Every 12 months
Typical suburban home
Rain handles loose dust, but pollen, pollution film and bird droppings build up over a year.
Australian solar care
How often should solar panels be cleaned in Australia?
For most Australian homes, once a year is a sensible starting point. Coastal, dusty or bird-heavy sites usually need cleaning every six months. The right schedule depends on what is landing on your panels and what your power is worth.
Get my free quoteA simple cleaning schedule
Every 6 to 12 months
Coastal or near main roads
Salt mist and road film bond to glass and do not rinse off cleanly.
Every 6 months
Rural, dusty or bird-heavy sites
Fine dust, crop residue and droppings accumulate fast and can shade whole cells.
Planned schedule, often 6 monthly
Commercial sites and solar farms
Small percentage losses across large arrays add up to serious money, so cleaning is scheduled around local soiling rates.
Signs your panels are due
- Your monitoring app shows output drifting down in clear weather
- A visible film, dust band or bird droppings along the lower edge of panels
- It has been more than 12 months since the last clean
- You are near the coast, a busy road, farmland or trees
Soiling losses of 15 to 25 per cent are common on neglected systems. If any of these sound familiar, a clean usually pays for itself within a few power bills.
Not sure what your system needs?
Estimate what dirt could be costing you, or ask for a fixed-price quote. Every clean uses natural cleaning agents and includes a free before and after report.