How to clean a conservatory roof – keep your glass roof looking spotless and moss free

If you're wondering how to clean a conservatory roof, we're with you.

Conservatories are wonderful additions to homes that create a link with the garden and make for fabulous dining or working-from-home spaces. They also are a bit of a nightmare to clean, with reaching the roof a particular challenge.

Fortunately, cleaning conservatories can be done with a bit of know-how. Here's what garden experts recommend to get your conservatory roof truly clean.

How to clean a conservatory roof

1. Choose the correct cleaning tool

This is the first and by far the most important step when cleaning a conservatory roof. Even if you've got a small conservatory, the roof outside is still likely to be hard to reach with ordinary window-cleaning tools.

'You will more than likely need a telescopic brush to access those hard-to-reach areas. Some have built-in water sprayers which help to ensure that the entire glass surface of your roof is left spotless,' recommends Thomas O’Rourke, Editor at Horticulture.co.uk.

With larger, taller conservatories, even a telescopic tool may not be long enough, so 'a step ladder may also come in handy – you should avoid any situation in which you’re applying pressure to the glass panes of your conservatory'.

If the cleaning feels awkward and unsteady in any way, you could injure yourself or damage the glass. A combination of a ladder and telescopic cleaning brush or sponge should give you enough room to clean comfortably.

2. Be generous with the amount of cleaning solution you use  

This is another important point when cleaning your conservatory roof. Debris from the garden that inevitably lands on your roof are often sticky with tree sap and won't come off with just water. Also any moss growing on the roof also will need a bit more than just water to budge.

To combat this you'll need to apply your cleaning solution generously. Thomas advises being careful with the type you pick to avoid damaging your garden plants.

'Be liberal with your cleaning solution but be mindful of your garden plants,' he says. 'Many cleaning solutions are highly acidic, meaning they will affect the pH levels of your soil.'

'These solutions can also cause leaching – where water-soluble nutrients for plants are lost from your garden soil. Eco-friendly cleaning solutions are available – these are usually pH neutral and harmless for garden wildlife.'

3. Hose down thoroughly

Garden hoses are invaluable for cleaning in the garden, including when learning how to clean garden furniture and conservatories. Once you scrubbed any dirt from your conservatory roof, the next step is to rinse it down with a garden how to help remove any streaks and clean away excess dirt.

4. Consider installing self-cleaning glass

Still sounds like too much work? There may be a different solution to the problem of a dirty conservatory roof – installing self-cleaning glass.

'Instead of regular cleaning we recommended self-cleaning glass (or Active Glass) for a conservatory roof. Glass that cleans itself will save on maintenance and means views will remain uninterrupted,' explains Ryan Schofield, Director at the Thames Valley Window Company.

'The glass has a transparent coating that reacts with UV rays. When rainwater spreads evenly over the glass it breaks down any dirt and simply rinses it away. Detergent cleaners should not be used on this glass and it shouldn’t be touched too much.'

Understanding how to choose the right conservatory should factor in how much you're prepared to clean it. Cleaning is cheaper than self-cleaning glass, but only you can decide whether spending a little extra may be worth it for you.