Best Way To Clean Lichen Off Solar Panels

The most effective way to clean your solar panels is with a hose and a bucket of soapy water.

Best way to clean lichen off solar panels.

Managing director of clean solar solutions steve williams provides a quick fire explanation of the effect of bird droppings and lichen pronounced li ken. Essentially in the same manner you would wash your car at home. It s best to approach panel cleaning the same way you might clean your car. If you can see the panels on a single story building then you can almost certainly spray them with a hose.

But first let s look at when and why you might need to invest in solar panel cleaning equipment or hire a professional cleaning service. I tried brushing it off from the ground with a broom but it didn t come off so i got out a ladder and climbed up and sure enough it was lichen. Fill a bucket or spray bottle with warm water and soap no other special equipment is needed. I had to use a plastic scrapper to remove it and i noticed there was a very small amount of moss on the lip on the bottom edge of the panel.

Dish soap and warm water applied with a soft sponge or cloth is the safest and easiest cleaning method. These panels have probably been up there for 8 years or so. You do not have to clean the wiring underneath. Lichen makes the most of this and attaches itself into the pits in the glass.

We ll get to the best way to clean your solar panels in a minute. It may also be helpful to use a squeegee to remove dirty water. Remember avoid damaging or scratching the glass at all costs. Show extra caution if cleaning your solar panels requires you to climb up on the roof.

Google did a study on the need to clean solar panels. Using just clean water and your soft brush with sponge and squeegee functions remove any stubborn grime and residue. Because you don t want to scratch the panels in any way it s best to use just water and a non abrasive sponge to apply soapy water. Once this is done brush off any loose dust and debris from your panels.

The only way to remove lichen as mentioned earlier is by total destruction be that removing the lichen by hand or by chemical. Follow the instructions in your solar panel manual to completely shut off the system before attempting any sort of cleaning. Clean the surface of the solar panel with a soft cloth or sponge. They found that tilted panels don t require cleaning as much as flat panels.