Conservatories can be lovely rooms, connecting inside with the nature outside and providing a beautiful space to relax in. However often conservatory roofs become grubby and covered in falling debris, ruining the aesthetic inside the room by blocking light or just looking unsightly. With spring coming up, and many homeowners beginning to ‘spring clean’ and freshen up their homes, many wil want to clean away the winter debris that will have built up over the last 6 months. There are companies who offer conservatory roof cleaning services, but it is an option for homeowners to clean their conservatory roof, so we’ve taken a look into how to clean it, and what to clean a conservatory roof with.
How to clean a conservatory roof
Generally, the inside of the roof can be cleaned like other windows or room ceilings, if necessary, with either glass cleaner or a quick dust or wipe with a damp cloth depending on the material it’s made from.
Outside of the conservatory roof can be a bit trickier as it’s not as easily accessible. Generally, when deciding what to clean a conservatory roof with, the easiest tool to use would be a telescopic brush, and homeowners will normally need a ladder to access the roof safely. Use of soapy water or glass cleaner may also be required, but depending on the material different techniques and tools will be needed so we’ll look into the different options, depending on the material of the conservatory roof and what’s needed to clean them.
How often to clean a conservatory roof
First of all though, how often do homeowners need to clean their roof? The general rule of thumb is every 4-6 months, as advised by RedPoints. This keeps the conservatory looking fresh and prevents a build up of debris from causing damage and decay to the conservatory roof, which can then cause leaks and other issues long term. But ultimately it’s down to the homeowner and if they want to clean the conservatory more often for aesthetic purposes they can do, although it’s important to be aware of the seals and protective coatings and how cleaning too often may damage them. Some homeowners may also just decide to clean their conservatory yearly, or may just be happy to empty gutters as and when needed. Even just the smallest amount of general maintenance to ensure the conservatory roof is kept in good repair will mean that the conservatory roof will last longer and prevent damage, decay and leaking so is definitely a consideration for homeowners with conservatories.
So, what to clean a conservatory roof with, depending on the material its made from
Glass
Homeowners with a glass roof will definitely need a ladder to access the conservatory roof and ideally a telescopic water-fed brush. If this isn’t available, a general telescopic brush or soft broom will work if its long enough to reach the length and width of the conservatory roof. Use the brush dry first of all to remove any lose dirt and debris and then use warm soapy water (you can boil the water first to purify it to reduce spotting when dry) to clean the glass. If using a broom or regular non-water-fed brush, just dip the brush in the water and then use it to gently clean the glass, changing the water regularly. Use a garden hose to gently rinse the roof off and afterwards you can use a microfibre cloth on the end of the telescopic pole to wipe down the glass and leave it spot/streak free. Make sure to use soft materials so as not to scratch the glass and never use a pressure washer as this can damage the glass, the coating, and the seals. It is not advised to ever stand on a conservatory roof made from glass, as it may crack or smash under the weight.
Polycarbonate
Polycarbonate is often covered in protective coatings and chemicals so its important to be mindful of this when cleaning polycarbonate roofing. Just like with cleaning a glass roof, its important to use soft bristled brushes and soft cloths and a hose, rather than a pressure washer to prevent the protective coatings coming off or other damage being caused to the polycarbonate, seals or framework. Just in the same way as cleaning a glass roof, using a broom or telescopic brush will help to reach the conservatory roof and warm soapy water to remove the dirt built up on it. Like with glass roofing, its not advised to stand on polycarbonate to clean it as it can crack under the weight.
Tiled
Cleaning a tiled roof is very different to glass and polycarbonate in terms of what you need to clean the conservatory roof and how you do it. To clean a tiled conservatory roof and increase the life span and aesthetic look of it, homeowners will need a ladder to access the roof and a wire brush and a trowel or similar tool. The process to clean a tiled conservatory roof is to simply scrape away any moss or dirt built up on the tiles with the trowel and then brush the tiles off with a wire brush. This will leave them looking fresh and clean. Generally tiles don’t need pressure washing, and there are chemical cleaners that may be an option, although may not be completely necessary. After scrubbing them it is an option to paint tiles to increase their lifespan (they can last another 15years with the right high quality paint). It protects the tiles and also improves the overall aesthetic look, especially if homeowners use the same paint on their house roof to tie both roofs together cohesively.
Insulated Panels
Insulated panels such as Green Space Uk’s Thermotec Panels are much easier to clean than other options. As these panels are opaque the dirt that collects on top of them isn’t visible inside the conservatory anyway, meaning that even if homeowners chose not to clean them regularly, it wont show and effect the indoor aesthetics. However when it does come to cleaning these panels they can be cleaned similarly to polycarbonate panels with soapy water and a soft bristle brush or telescopic brush and hose. Similarly to all other options, these panels don’t need jet washing as that can damage the seals. Using a ladder and a dry broom, homeowners can sweep any dry debris from the roof and then use soapy water and the broom to clean the panels and rinse with hose water. Although not advised, these panels are very strong and can take a lot of weight, so Green Space Uk’s customers have been known to climb on the roof to clean their conservatory roof, but this is not something Green Space Uk encourage.
So in conclusion, when it comes to homeowners and what to clean their conservatory roof with, in most cases its similar to washing windows. Using a soft bristle broom or telescopic brush and purified water or soapy water and then gently rinsing with the garden hose will suffice! In regard to tiled roof, scrabbing and brushing off the dirt and then painting with tile paint is a good way to clean the conservatory roof and then maintain its condition for a long time.
