There’s no point having skylights if they’re dirty and dingy, blocking natural light from entering your home. In fact, you would be astonished to see how much different cleaning your skylights can make! Your skylights should be cleaned once or twice per year and inspected for any damage.
Supplies
To clean your skylights, you’re going to need the following supplies:
Ladder- 2 buckets
- sudsy ammonia
- rubbing alcohol
- good-quality rubber squeegee
- lint-free cloths
- rubber gloves
- spray bottles
LadderLets get cleaning!
A mild, non-abrasive cleaning solution should be used when cleaning your skylights to prevent damaging the glazing. You can very easily make your own cleaning solution. Fill a bucket up with approximately 54 ounces of cold water. Slowly add a quarter cup of sudsy ammonia and one cup of rubbing alcohol. Make sure the solution is mixed well and then pour it into a spray bottle if you wish. If you don’t have a spray bottle, put the cleaning solution in one bucket and clean, warm water in the second bucket.
Take your cleaning solution and soak the skylights to loosen up dried dirt and debris. Do not use an abrasive scrubber.
After you remove the dirt, wet your cloth in the bucket with the warm water and wipe over the skylight a second time. Immediately grab you squeegee and remove the excess water. Dry your squeegee with a cloth between each swipe. If you are using a metal squeegee, be careful not to scrape the metal against the glass, as this could scratch it.
Use a clean, damp cloth to clean interior frames.
Tip: Avoid cleaning your windows when it is hot and sunny. The sun causes the cleaning solution to dry very quickly, resulting in streaks. Instead, opt for a cloudy day.
Overtime, skylights may become damaged from ice and hail or become permanently fogged from years of sun exposure. If you notice any damage to your skylights while cleaning, call Armstrong Glass and Mirror for skylight repair or replacement.