How to Clean Conservatory Roof: The Ultimate Guide

Cleaning a conservatory roof can be difficult and time consuming. This article will discuss the different tools needed for cleanings such as telescopic cleaners, squeegees and conservatory ladders. It will also include how to clean different types of conservatory roofs such as polycarbonate, uPVC and glass.

What is required to clean your conservatory safely?

Cleaning a conservatory roof requires some thought, they often have glass panels that can break and can have you climbing up ladders or stretching for hard to reach areas. It’s important when doing this you consider your safety, so before we break down how to clean a conservatory roof here’s a few safety tips:

• Ensure your conservatory is clean and free from debris that could fall on you or others while cleaning
• Make sure you can easily access the cleaning areas with the length of a telescopic brush to ovoid over reaching
• If you’re planning on going up a ladder, make sure the base is stable or ask someone to come and hold it for you
• Wear sensible shoes or boots while on the ladder, because slipping at a height could lead to some serious damage to you and possibly your conservatory if you land on top of it
• Make sure no bits of glass are loose, these will be heavy and can course a serious risk to you on anyone else below

Tools you will need

Telescopic cleaners, squeegees, and conservatory ladders are just a few of the equipment needed for a success conservatory cleaning. We’ll take a quick look at each of them below and how they can aid you in the cleaning process. A garden hose can be also be helpful when cleaning large areas. Squeegees helps remove dirt from roof panels while conservatory ladders allow you to access heights that would otherwise be inaccessible.

Cleaning products

• Conservatory roof cleaning fluid – or you could substitute it for washing up liquid if your roof is predominately a glass surface
• Microfibre cloth – this helps clean the roof panels, conservatory windows and frames
• uPVC cleaning solution
• Bucket of warm water

Telescopic cleaner

A telescopic brush is a clean conservatory roof’s best friend. It is the most efficient way to clean your conservatory roof panels, but it can also be used on windows, frames and gutters. The brush should have a soft bristled head so as not to damage the surface of your conservatory roof.

The main benefit of using a telescopic brush is that it negates the need for a ladder, and as such is perfect for those with less confidence when using ladders or who are not comfortable working from height.

Squeegee

A window or glass squeegee is another helpful tool because it has the ability to clean glass surfaces and therefore is great for cleaning a glass conservatory roof, windows, frames and panels.

If you’re likely to need a squeegee and a telescopic brush, we’d recommend looking at some of the window cleaning kits as you can often find telescopic poles as a squeegee attachment. You can learn more in our best squeegee and telescopic cleaner guide, the 3 in 1 will be your best bet in this regard.

Conservatory ladder

A conservatory ladder is a must have when cleaning a conservatory roof as it allows you to reach high areas that would otherwise be inaccessible. It’s different from a normal ladder because it is designed to clean the roof area, not stand on. It has a step system which allows you to clean conservatory roofs without using an extension ladder.

Pressure washer

If you aren’t familiar with pressure washers, they are machines that use high pressure water to clean surfaces. They come in a variety of shapes and sizes, with different power outputs.

Pressure washers can also aid to get a clean conservatory roof by removing dirt that has been stuck for a long period of time and that would either couldn’t get removed by a normal hose, or might otherwise require a lot of manual scrubbing.

They can therefore be a good investment if you’ve had a large build up on your conservatory roof and would like a way to remove it without getting in a professional in each time it needs a clean.

How to clean a polycarbonate conservatory roof?

A polycarbonate roof can be easier to clean than glass or other types of roofs as all you need is a bucket of soapy water, a cloth or squeegee and telescopic brush for the harder to reach areas. A lot of new conservatories, even ones in more historical styles like the Victorian conservatories, are made from glass and uPVC, but polycarbonate roofs can still be a good option when it comes down to maintenance like cleaning as they don’t chip or crack nearly as easily as some of the other materials.

Once you have your equipment ready, you simply clean the conservatory roof panels by dipping your cloth or squeegee into the soapy water and removing any debris from it. You can use a telescopic brush to clean the roof gutters and other hard to reach areas.

How do you clean a glass roof?

Conservatory roof glass is clean in much the same way as normal clean glass. However, it is worth noting that when you clean conservatory roof panels it’s best to use a microfibre cloth as this will give a streak free clean.

You can either use a window squeegee or a garden hose with a nozzle to clean the roof glass, but either way you need a bucket of clean water.

Start by wetting down your conservatory roof panels with clean water, then apply your chosen cleaning product to the cloth or squeegee. Wipe the roof clean in a downwards motion, rinsing off each clean section with clean water.

If you have glazing bars on your roof or throughout your windows, you will need to pay particular care to these areas as they can often be more delicate that the rest. So when cleaning around glazing bars try not to use too much pressure and avoid abrasive detergents or other strong cleaning products.

How to clean self cleaning glass?

Self cleaning glass can be a fantastic investment because it works by using clean water to clean itself. This means that you don’t need any harsh chemicals which is better for the environment, and it’s also more cost effective.

However, it is worth noting that clean water isn’t always enough to clean the conservatory glass and other surfaces because dirt can build up over time, which is why you might clean the glass with a normal squeegee or cloth.

When it comes to cleaning self-cleaning glass, you clean it the same way as normal glass. You need a bucket of clean water and cleaning product of your choice.

How do you clean a uPVC conservatory roof?

uPVC can be a great material for roofing, particularly if you want an insulated conservatory roof to keep in the warm during winter and strong UV rays in the summer. When it comes to cleaning uPVC conservatory roofs, they can be cleaned in much the same way as polycarbonate ones. However, it is important to take care when cleaning uPVC as it can be scratched quite a lot easier.

These type of conservatory roofs can be cleaned in a number of ways, but the most common is with a squeegee and telescopic extension for the hard to reach areas, but making sure to use the softer brush and sponge options as to prevent any scratching or damage to the surfaces and panels.

What can be additionally helpful for uPVC roofing is uPVC cleaning solution as it will not only clean the roof, but it will also help to protect it from the sun and prevent any build-up of dirt or algae in the future.

How often should a conservatory roof be cleaned?

In most cases, conservatory roofing should ideally have a full clean at least once or twice per year so that you avoid build ups of stubborn dirt, algae or moss that can lead to leaks and other issues. However, you can do smaller cleans to the windows and inside as frequently as you like, or as and when needed.

How to clean the conservatory windows & uPVC frames?

Conservatory maintenance goes beyond the roof. A properly maintained conservatory requires a fresh window and squeaky clean exterior if you’re to get the most enjoyment out of it.

In order to clean the windows and exterior frame of conservatory, start by cleaning off any dirt or debris from the surrounding area.

Next grab a damp cloth or squeegee and get started on the conservatory window.

Those who clean conservatories for a living might use specialised uPVC cleaning products to clean the windows, but most people will be happy with just a clean, damp cloth – although as mentioned in the previous section some uPVC cleaning solution can also help in preventing more build up.

Once you’ve clean the windows and exterior frame of your conservatory, it’s time to move on to the interior of the conservatory.

How to remove conservatory blinds for cleaning?

Once you have a clean conservatory roof and your exterior windows spotless, it’s time to move inside. You’ll be surprised how much dust can build up on your blinds, so it’s definitely worth taking a look at them from time to time to gauge if they need cleaning.

If they do, you’ll either need to unscrew them and take them down, or if you pleated conservatory blinds, just slide them to one side and give them a good clean with a duster and softly wipe them down some lukewarm water if necessary.

When you clean your conservatory blinds, it’s important not to use anything too harsh on them.

How can algae be removed from conservatory roof?

Algae and moss can often build up on your conservatory roof, which can make it look unattractive and when bad weather hits, get dislodged and clog up guttering and potentially lead to links and dirty water coming through your roof.

Cleaning your conservatory roof of stubborn algae and moss can seem like a big task, but can actually be pretty easy and quick.

All you need to do is apply a moss treatment or 50:50 mix of bleach and water, making sure not to use bleach on glass.

Let it rest for 15 – 20 mines and then use a damp soft brush (or your fingers) to scrub the algae away. If it’s still stuck on, or you have a larger area clean, a pressure washer on a low setting should easily do the job.

Final thoughts

I hope you have found this article useful. It should have given you a better idea of how to clean a conservatory roof and what tools and techniques are needed to get the job done. If you need more assistance or have any questions, feel free to drop us a message in the comments!