Solar panel cleaning
Scheduled, purified-water cleaning for commercial and residential solar arrays.
What this service covers
Solar panels only earn their keep when light can reach them. Dust, bird droppings, algae, lichen and traffic film all build up on panel surfaces and steadily cut output — losses of 5–15% are common on arrays that have never been cleaned, and worse near trees, farmland or busy roads. Our solar panel cleaning service restores performance using purified water and soft brushes, with no detergents or abrasives that could damage coatings or void the manufacturer's warranty. We clean commercial rooftop arrays, ground-mounted installations and residential systems on a scheduled or one-off basis, so your investment keeps generating what it was specified to generate.
When you'd use this service
- Annually as a minimum for any commercial-scale solar array
- Twice a year for sites near agricultural land, busy roads, or seabirds (coastal locations)
- Quarterly for sites with significant tree cover during pollen and leaf-fall seasons
How we deliver it
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Array survey
We assess geometry, access method, and the panel manufacturer's cleaning guidance before quoting.
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Method match
Water-fed pole from the ground where the array geometry allows; MEWP or rooftop access where it doesn't.
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Cleaning visit
Purified water and soft brushes only. No high pressure, no chemicals, no abrasives — no risk to the panel surface or seals.
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Output report
Where the inverter data is accessible to us or your facilities team, we record pre- and post-clean output for your ESG file.
What we use to do the job
We clean solar arrays using water-fed poles with soft brush heads and purified, deionised water — the method recommended by panel manufacturers. Purified water dries without mineral spotting, and no chemicals or detergents touch the panels, keeping manufacturer warranties intact. For rooftop arrays we work from safe access equipment or water-fed poles from ground level where reach allows; ground-mounted installations are cleaned directly. Cleaning is scheduled around generation — early morning or cooler conditions where possible, since cleaning hot glass risks thermal stress. We can also photograph panel condition during cleaning and flag visible damage, wiring issues or persistent shading for your maintenance records.
Our safety commitment
Solar arrays combine working at height with live electrical equipment, and our method statements treat both risks explicitly. Wherever possible we clean from ground level using water-fed poles, removing the need to access the roof at all. Where roof access is required, operatives work from appropriate access equipment with edge protection, and our IPAF accreditation covers powered access platforms. Risk assessments and method statements are available to property managers on request.
Frequently asked questions
Soiling — bird droppings, pollen, dust, leaf debris, and urban particulates — sits on the glass and reduces how much light reaches the panels, which lowers their output. Cleaning clears the surface so the array can work at its best again. How much output is recovered depends on how soiled the panels were and the site conditions; we'll talk through what to expect for your specific array after a survey.
Annually as a minimum. Sites near agricultural land, busy roads, or seabirds (coastal locations) should consider twice a year. Sites with significant tree cover overhead may need quarterly attention during pollen and leaf-fall seasons. We'll advise after the first clean — once we've seen the level of soiling we can recommend the right cadence for your site.
Purified water only. The same de-ionised, mineral-free water we use for windows, applied via soft brush on a water-fed pole. No detergents, no abrasive scrubbing, no chemical residues. The approach is gentle on the panel surface and follows the cleaning methods solar manufacturers typically recommend.
We clean with purified water at low pressure and no abrasives — the gentle approach solar manufacturers typically recommend for panel cleaning. If your panels carry specific manufacturer cleaning requirements, tell us in the brief and we'll confirm we can follow them before we quote.
Yes — that's most of what we do in this category. For managed residential blocks with rooftop arrays, we work from MEWPs or via roof access (where there's an existing fall-arrest system). For sites without safe roof access, we work entirely from the ground using extended water-fed poles where the array geometry allows. The survey establishes the right approach for your specific roof.
Where the array has accessible inverter data, yes — we'll record output before and after the clean and produce a short report for your file. It's a useful piece of evidence for ESG reporting and for managing agents demonstrating value to leaseholders or owners.