.8 mm), 100 Pack