How to Clean Conservatories

A new conservatory is a valuable investment for any home. It gives you a beautifully bright room that will always capture the maximum amount of sunlight and space.

The initial joy it brings is undeniable. But, as the months draw on, your stunning new space might start to lose its shine. Didn’t it used to be bigger? Didn’t it used to brighter?

Chances are, the dulling down of your conservatory has one simple-to-tackle cause: dirt.

Those big, beautiful panes of glass will eventually start to collect grime, smears, and stains on their surfaces that block out the sunlight and can even damage the structure of the conservatory if left long-term.

All it takes is cleaning a conservatory to see it shine again and return it to its status as the sparkling jewel of your home. As such, we thought we’d share some suggestions on how to clean a conservatory, inside and out, to help you bring it back to its very best self.

How to Clean a Conservatory Roof

There are various theories around what is the best way to clean a conservatory roof. For some people, expensive specialist tools are a necessity, while for others all it takes is elbow grease and the contents of your average kitchen cupboard.

For people who are new to conservatories, it might not even seem worth the hassle. Staring up at a whole roof full of glass panes, you might be tempted to put it off and put it off, even when there are stains. Why not wait till it the heavens open, rain falls, and let nature do the work?

This is such a bad idea. Not only will rainfall ADD to the dirt, not remove it, but failing to clean it regularly can dramatically reduce the life of your conservatory. With wooden conservatories, in particular, any resting plant life can turn to mould and rot in the structure. And even with uPVC, the plastic can be damaged by prolonged exposure to corrosive elements such as bird mess, moss, or leaf mulch.

Clean conservatory roofs don’t just look better with all that sunlight flooding in, they last longer too.

So, we know we have to clean our conservatory to keep it beautiful. The question of how do you clean a conservatory roof may be down to personal preference but we can definitely equip you with some tips and techniques to get you started.

How to clean a conservatory roof outside

• Making cleaning your conservatory roof a regular occurrence

Exposed to the elements, neglected conservatory roofs can get pretty filthy. Rain streaks, bird droppings, moss, or algae can all build up and suck the sparkle out of your glass. We recommend cleaning conservatory roofs at least once a year to keep them at their clearest.

• Get the right tools

It’s your choice how high tech you want to get with your cleaning. But to make the job as simple and as safe as possible, we recommend investing in a water-fed pole system. This is a telescopic pole that feeds water up into a swivel brush head.

These brush heads are easy to maneuver as well as being soft against the surface of the glass. The constant flow of water also makes the job easier. And it lowers the likelihood of streaks being left on the glass.

• Avoid cleaning your conservatory roof on hot, sunny days

Strong, direct sunlight will start to dry the glass while you’re still cleaning. This can cause streaks to form on the glass, and leave it looking as if you never cleaned it at all.

• Don’t use a pressure washer!

Tempting as it might be to blast that grime away, don’t try cleaning conservatory roofs with a pressure washer. It can mark or damage the glass, and even weaken the seal that holds the glass in place.

How to clean conservatory roof inside

Of course, cleaning conservatory roofs on the outside isn’t enough. Not to bring back your day one sparkle. For that, you will also need to tackle cleaning your conservatory roof inside.

The theory is the same as the outside glass. Do it often. Don’t do it under a hot sun.

Your tools are a little different though. Cover your floor and furniture to protect against soapy drips. Get a ladder, and someone to hold it steady. And this is a good time to invest in a specialist glass cleaner, to minimise streaking or smearing without too much effort.

If you do decide to mix up your own cleaning solution from soap and water, there is one top tip we can share. Experts say that purified water leaves far less streaking than liquid straight out of the tap.

Most people won’t have immediate access to this type of water. Instead, boil your water for 15 minutes then leave it to cool before using. This makes the water purer, and less likely to dry in a streaky finish.

How to Clean Conservatory Windows

Once your roof is sparkling, it’s time to turn to the task of cleaning conservatory windows.

Just like the roof, the best way to clean conservatory windows is with a water-fed pole. It gives you a long reach and maximum impact with the least amount of effort. For a job as awkward but necessary as cleaning conservatory windows outside, it’s really worth investing in this piece of kit.

Once your windows have been soaped and rinsed, take a microfibre cloth and give them a good buff to get the last of the water off and lessen the chance of streaking. Make sure you wring out the cloth frequently though, as a wet cloth will make the problem worse!

When it comes to cleaning conservatory windows inside, follow the same advice as the roof. Purified water is best, use gentle sponges and change your water regularly. Finally, find a ladder to make it easier to tackle hard to reach spots.

How to Clean Conservatory Gutters

Cleaning your conservatory gutters probably sits way down at the bottom of your ‘enjoyable household jobs’ list. It’s difficult, it’s dirty, and it usually ends with massive soggy, smelly mess. And that’s just you!

Unfortunately, it’s also a necessity as neglected gutters will harbour mould, moss and plant debris. This isn’t just disgusting: this build up can block the pipes and reduce their drainage abilities, causing leaks and spills that can damage your conservatory.

Worse still, all that sludge and sodden muck weighs a lot. It will add extra stress to the gutter brackets and the gutters themselves, weakening them and shortening their life.

You really can’t afford to avoid this unpleasant job. Try following these tips, so at least this unpleasant task can go by as painlessly as possible.

• Use a ladder and get a close look

Standing on the ground and poking your gutters with a hooked tool might seem temptingly easy. Especially for a single-storey conservatory roof.

But this is a bad idea. When you can’t see what you’re doing you risk damaging the guttering or brackets and marking the conservatory panes. You’ll even risk injuring yourself if you overreach, or dislodge something that falls.

• Invest in specialist tools

For DIY masters, taking your downpipes off the wall to clean them out might be a small, simple job. But for most people, it’s fiddly, frustrating and ultimately unnecessary.

Instead, get a hold of some flexible gutter brushes. With stiff bristles and a bendable stem, these can hook and dislodge dirt and leaves from inside your downpipes, getting them suitably clean with minimum fuss.

• Do it regularly!

This is actually our number one tip on how to clean conservatory gutters. The longer you leave between tackling this task, the more build-up there will be, the more damage it will cause and the longer it will take to clean.

Twice a year is probably the minimum. And this isn’t a job best kept to warm summer months when you’re tinkering in the garden. A late-autumn clean is a must, to clear out all those fallen leaves before they rot into mulch during the wet winter months.

A bright, airy conservatory can be the crowning jewel in any home. But like all prize gems, it takes a regular polish to keep it sparkling. Hopefully, our tips will make the job a little less off-putting and even a little easier. Because the shine of a squeaky-clean conservatory roof is definitely a result worth working for.