Soft-brush + deionised water washes that lift dust, pollen, leaf litter and bird droppings off your panels — without scratching coatings or voiding the manufacturer warranty. Best done in spring, before peak generation season.
“Output had dropped about 15% over two years — Zac cleaned the panels and the inverter is reading back where it should be. Worth it.”
“Booked Zac for solar and gutter together. Professional, careful, sent photos of every panel and gutter run. Highly recommend.”
Solar panels are deceptive — they look fine from the ground but underneath they're losing real money every month. Industry studies put generation losses from soiled panels at anywhere between 5% and 25% depending on tilt, location and how long it's been since the last clean. In the Yarra Ranges, where panels cop pollen from spring blossom, gum oil and resin, fine ash from autumn burn-offs, plus persistent bird mess from the local lorikeets and cockies — the upper end of that range is the norm, not the exception.
Rain doesn't fix it. Rain leaves mineral deposits as it dries, which actually compounds the problem. The only way to recover that output is a proper soft-brush wash with deionised water — the same method used by commercial solar farms — to dissolve and lift the soiling without leaving its own residue.
We use a roof-safe extending pole system that lets us reach the panels without standing directly on them. Panels are fragile under point loads — most warranty terms exclude damage from foot pressure, so we keep weight off the glass surface. Deionised water means we don't need detergent, and there's nothing left behind to attract more grime.
For most Yarra Ranges homes we recommend an annual clean in early spring (September–October), ideally paired with a gutter clean while we're already on site. North-facing arrays in heavy pollen zones may need it twice a year.
Every panel inspected, washed and rinsed. Warranty-safe method. Photo proof of every panel.
We walk the perimeter and photograph any pre-existing damage, hot-spots or visible cell discolouration.
Telescopic-pole soft brush — no walking on panels, no aggressive pads, no abrasive chemicals.
Pure-water rinse leaves no streaks, no mineral deposits and no detergent residue to attract dirt.
Stubborn marks treated with a roof-safe scraper before the main wash.
Quick visual on the gutters directly beneath the array — these block fastest from runoff debris.
Quick eyeball check on your inverter for any visible fault lights, before and after.
Wide and close shots, before and after, sent through after the job.
No high-pressure spray, no detergents, no foot-loading. Documented method satisfies most panel warranties.
Send your panel count and roof type. Same-day fixed quote.
Cloudy or overcast days are actually best for panel cleaning. We pick a good day and lock it in.
Soft brush, deionised water, no foot-traffic on the panels. Usually 60–90 minutes.
Photo report through with your invoice. Monitor your inverter — most clients see output bounce within days.
Usually yes — and often a bigger one than people expect. Output losses from soiled panels range from 5–25% depending on conditions. In the Yarra Ranges, with high pollen, gum resin and bird activity, we routinely see clients pick up double-digit percentage gains after a clean. Check your inverter app the week before and the week after — it's almost always visible in the data.
No, unfortunately. Rain rinses off some loose dust but it leaves mineral deposits as it dries, and it doesn't touch bird droppings, gum resin, lichen or sticky pollen. Tilted panels especially develop a "dirty edge" along the bottom where rainwater pools and dries.
Our method (soft brush, no foot-traffic, deionised water, no detergent) satisfies the cleaning requirements in most panel manufacturer warranties. We can provide written confirmation of our method on request. The thing that DOES void warranties is pressure-washing, standing on the panels, or using abrasive cleaners — we don't do any of that.
Late winter or early spring (August–October) is ideal — clean panels just as solar generation ramps up for summer. A second clean in late autumn can also be worthwhile if you've had heavy bird or pollen activity.
Yes, and most clients bundle them. We discount the combined job 10% and it saves a second roof visit. The gutter directly under your array is usually the worst one in the house anyway.
Tell us roughly how many panels you've got and your suburb. Same-day fixed quote — no surprises.
Or call 0410 832 278.
Pair solar with a gutter or roof clean and we'll discount the combined job 10%.
Same-day quote turnaround. Bundle with a gutter clean and save 10%. Call Zac and we'll sort it.