Solar panel cleaningExample project
Solar Panel Cleaning
Ground-mounted solar array
KwaZulu-Natal
Accumulated dust and environmental soiling removed across the array, with a visual inspection of panel surfaces and mountings on completion.
Solar panel cleaning
Support the performance of your solar investment
Soiling on a panel's glass sits between the sun and the cells. Professional cleaning removes that buildup and supports the ongoing performance and maintenance of the installation.
How soiling works
A panel can only convert the light that reaches it
Solar panels generate from the sunlight that reaches the cells beneath the glass. Dust, dirt, pollution, bird droppings and other debris sit on that glass and block a portion of it. Light that does not reach the cells cannot be converted, which is why cleaning forms part of routine solar maintenance.
What that reduction amounts to at your site is a different question. It depends on how much buildup is present, what type it is, how the array is oriented and tilted, and the local climate. Two installations in the same town can differ considerably.
For that reason CleanScape does not quote a percentage improvement. We remove the buildup, report what we observe, and let your monitoring show the result.
Results vary depending on panel condition, system design, environmental conditions and the type of buildup present.
Before / after
The same array, before and after
Drag the handle, or use the arrow keys, to compare a heavily soiled array with the same panels after a cleaning pass.
Before
Dried soil covers the glass almost completely. Light reaching the cells is obstructed across the full panel surface, not just in patches.
After
The glass is clear and the cell structure is visible again. The obstruction has been removed — what that yields in output depends on the installation.
Installation types
Systems we clean
Commercial, industrial rooftop and residential installations are each approached differently.
Commercial solar installations
Ground-mounted and carport arrays at business premises, cleaned in sections so generation continues where possible.
Industrial rooftop systems
Large rooftop arrays on factories and warehouses, where access and roof condition are assessed before any work is quoted.
Residential solar systems
Domestic rooftop installations, cleaned with an approach appropriate to the panel type and roof covering.
What we assess
Buildup, frequency and inspection
Cleaning is only part of it. Knowing how quickly soiling returns is what makes a maintenance plan useful.
Dust and environmental buildup
Sites near unpaved roads, agriculture, industry or the coast accumulate airborne dust and salt far faster than sheltered locations. A dry season compounds it.
Bird droppings
Unlike dust, droppings do not rinse off in rain. They create dense, opaque spots that block light on the cells directly beneath them until they are physically removed.
Cleaning frequency
There is no universal interval. We recommend one based on what we observe at your site — its exposure, surroundings and the rate at which soiling returns.
Visual inspection
A visual check of panel surfaces, framing and mountings is carried out while cleaning. Anything visibly damaged or loose is reported to you.
Maintenance planning
Cleaning can be scheduled as part of a wider maintenance plan, so it happens before soiling becomes significant rather than after.
Project gallery
Solar cleaning results
Showing 1 project.
Before and after comparison. Solar array heavily coated in dried dust and soil before cleaning Compared with: The same solar array after cleaning, with clear glass and visible cell structure
Questions
Solar cleaning questions
It depends on the site. Installations near industry, agriculture, unpaved roads or coastal wind typically accumulate soiling faster. We recommend an interval based on what we observe during the assessment.
Soiling can prevent sunlight from reaching parts of a panel, and removing it addresses that. The actual effect varies according to the condition, environment and design of each installation, so we do not quote a fixed percentage.
Panels are cleaned using an approach appropriate to the glass and framing, taking the manufacturer's maintenance requirements into account. Where a system has specific cleaning instructions, please share them with us.
A visual inspection is carried out as part of the work. Anything visibly damaged or loose is reported to you — we report observations only and do not carry out electrical work.
Next step
Request a solar cleaning assessment
Send us the installation type, its location and roughly when it was last cleaned. We will assess the site and recommend an appropriate cleaning interval.