How to Clean Solar Lights: 2024 Full Guide

Solar electric lights have been an indispensable device in daily life and public facilities, greatly enhancing our ability to recycle energy. Solar lights are generally divided into two parts: the solar panel and the light. This blog will introduce how to clean and maintain our solar lights and panels respectively. We hope it will be helpful to you.

Issues of Solar Lights after Long-term Use

Dirt often accumulate on the solar panels after a period of time.The sun is the energy source of the lights, and the solar panel needs to be able to absorb as much sunlight as possible. If the panel is covered by dirt or leaves, it won’t be able to work efficiently. When a solar light is dirty, it may seem dimmer than usual, or it may run out of power earlier than it normally would.

How to Clean Solar Panels?

What you should prepare for long-term used solar panel cleaning?

Water hose

The purpose of the hose is to provide a water source for flushing and to be able to rinse the key stained areas, which is the first step in the basic cleaning process.

Sandpaper or a soft brush

If the solar panel hasn't had a stain removed for a long time, then the light may accumulate debris and dirt that can be difficult to remove with a sponge.

Therefore, sandpaper and soft bristle brushes are very effective tools to remove stubborn stains, they are very easy to operate, inexpensive to buy, and they are very easy for you to prepare in advance.

WD40

It acts as a lubricant, rust preventive, penetrant and moisture displacer. WD-40 Multi-Use Product protects metal from rust and corrosion, penetrates stuck parts, displaces moisture and lubricates almost anything.

With such a lubricating rust remover, damage to the surface of the object caused by friction stains can be effectively avoided, and it can also be used as a stain remover to carry away stains. This is a very useful and convenient product to buy.

Dish soap or mild detergent

Obviously, we need a cleaner to help loosen the dirt so we can easily wipe it off. When cleaning solar panels, we use normal dishwashing detergent because, as a household cleaner, it's usually better than other chemicals that can damage the internal electronics of a solar light or panel.

Clear coat spray

A clear coat spray is a transparent paint that goes over your base coat and protects it from damage and UV rays. It also gives a glossy finish that deepens the base color quality and lets you easily buff out small scratches.

Dry cloth or towel

Some of the dust and stains floating on the surface can be wiped away directly with a dry cloth or towel, and we can wipe the surface again with a dry cloth when we finish our work, by using the cleaner to make sure that there is no cleaner residue.
Drying the solar light after cleaning is the key to preventing damage to the light.

Extra tips for cleaning the solar panels

Do not use any metal objects or detergents to remove spots on the materials. This can lead to scratching on the glass that will reduce performance and lead to shadows being formed. Avoid splashing cold water on a hot glass surface. It can lead to sudden system crash.

Steps to clean the solar panels:

1. Wipe any dust, dirt, or leaves with a soft brush or towel.

2. Use water hose to spray the panels clean.

3. Scrub any problem areas with a soft brush and water.

4. Use cleaner or other chemical products to clean the surface and wipe them off after the work.

5. Monitor your solar output to evaluate the cleaning’s result.

6. Apply clear coat spray on the surface.

How to clean cloudy solar light panels?

Solar panels are exposed to the natural environment 24 hours a day, and rain, dust, pollen, airborne bacteria, and a variety of other environmental debris can make them dirty very quickly. When solar panel surfaces become dirty, they absorb the sun's rays less efficiently and, in some cases, use more than 30% less power. Cleaning solar panels with dirty surfaces is as simple as cleaning the windows in your home. Normally, they should be cleaned every six months.

In order to clean such a kind of lamp, you should prepare a toothbrush, rags, water and detergent beforehand. Start by gently wiping any dirt or debris from the lamp with a damp cloth. If there is more stubborn dirt that can not be removed by wiping with water, you can add a few drops of cleaner to the water and then use it to scrub the residue.

Finally, dry it with a dry cloth and reassemble. If there are areas where dirt has accumulated over time and is hard to reach, then you can use a toothbrush to clean them. Be sure to rinse it off with clean water after scrubbing, and allow it to dry completely before returning it to its designated spot outside!

How to Clean Solar light？

The daily material to clean solar light

Water hose, Dish soap or mild detergent, Gloves, Sponge and towel

Steps to clean the solar lights

1. Wipe dust and grime with a dry and clean towel

2. Dip a sponge into the soapy water, wring out most of the moisture and wipe the plastic down again.

3. Use some dishwashing soap or detergent to clean stubborn stains

4. Get a fresh and dry towel to tie up loose ends

How to clean yellowed/oxidized plastic solar lights

If your solar lights have been sitting outside for a while, then you may have noticed that their plastic parts are starting to turn yellow after being exposed to the elements for some time.

I've found that this is due to a process of oxidization, which is common for plastics that are exposed to the elements, such as my plastic tabletop. I also discovered that oxidization not only affects the appearance of the item, but also the structural hardness of the lamps, greatly shortening their lifespan.

To clean yellowed plastic solar lights, start by using some detergent. Then, dip a soft cloth or sponge into the solution and use it to scrub the light fixtures until they are free of dirt and grime. Once finished, rinse with cold water to remove any remaining soap residue.

Finally, dry the lights thoroughly before replacing them outside for another night of illumination!

Interesting but Effective Method for Cleaning Solar Lights

Vinegar

Vinegar is a natural acidic solution that can remove grime, grease and dirt. They can react chemically to form substances that are soluble in water and thus washed away by water. To make an all-purpose cleaning solution, mix vinegar and water half and half in a spray bottle or bucket.

Drop it on the surface of the solar electric light, then scrub it, and finally rinse it once with water to remove the stains.

Nail polish remover

Nail polish remover is usually made from solvents that can dissolve nitrocellulose and resins, etc. Its main components are organic substances, and it forms a solute-solvent relationship with certain dirt.

This method works best when the surface of the light is not scratched or cracked, as it could potentially damage the plastic lens or shorten its life span.

Toothpaste

Toothpaste pastes are made up of a variety of ingredients, which are categorized into solid and liquid phases as far as their form is concerned. The solid form is mainly a powdered rubbing substance. That is our main stain remover ingredient, rubbing against the stains with the purpose of rubbing them off the object, and then taking them away with the liquid.

That's why toothpaste is so powerful in stain removal and can also be used in our solar electric light cleaning jobs. It is simple but cost-effective.

Routine Maintenance of Solar Lights after Cleaning

After regular cleaning, daily maintenance is also very important to ensure long-term quality and to extend the operation time of the product.

Remove blockages

Shade from trees, objects in the shade, etc. can cause solar panels to not absorb enough light. However light absorption is very important for solar panels. Most photovoltaic cells have an efficiency of 20% to 23%, so you should increase your sunlight exposure to ensure that your solar panels absorb as much radiation as possible. You can maximize exposure to the sun's rays by regularly trimming tree branches near your solar panels. Professional cleaning once or twice a year can improve energy efficiency by 3-5 percentage points. In the long run, this is a very smart thing to do.

Check the batteries

If the solar light still doesn't work after you have ruled out environmental factors, then you need to consider other factors, such as whether it is the battery. This is because batteries are prone to corrosion in outdoor environments, which can affect the storage of electricity. So what you need to do is to check or replace the battery regularly.

Check for damage

It is also a very important step to regularly take the solar electric light apart and check for loose parts, aging circuits or damaged electronic components. Doing so can both identify problems in time and solve them early to prevent them from impacting the experience during use. This is also done for safety reasons, to prevent fire accidents due to broken parts and other reasons.

FAQs

1. Can you use GlASSEX on solar lights?

The best way to clean the panel is to use a small amount of detergent and warm water. Wipe with a soft sponge or cloth to avoid scratching the panel. Ordinary household glass cleaners such as GLASSEX can also be used, but other powerful cleaners that may cause damage should be avoided.

2. Can you use rubbing alcohol to clean solar panels?

You will most likely be able to clean the panel with just some plain water wipes, but more stubborn stains may require some special chemicals or detergents to clean. Isopropyl alcohol can also be used as a spot cleaner to clean grease stains that can't be removed by other means.

3. How do I make my solar lights clear again?

Tear off a piece of 400 grit and 2000 grit sandpaper. Then, grab a spray bottle and wet the sandpaper and solar cell with water. Dip the 400 grit sandpaper into the water and lightly press down on the sandpaper to begin sanding away the dust.

4. Does water ruin solar lights?

Water-resistant solar lights can prevent or resist water from leaking into its mechanical parts up to some extent. So, this type of solar light can fend itself off the average amount of waterfall, but if it gets soaked or submerged into water, your lights will be ruined.

Conclusion

Dusty solar panels reduce the efficiency of utilizing solar energy, which affects the conversion of radiation into electricity. By cleaning the panels, fixtures and batteries, you can extend the life of your system, improve the appearance of your backyard as well as enhance the efficiency of your energy conversion.

The solutions have been given in this blog and we hope that they will help you. You can share this blog to anyone who needs it. All the comments are welcomed!