(Image source: https://unsplash.com/photos/mIlvCv21W1s)
Solar panels are a long-term investment. Buying solar contributes to clean energy. Because solar panels are solar panels, they are expensive, costing between $ 10,000 and $ 30,000 for most homes. A solar owner must take care that the modules have a long service life.
This means that you will have to spend a certain amount of your time looking after your solar panels.
One way to maintain the quality and effectiveness of your solar panels is to clean them. However, if you haven't owned solar panels before or are not used to cleaning them, you probably don't know what to do the first time.
Fortunately, cleaning solar panels isn't rocket science. We have listed seven simple ways you can easily clean your panels.
Before you begin cleaning your panels, you need to make sure that the system is safely turned off. Please refer to your shutdown procedure.
1. Hose and soapy water
One of the most important problems that you want to avoid when cleaning your solar panels is scratching the panels. You don't want anything with too much pressure.
When washing your solar panels, stick to a hose and soapy water to achieve this. This is a simple but harmless way to clean your solar panels at home. Never untwist the hose too much to increase the pressure as this can scratch your solar panels.
Ordinary dirt hardly affects solar panels. Sooner or later, dirt that was washed off by the rain forms. If you clean with rain in addition to the natural cleaning processes, the performance of your panel is increased. Wash your panels just like washing your car. You have to be a little gentle with this.
2. Soft cloth and mild soap
Use a soft cloth or brush on the surface to avoid scratching the plate. You don't need any other fancy tools to clean your solar panels at home. Any old fabric that is soft or has no abrasive elements in it is good enough to use.
You can also use the plastic blade of a squeegee to clean the surface of your solar panel more smoothly. However, a soft fabric that leaves no material on the surface is also an excellent choice for cleaning the solar panels.
3. Use vinegar
If you want to clean your solar panels in a natural and sustainable way, you should use vinegar.
We all know how vinegar is like an all-purpose cleaner. Plus, it's readily available in your pantry. While it looks like it can't work, vinegar is a great ingredient for keeping metal and crystal items clean like new.
What you need to do is dilute it a little to create a cleaning solution. Get ¼ cup of vinegar and mix it with two cups of water and half a teaspoon of liquid laundry detergent or a nonabrasive soap. Pour that into a spray bottle and you have a cleaning solution for your solar panels of your own. Just like!
The vinegar will help with tougher stains that may be more difficult for you to remove the panels.
4. Avoid harsh chemicals.
Solar panels are quite an expense, so make sure you don't do anything to damage them. However, we do not recommend the use of harsh chemicals on Maid Sailors Maid Service Chicago solar panels.
You don't even need unique cleaning solutions to clean your solar panels.
It also makes sense to avoid using pressure washers. This can scratch your solar panels. If you need a more robust cleaning solution, then don't try to use the usual harsh chemicals that you use to clean your home.
If you want to know what you can and can't use to clean your solar panels, you might want to check out the manufacturer's instructions.
5. Brush off loose dirt before washing
Make sure you brush away any loose material like dirt before moving anything on the surface of your solar panel.
You should especially do this step if you are cleaning your solar panels with a squeegee. The loose dirt can make your cleaning take longer than it should have been with the squeegee than if you brushed it away.
6. Use a good quality squeegee
When cleaning the solar panels, be careful not to leave hard water stains behind either. The build-up of minerals from hard water can also affect the effectiveness of your solar panels.
Hence, you need to make sure that you remove excess water from your solar panels that could dry out after cleaning.
Invest in a good quality squeegee so that you can remove the excess water with ease. You can also remove it with a soft, dry cloth. However, this can leave streaks or you may not be able to remove all of the water. A good quality squeegee can be more helpful.
7. Hire a professional
It can be daunting cleaning your solar panels if you haven't already. Knowing how much each solar panel can cost makes you hesitate to clean it as thoroughly as possible. You certainly don't want to damage these expensive devices, but if you don't clean them, they can be less efficient and less effective.
If cleaning solar panels itself seems a little intimidating, you can always hire professional cleaners.
You really only need to clean your solar panels at least twice a year, but it can be more depending on where you live. For example, if you live in a windy and dusty place, you may want to clean your solar panels more than twice a year.
You can contact your solar power dealer such as Natural Solar as they may have a professional solar panel cleaning service that they know about. You can also contact a window washing company or even your usual cleaning company to see if they also offer cleaning services for solar panels.
If you hire a professional cleaner, you can clean your solar panels with ease.
Conclusion
The tips listed above are some of the easiest ways to clean your solar panels. This way your solar panel can look and function like new. It also helps in maintaining the pristine condition of your solar panel so that it can reach its full potential.
As a result, you can continuously use the power of the sun to power your home.
Please always read the information from your solar installer before cleaning your panels. It is important to make sure that the process you use to maintain your panels is within the manufacturer's allowance. The information provided on this page is for general purposes only and each customer panel should be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. Always ensure that you have secure access to your panels and, if necessary, contact a professional to perform panel maintenance if necessary.