How do you clean solar panels on the roof and elsewhere? Here we explain how this can be a DIY task, but why you may prefer to hire a professional.
Solar panels can last as long as 30 years before they start to degrade.
However, during that time, dirt can easily build up and when it does, it can limit sun exposure and ultimately reduce power output.
Bird poo, dirt, and dust are all going to build up over time – so how can you deal with them?
Clean them, of course, but how?
Here we explain how to do it quickly and effectively…
PS We offer MCS-certified solar panel installation nationwide. Simply answer these questions, get your fixed price and arrange your free design.
Cleaning Solar Panels Key Points:
Regularly clean and maintain your solar panels to ensure optimal performance.
Consult the manufacturer's guidelines for specific cleaning instructions.
Inspect panels for damage and signs of dirt or debris build-up.
Clean panels with water, a soft brush, and a non-abrasive cleaning solution.
Avoid cleaning hot panels or in direct sunlight to prevent residue.
Consider hiring professionals for hard-to-reach or high-mounted panels.
Monitor panel performance and seek professional help for significant issues.
Invest in a monitoring system for real-time data on panel performance (like the one offered by Heatable).
When Should You Clean Your Solar Panels?
The good news is that in the UK, solar panels are largely designed to be self-cleaning and due to the amount of rain in the UK, any debris should be washed off on a regular basis.
However, certain areas that have a particular issue with a high bird density and or dryer areas may face issues related to bird poo debris and other dirt building up.
This may also be more common if your solar panels have a tilt of less than 5 degrees.
In these situations, regular cleaning will help to keep your solar panels clean and clear of debris and dirt.
What should you know before buying solar? Have a flat roof? Read all about flat roof solar and if you have a conservatory, it is possible to have solar on a conservatory roof too.
How Do You Clean Solar Panels?
The majority of solar panel owners will hire a professional to do the cleaning since this is the safest and most efficient option.
However, if you have ground-mounted panels, you can potentially clean them yourself relatively easily.
In any case, always ensure your panels are turned off before you begin.
If you are cleaning your roof-mounted panels – always do this from the ground only, unless you have received adequate training and have the necessary safety equipment.
Can I Clean Solar Panels Myself?
In general, we do not advise you to clean your solar panels yourself if they are not ground-mounted.
If they are roof solar panels, we advise you to only clean them from the ground but ideally hire a professional.
If you are sure you want to clean your solar panels yourself, only do this from the ground using an extendable cleaning brush.
Beyond that, you must also:
Ensure that your solar panels are completely turned off before cleaning them. Otherwise, you would risk electrocution or/and causing damage to your solar panels.
Follow the manufacturer’s guide to a T. By doing so, you will know the exact steps needed to clean the specific solar panels in question. The steps provided in the next section should therefore be taken with a grain of salt since they are a general summary of what is involved.
Only make contact with the surface of your panels. In other words, avoid touching their wiring or any part of their underside. You could, however, hire trained professionals if you wanted to have the underside of your solar panels cleaned. We’ll discuss more on hiring professionals later).
PS, You can check the average costs of solar panels here.
How to Clean Solar Panels Yourself
If you decide to clean your solar panels yourself, there are various approaches you can consider.
However, as mentioned, you should only use any of these approaches if they are included in the manufacturer’s instructions.
Please note that when it comes to cleaning solar panels, they should ideally be cleaned in the morning or early evening.
This is because they can become very hot during the day!
Here are the best ways of cleaning your solar panels:
Long-handled wiper - you know it’s possible to safely clean roof-based solar panels from the ground? To do so, you’d need to buy or rent a long-handled wiper. Of course, whether or not it will work in the case of your property will depend on factors like how tall your home is.
Using a ladder and various cleaning equipment * - This solution starts with safely setting up a ladder (with a second person holding it from the bottom) and carefully removing leaves and additional debris from your solar panels. You can achieve this with a soft bristle brush. Next, you can use a garden hose to spray your panels with a light stream. You do not want the hose to use too much water pressure or else you might damage your solar panels. If you find some areas won’t clean very easily, you can use a soft cloth with warm water to carefully wipe them down. However, you should proceed with caution either way.
Solar panel cleaning kit - You may also want to consider purchasing a solar panel cleaning kit. These kits tend to come with products such as a wiper, a brush with a long handle, and biodegradable soap. To clean your panels using a solar panel cleaning kit, you’ll need to follow the instructions. However, you should still ensure that using such a kit is suitable based on your manufacturer’s guide.
*Please note that you may also need to consider using ropes or a suitable harness to clean at such a height. These would be necessary if you wanted to actually get onto the roof as opposed to cleaning while standing toward the top of the ladder. If in any doubt, hire a professional.
Related solar guides:
How Often Should I Clean My Solar Panels?
In the UK, solar panels typically don't need to be cleaned very often, perhaps once or twice a year.
With that said the manufacturer’s manual will give you a clearer idea of how often your particular solar panels should be cleaned.
Also, after a period of bad weather, you may want to include another clean as this can significantly increase the amount of debris landing on your solar panels over a given period.
Cost of Hiring a Professional Solar Panel Cleaner
You may decide that it’s safer to hire a professional.
The cost of having your solar panels cleaned professionally would primarily depend on the number of panels.
With the cost being around £5 to £15 per panel, you’d need to pay approximately:
Four solar panels - £20 to £60.
Six solar panels - £30 to £90.
Eight solar panels - £40 to £120.
Ten solar panels - £50 to £150.
Twelve solar panels - £60 to £180.
As for the cost factors, aside from the number of panels being cleaned, how much you’d end up paying would also be determined by:
Where you live (because labour prices differ nationwide) *
How accessible your solar panels are.
How clean or dirty your panels are.
*The cost of labour differs from region to region throughout the UK. For example, it tends to be below average in northern England, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. On the other hand, you’ll generally find higher labour prices in the southeast, with London being especially expensive.
If you’re wondering what type of professional to hire, there are a few options.
On the one hand, you could hire a solar panel cleaning professional or solar panel cleaning team.
Alternatively, you might want to hire a professional cleaner or gardener with the relevant experience/qualifications for this sort of cleaning.
Of course, not all cleaners/gardeners will be suitable for this work nor wish to take it on so you might need to look around for the right people.
If in doubt, it’s best to simply Google ‘solar panel cleaning in my area’.
Check out our complete guide on the costs of solar and whether solar is worth it in the UK here.
Next Steps For Your Solar Journey:
When planning to install solar panels for your home, there are several important factors to consider. Make sure to refer to the following guides to help you make informed decisions:
To dive deeper into these topics, head over to our advice section, check out our YouTube channel for informative videos, or read a customer case study to see how others have benefited from their solar installation.
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