ENQUIRIES 01453 796790
9 am - 5.00 pm Monday - Friday
How do we clean the solar panels
Our method will depend on the size and accessibility of the installations.
For smaller installations within 12 metres of reach from the ground, or perhaps accessible from an elevated work platform, we would use pole-mounted rotating brushes.
This method facilitates straightforward access, potentially obviating the need for scaffolding.
The Solarcleano robot solar panel cleaner
For larger or harder-to-access panels, we use our Solarcleano robot cleaner.
Operated from an elevated work platform, the robot can reach panels up to 200m away. Cleans up to 1600m2/h (up to 2MW per day or 8,000 panels per day).
Importantly, all our cleaning is done using only distilled water, ensuring panel integrity and leaving no residue after cleaning.
View our Solar Panel Cleaning Brochure
View our Preventative Maintenance Brochure
Free solar panel cleaning quotation with zero commitment
We’d love to give you a free quote for getting your business up and running with our amazing solar panel cleaning services... and there’s absolutely no obligation on your part.
For a FREE consultation please call our solar panel cleaning team today
0333 006 7745
9am - 5.00pm Monday - Saturday
Why professional commercial & domestic solar panel cleaning is essential
Cleaning the solar PV panels will increase the energy generated and therefore the revenue you earn and the increase in generation revenue is often high enough to repay the cost of the cleaning within a few months. Some companies state that this can reduce solar panel output by 10-30%.
In extreme cases, the build-up of debris can create hot spots on the panels. These hot areas not only bring down the solar panel performance but can also lead to the panels degrading more quickly than forecast. If left too long there can also be a risk of fire.
At Ecovision we provide tailored solar panel cleaning services to remove this build-up, increasing your generation revenue, preserving the lifespan of the asset and mitigating the risk of fire hazards.
Don’t let dirty solar panels impact your revenue, solar panel lifetime and the safety of the installation.
At Ecovision, we excel in solar panel installations and the upkeep of solar systems. Our expertise in solar panel installation and maintenance extends to providing operations and maintenance services to various clients, ranging from major investors in UK renewable energy infrastructure to renewable energy suppliers, councils, and housing associations.
With 18,000 managed installations and a stellar 12-year history of delivering top-notch rooftop solar operations and maintenance services, we have the experience and know-how to ensure your solar panels operate safely and perform at their best.
Ecovision is committed to cleaner energy for a brighter future. Providing sustainable support strategies, to help our customers reap the rewards our beautiful sun will inevitably bring.
Solar panel cleaning UK-wide, for every kind of site
Our cleaning teams work across the UK, from single domestic roofs to multi-megawatt commercial arrays. The Solarcleano robot cleans up to 1600m² an hour, which means even the largest warehouse roofs and ground-mounted solar farms can be cleaned quickly and safely.
We clean solar panels across the UK for major investors in renewable energy infrastructure, renewable energy suppliers, councils, housing associations and homeowners. Wherever the site is, the method is the same: warranty-approved brushes and robots, deionised water, and technicians trained for live electrical equipment and working at height.
Cleaning also pairs naturally with our other care services — solar panel bird proofing to stop droppings coming back, and solar panel maintenance to keep the whole system performing.
Solar Expertise
Our team of seasoned technicians are adept at safely and efficiently cleaning rooftop solar panels. Unlike non-specialized cleaners, our technicians are well-versed in the unique safety risks associated with solar panel cleaning, ensuring that they employ safe practices at all times. As the system owner and the party responsible for hiring the cleaner, you are legally obligated to engage a maintenance company that effectively manages these safety risks.
Warranty Friendly
We only use brushes, cleaning robots and cleaning methods that comply with panel warranty requirements so you can be assured we won’t be doing anything that might damage the panels or invalidate the warranty.
Trusted Partner
When you choose Ecovision, you’re opting for trustworthiness backed by our extensive experience. Rest assured, we’re dedicated to meeting your needs and simply doing the job well.
Competitive Pricing
Our pricing competes favourably with other solar O&M service providers, ensuring that you receive excellent value for your investment. You can have peace of mind knowing that you’re getting quality service and value for money.
Maintenance Packages
As a full-service solar O&M provider, we offer flexibility to suit your needs. You can opt for our one-time cleaning service or select a maintenance package tailored to your requirements. These packages may include bird-proofing solutions or preventative maintenance checks, ensuring that your solar panels remain in optimal condition over time.
How much does solar panel cleaning cost?
The cost of solar panel cleaning depends on the size of the system, how accessible the panels are, and how heavy the soiling is. For harder-to-reach roofs we include any lift hire in the quote, so there are no surprises on the day. Because generation typically improves by 10–30% after visibly dirty panels are cleaned, the clean often pays for itself within a few months.
Every quote is free and comes with zero obligation — call 0333 006 7745 or use the Quick Quote form to get yours.
Case studies...
Solar power cleaning FAQs
My panels were only installed a couple of years ago, do I need to get them cleaned?
Depending on the severity of the panel soilage, the solar output of your panels can drop by a significant amount after just a year of no maintenance. You could be losing a lot of generation income or energy bill savings because of this.
If I had my panels cleaned how much can I expect my solar output to improve by?
It’s generally accepted in the industry that performance can increase by 10-30% after panels are cleaned if they are visibly dirty. The level of improvement will depend on how bad the soiling is on the panels of course.
Will the clean make my panels work as well as when I installed them?
Assuming there's no underlying damages then you can expect your solar panels to run almost as well as the day they were installed. Solar panels naturally degrade in performance a little bit over time due to ageing (typically 1% after the first year and then 0.4% each year thereafter) but aside from that they should run just as well as when they were installed.
How do you clean the solar panels?
For larger solar installations or where panels can be hard to reach we normally use a robot cleaner which is design specifically for cleaning solar panels (it’s called a Solar Cleano F1, though we like to call it Dave!). For small installations which are easier to reach we use brushes mounted on 12m long carbon fibre poles. The brushes are water fed and are designed specifically for use on solar panels. We only use deionised water so as not to damage the panel’s coating and so as not to leave residue on the panels, and may use special solar panel cleaning solution mixed into the water to help shift stubborn soling.
The soilage is quite bad on my panels, how do I know your robot will be able to clean them? Will it even clean lichen off?
The Solar Cleano F1 robot, coupled with deionized water and top of the line solar panel cleaning chemicals can handle almost all severities of soilage. In the off chance we think the robot might not be able to handle the clean, we offer manual cleaning prior to the robot’s use that will guarantee a complete clean.
How do you plan to get the robot onto our roof? Do we need to organize a lift hire?
At Ecovision we include a lift hire rental cost in our no-obligation quotes. Once the deposit has been paid we handle all of the rental and delivery processes, making your solar panel cleaning experience as stress free as possible.
What’s the benefit of locking in a multi year cleaning contract?
Locking in a multi year cleaning contract with us ensures the cost remains as it was the first year of service throughout the entire duration of the contract, regardless of inflation rates. It also gives you peace of mind that your panels will be looked after for years to come without the hassle and uncertainties of finding another cleaning company each year.
How often should I clean my solar panels?
While there is no hard and fast rule about the frequency of solar panel cleaning, it’s generally considered good practice to clean them at least once a year as the build up of dirt and soiling over a year is enough to noticeably lower the performance of the panels. Cleaning once a year will also help keep lichen under control which if left for longer periods can spread and be particularly difficult to remove.
Will panel cleaning affect the warranty on my solar panels?
No, not if done by solar cleaning experts like Ecovision. We only used approved cleaning tools and robots specifically designed for solar panels and only use deionised water and solar panel specific cleaning fluids. Non specific fluids and tools, such as those which may be used by general cleaning companies, can scratch or eat away at the special coating on solar panels or can lead to micro-cracks appearing in the cells within the panels, reducing their performance and potentially invalidating the warranty.
Can anyone clean solar panels?
Apart from the specialist equipment needed above, it’s also important that cleaning is done by solar panel experts rather than a general cleaning contractor. Part of this is down to safety – solar panels are live electrical equipment so when cleaning them with water it’s important to take the proper precautions as the panels themselves can’t be turned off and will be live as long as it is daylight. There are also safety considerations to take into account when working at height. In addition to that it’s important to take the proper care when dealing with solar panels so that the warranty isn’t invalidated and the panels aren’t damaged. For example applying too much pressure to solar panels, or worse still walking on them, can cause microcracks to appear in the cells which while not visible at first can grow over time and result in the panels losing a lot of their output.