What's the best way to clean a conservatory?

What's the best way to clean a conservatory?

A conservatory is a great way to be able to enjoy your garden view and lots of natural sunlight, but in the warm comfort of your own home, sheltered from the temperamental english weather. Typically is a structure made up of windows so keeping them nice and clean is a great way to transform your space from a dull, cold room to a warm and bright sanctuary.

However, cleaning windows isn’t always very easy, particularly getting to the odd angles on top of your conservatory roof. At UK Window Clean we know a thing or two about the best way to clean a conservatory, we are the professionals after all.

Remove Algae Correctly

The first step of cleaning a conservatory is to address the algae. Build up is bound to happen, particularly during damper, winter months. Algae can actually cause a lot of damage to the structural integrity of your roofs, and then costly repair jobs to prevent or fix water damage as a result.We suggest you manually sweep the roof with a non-abrasive telescopic brush. Then hose it down with your hose or pressure washer but be careful to avoid any vents. Alternatively, if your algae problem is significant then you may need to use a solution with a garden sprayer, these tend to work best if left on for a few days in dry weather but make sure it won’t damage your conservatory or frames.

Get a Telescopic Pole

The key to a safe, professional and effective conservatory clean is using a telescopic pole. All of our operators at UKWindowClean use telescopic poles with purified water fed systems. You can get ones with a manual extendable handle but be sure that the brush isn’t going to scratch the conservatory surface. A good water fed pole system should remove the need for a ladder as you can avoid the dangerous balancing act and keep both your feet firmly planted on the ground.

Purify your Water

Having a water fed system attached to your telescopic pole is a game changer. The system pumps water up an adjustable pole with a brush or sponge attached, this is not only safer but often more effective with better results. If you don’t have access to such a pole, we still advise purifying your tap water as this gets rid of the dirt and grime that causes water spotting.You can do this by boiling the water or using a filter.

Know what Cleaners you Can Use

If you don’t have a water fed pole, without the water pressure you’ll likely need to use a cleaner. You can use warm, soapy water on your windows, many people even add some distilled vinegar to their solution for added shine. There are also many soaps on the market designed specifically for conservatories. The trick is to avoid harsh chemicals that could damage the surface, including baking soda. For self-cleaning glass, we advise not using any harsh chemicals or brush as this may damage the photocatalytic coating.

Treat your Frames

You can use warm, soapy water for wooden or uPVC frames too but you should treat wooden frames with oil after they have air dried. This will protect them and prolong the life of your conservatory.

Rinse & Repeat

If you’re using a soap and scrub method, then you’ll likely need to rinse and repeat the steps multiple times until you have the desired result. You’ll also need to ensure you’re rinsing your brush out regularly and to avoid streaks you may need to give it a final wipe with a microfiber cloth. When rinsing with a power washer or hose to remove algae or soap then you need to be careful of the ridge, which is the top of the conservatory with the crest on it, as often they have vents. Spraying this with water at the wrong angle could cause a leak!

Don’t Stand on you Conservatory

Conservatory roofs are not designed to take your weight, don’t try to stand, walk or crawl along them as it can be incredibly dangerous. If you absolutely had to you can buy panels designed for this purpose but there should be no need for this during a cleaning.

Avoid using a Ladder

Using a telescopic pole should mean you’re able to avoid using a ladder altogether. However, if you had to there are some things you should consider. You could use a ladder secured against a concrete surface, never use a ladder on glass surfaces as they’re too fragile to hold the weight safely. If you have to, you can get lightweight, conservatory cleaning ladders that can securely attach without damaging your roof.

Check your Work

Remember to work methodically to avoid missing spots, start on one side and work your way around the conservatory. If you have missed anything you can go back over it so we always advise to check your work. You can do this best by stepping back and looking at it from ground level. While you clean and inspect, if you spot any chips or cracks to the windows you can look at ordering replacements, damaged double glazing can reduce the effectiveness of the energy efficient design.

Clean Regularly

Mold, mildew, dust and weather changes can really affect the quality and look of your conservatory. Washing down the windows and wiping down the frames regularly makes a world of difference, but it needs to be done right. We advise cleaning it a minimum or every 6 months, but the worse the weather is the more often you need a clean, particularly if the roof is north facing.

This can be a taxing and potentially dangerous job, so why not call in the professionals? We provide a safe, efficient local cleaning service so you can enjoy a beautiful, clean and well maintained conservatory. Go here to make an inquiry!