Solar panel cleaning
Bird droppings, lichen, salt and grime removed with pure water and soft brushes — the method panel makers recommend. Priced per panel.
From $199 inc. GST · fixed in writing before we book
Why it matters
Droppings create shaded spots that rain won’t wash off.
Salt film near the coast and lichen on low-tilt panels build up over time.
Manufacturers warn that damage from improper cleaning (such as high pressure or harsh chemicals) can void warranties.
This is for you if
The job, step by step
We check the panel maker’s cleaning guidance and photograph the array before we start.
Deionised water and soft brushes. No detergents and no high pressure on the glass.
We check under the array for nests, droppings and debris, and tell you what we find.
Before and after photos of the array sent to your phone.
Quick answers
Straight answers to the questions Sydney homeowners ask before booking.
Professional solar panel cleaning washes the glass with deionised (pure) water and soft brushes on water-fed poles, with no detergent and no high pressure. Our clean also lifts bird droppings and lichen, checks under the array edges for nests, and photographs any cracked glass or loose cabling we can see. If you like, you can compare your inverter app readings before and after.
Solar panels should be cleaned when something rain will not remove is sitting on them, such as bird droppings, lichen, a coastal salt film or grime on flat and low-tilt panels. Light dust on steeply tilted panels is mostly rinsed off by rain, so a clean is not always needed. Independent analysis suggests ordinary dust costs relatively little output, which is why we never promise a set increase.
Many panel manufacturers suggest cleaning roughly once a year, and more often near the coast, busy or unsealed roads, or where birds are active. Guidance varies by brand, so check your own panel manual. From the ground, dull glass, dropping spots or growth along the lower frame edge are signs a clean is due.
Solar panels are cleaned safely with pure water, soft non-abrasive brushes and low pressure, in line with the cleaning instructions in manufacturers’ manuals. Nobody walks on the panels, and where possible we avoid spraying cold water onto hot glass in the peak heat of the day. Stubborn spots are soaked and lifted gently rather than scrubbed, then checked in the after photos.
Solar panel cleaning is priced per panel, and most homes fall within $280–$360 (20 panels). Our prices start from $199 including GST, with a minimum call-out and an adjustment for storeys. Your fixed price is confirmed in writing before we arrive.
Solar panel cleaning is usually completed in a single visit, and the time is confirmed with your quote. The number of panels, roof height and pitch, how the arrays are laid out and how heavily soiled the glass is all affect it. It can be done on the same visit as a gutter or roof clean.
You can rinse panels with a hose from the ground, but getting onto the roof or using the wrong products is where the risk lies. Manufacturers warn against high pressure, harsh chemicals and abrasive tools, and roof work carries a genuine fall risk. If you hire a cleaner, ask what water, brushes and pressure they use.
Yes, every solar clean we do includes a look under the array edges for nests, droppings and debris. If pigeons are nesting there, you receive the photos and a separate bird-proofing quote, with no obligation to go ahead. We also photograph any damage we notice during the clean, such as cracked glass, discoloured cells or exposed cabling.
Cleaning that follows the manufacturer’s instructions should not affect your panel warranty; the risk comes from the wrong method. Manufacturers warn that damage from high pressure, harsh chemicals or abrasive tools may not be covered, and one major manufacturer’s manual, for example, recommends keeping water pressure below 675 kPa. We check your panel maker’s guidance before starting and use pure water, soft brushes and low pressure.
Ordinary dirt mainly lowers output rather than causing damage, but bird droppings and nests are worth dealing with. Droppings leave concentrated shaded spots that rain rarely shifts, and nests under the array trap debris and moisture around cabling and the roof. On smoky or hazy days, lower output comes from the air rather than the panels, so a clean will not change it.
Trimming trees that overhang the array reduces leaf litter, sap and birds perching above the panels. If droppings keep returning to the same panels, check for pigeons nesting underneath, because bird proofing deals with the cause rather than the symptom. Otherwise, a look from the ground every few months and a clean when you see droppings, lichen or a salty film is a sensible routine.
What’s included
Deionised water and soft brushes leave no mineral spots and need no detergent.
Low pressure and no chemicals, in line with panel makers’ installation manuals.
The stubborn spots that actually block light are soaked and lifted, not scrubbed hard.
Photos of cracked glass, hot spots we can see, loose cables or nests under the array.
Sent to your phone when we finish.
Share your inverter app screenshot before and after if you want to see the change yourself.
Is it worth it?
Rain rinses light dust from steeply tilted panels, so a clean is not always needed. It usually is when one or more of these applies.
Price guide
Published so you can budget before you enquire. Your exact price is fixed in writing before we book.
| Typical job | Price (GST incl.) |
|---|---|
| Up to 12 panels | $199–$220 |
| 20 panels | $280–$360 |
| 30 panels | $420–$540 |
| Per panel | $14–$18 (min. $199) |
What changes the price: number of panels, storeys and roof access.
Ranges are a guide for typical Sydney homes. Your exact fixed price is confirmed in writing before we start — no call-out fee, no surprises.
Save with a bundle
Extra services booked for the same visit are 10% off — we’re already set up on your roof.
See your price
Tell us about the property and your suburb. You’ll see a GST-inclusive estimate straight away, then a written fixed price by SMS.
Prefer to talk? 0468 070 392 · Mon–Fri 7am–6pm · Sat 8am–2pm
Method
Before we start, we check your panel manufacturer’s cleaning guidance. This is the method we work to.
Output loss on smoky or hazy days comes from the air, not the panels, and a clean won’t change that. We never promise a set increase in output.
Every job documented
When we finish, a report lands on your phone: timestamped photos and video of the work, and honest notes on anything we noticed. It’s how you know the job was done.
Repeated droppings on the same panels often mean pigeons are nesting underneath. Our clean includes a look under the array edges. If we find nests, you get the photos and a separate bird-proofing quote, with the panel wash included if you go ahead. No pressure either way.
Packages with solar clean
Most booked together
Homes with solar. We’re already on the roof, so the panel wash costs less than a separate visit.
$640–$810Typical single-storey home, about 20 panels · GST included
Includes a bundle saving of about $30
Complete
A full reset: before selling, after a wet year, or when lichen has taken hold.
$1,680–$2,380Typical single-storey home, about 20 panels · GST included
Includes a bundle saving of about $70
Across Sydney
Highlighted regions have a local guide: what we see there and why it changes the job.
Questions
Something else? Call 0468 070 392 or ask in the quote form.
Often yes where there are bird droppings, lichen, coastal salt or low-tilt panels. Light dust on steep panels is largely washed by rain. Our guide explains when it is and isn’t worth it.
Using the wrong method can. We use pure water, soft brushes and low pressure — the approach panel manufacturers describe in their manuals.
It is priced per panel with a minimum call-out, adjusted for storeys. See the table above; your fixed price is confirmed before we arrive.
Most manufacturers suggest about once a year, more often near the coast, dusty roads or heavy bird activity.
No. Pure water is enough and avoids residue or damage to the anti-reflective coating.
No. We send photos when finished.
Guides
Get started
An instant GST-inclusive estimate, then a written fixed price by SMS. No call-out fee.