Skylights add tremendous value to your roof and, ultimately, your home. We all know that the purpose of a skylight is to provide your home with much-needed natural light. But apart from this, a skylight can also play a crucial role in improving the level of ventilation within your space. They are available in various styles and finishes, all of which can elevate the look of your property.
But just like with regular windows, skylights can also be an eyesore if they’re not clean enough. As homeowners ourselves, we know how day-to-day life can get in the way of maintaining your home, especially your windows. Luckily, we’re here to provide some tips on how to clean both the inside and outside of your skylights, in order to maintain their beauty and functionality.
Preparing For The Task
Before we dive into the cleaning process, let’s gather the necessary tools and materials. You’ll need:
- A sturdy ladder
- A soft-bristled brush or a squeegee
- Mild soap or a specialized skylight cleaner
- Clean rags or microfiber cloths
- A bucket filled with warm water
- Safety gear (gloves, goggles, and non-slip shoes)
Take The Necessary Safety Steps
When it comes to working in hazardous environments, safety gear is an essential part of any worker’s kit. Gloves, goggles, and non-slip shoes are some of the most common types of safety gear that can help prevent accidents and injuries.
Tackling the Exterior: How To Clean The Skylight From The Outside
It’s important to keep the exterior of your skylight clean in order to let in as much natural light as possible. Since your roof is the rest of your home’s first line of defense, skylights face a lot of wear and tear. Over time, this causes the exterior surface of a skylight to gather dirt, dust, and other forms of debris. All these can dull appearances and block natural light from entering your home or office. To rectify this, cleaning the skylight is necessary.
1. Secure the Ladder
To clean the outside of your skylight, you have to reach your roof. Set up a sturdy ladder on a firm, level surface near the skylight. Make sure you get the help of a family member or a friend and position the ladder at the right angle to keep it sturdy. Having a stable ladder setup is essential for safety when working at heights.
2. Clean The Dust With A Soft Bristle Brush
Once you are on your roof safely, it’s time to begin the cleaning process. Begin by removing any loose debris like leaves and twigs. Strong winds or storms can cause them to fall on your roof and damage the skylight’s exterior.
Use a soft-bristle brush to gently brush away this top layer of debris, being careful not to grind any gritty particles into the skylight’s surface. You can also use a sponge to clean the debris off the skylight.
3. Clean Tough Stains With The Help Of A Solution Mix
In most cases, you will only need to clean the dust that has accumulated on the top of your skylight frame and glass. But if there are hard stains in the form of sap or animal droppings then you will need another solution.
How Do You Create A DIY Skylight Cleaner?
In a bucket, mix a few drops of a specialized window cleaner or mild soap with warm water to create your cleaning solution. Avoid using harsh chemicals or abrasives that can potentially scratch or damage the skylight’s exterior.
4. Scrub and Rinse The Skylight Exterior
Dip your brush into the cleaning solution. Scrub the skylight’s outer surface in sections, reapplying the solution as needed. Focus on areas with caked-on grime or staining.
5. Dry and Perform A Final Inspection
Once the solution is fully rinsed away, use a clean microfiber cloth to dry the skylight exterior by wiping it in a side-to-side motion. Make sure no water streaks or spots are left behind. Carefully inspect the entire surface to ensure you’ve removed all dirt, debris, and stains for a smooth, clean finish.
What you need to consider before cleaning the skylight from the outside:
- Work on cloudy days or in shade when possible to prevent rapid drying, which can lead to streaking.
- Use cleaning tools that are soft and non-abrasive to avoid scratches.
- Take your time and don’t rush, as skylights require gentle cleaning.
How To Clean Skylights From The Inside
Sometimes the skylights are fine on the outside but have developed some issues on the inside.
Keeping the inside of your skylight nice and clean is just as important as the outside. Dust, dirt, handprints and other grime building up on the interior will block natural light from properly shining into your home. Here are some tips to clean the inside of your skylight.
1. Clear The Area Under The Skylight
First, you’ll want to move any furniture, rugs, or other items out from below the area where your skylight is installed. This gives you a wide open space to work in and ensures nothing gets damaged as you start cleaning above.
Afterward, carefully position a tall ladder onto a secure platform/surface that allows you to comfortably access the interior skylight. Safety is always important, so make sure your ladder is completely stable.
2. Wipe Away Loose Stuff
Use a clean dry cloth or brush to remove any loose dust, cobwebs, dirt crumbs, or other bits of debris that have accumulated on the interior.
3. Clean And Rinse The Glass
Dip your cloth/brush into the cleaning mixture discussed above, or specialized window cleaner, and start gently scrubbing the interior surface of the skylight. Go section by section, reapplying the soapy water as needed. Use slight pressure to work on any dried-on stains or gunk. As you finish each section, rinse thoroughly with clean water to remove all soap residue.
4. Dry It Off
Once it’s fully rinsed, use a clean dry towel or cloth to carefully wipe away any remaining water from the skylight, preventing streaks or water spotting.
Have You Found Damage While Cleaning Your Skylights? We Can Help!
We hope that you are now more aware of how to clean skylights effectively. However, it’s important to take precautions and consider hiring a professional contractor to do the process for you.
If you find damage such as broken seals or missing flashing when cleaning your skylights, you’ll want to call the professional team at Northkiti Roofing. At Northkit Roofing we understand the importance of a well-maintained roof skylight. We offer the best skylight installation, repair, and maintenance services in Cedar Grove and the surrounding areas of New Jersey.
Give us a call today at (973) 302-7416 and find out how we can help you!
