Having a skylight is a great way to flood the inside of your home with natural light. The problem is, due to the nature of their design and their location in the ceiling, they do tend to get dirty fairly quickly. This is why skylights require so much maintenance.
A dirty skylight is not only unsightly, it’s also impractical as it won’t let as much daylight into your home. Add to this, the fact that dirty skylights are also more prone to damage and general wear and tear, and you can understand why it’s so important to keep them nice and clean.
Unlike cleaning your regular windows, skylight cleaning is much harder, mainly because they’re located in the roof or ceiling. Despite the fact that most of the dirt and grime that you find with skylights is found on the outside, keeping them clean from inside your home is equally as important.
To help you get your skylights back to their best, here’s a look at some of the best tools and products for safe skylight cleaning from inside.
Clean Bucket
As is often the case when it comes to cleaning something, soap and water are your best friends. Of course, in order for you to apply them to the window, you’re going to need somewhere to keep them. This is where a bucket is so handy.
Before you begin cleaning, find a large, sturdy, and clean bucket to store your soapy water in. Don’t fall into the same trap as most people do, and simply scour the garage or backyard shed until you find a bucket large enough to do the job. Chances are it’ll be old and weak, and will likely be full of dirt and grime. If you use a dirty bucket, your water will become dirty, and you’ll only make your skylights look worse.
Use a large, sturdy, and clean bucket with a strong handle for easy transportation.
Soft-Bristled Brush
Another important piece of cleaning equipment you’ll need to get your skylights sparkling from within is a soft-bristled brush.
Soft-bristled brushes are important because, before you begin cleaning, you’re going to need to prep the surrounding area and ensure the skylight and frame are free of any dirt, dust, and loose debris in general. Otherwise, you run the risk of scratching the glass when cleaning, plus your cleaning solution, cloths, and sponges will be made dirtier.
A soft-bristled brush is perfect because it will help to sweep the frame and surrounding area and get into all of those hard-to-reach areas. As the bristles are soft, you needn’t worry about scratching anything.
Microfiber Cloths
When cleaning a skylight, a microfiber cloth is another essential piece of kit that is well worth investing in.
Microfiber cloths are perfect as they not only clean effectively, but they also don’t leave scratches, fibers, or streaks behind as you clean. That means you can really get in there and use some elbow grease to lift any stubborn dirt, without worrying about scratching the glass.
Once you’ve cleaned the skylight and need to dry it, before you towel it down you can give it a wipe with a fresh microfiber cloth to remove any water or soap suds.
Microfiber Towel
As we just touched upon previously, a microfiber towel is also a useful bit of kit when cleaning a skylight from inside. This is because it will allow you to dry off the glass and remove any excess water, without causing streaks or leaving fibers behind.
A Telescopic Pole
Without question, one of the most useful tools and accessories when it comes to cleaning a skylight from inside is a telescopic pole.
Skylights are located in the roof/ceiling. Because of this, you can’t access them from the ground. You either need to climb a ladder, or you can use a telescopic pole.
Telescopic poles are ideal as they can be extended in length and equipped with various attachments, depending upon what you wish to do with them. For example, you can attach a sponge or cloth to them for washing, or a squeegee or towel for drying. Best of all is the fact that you can do all of this from the comfort of your own home, without having to climb a ladder.
Safety Ladders
If you wish to do a more thorough cleaning job, and inspect the skylight up close, a set of safety ladders will prove very handy indeed.
Safety ladders are equipped with superior locking mechanisms, along with other safety features like handrails, sturdy legs, stabilizers, and more besides. They’re also designed to be stronger and more durable than regular ladders so they’ll stay in place easier and will be less likely to move or wobble.
Providing you don’t have a very high ceiling, safety ladders will easily allow you to climb up and gain easy access to your skylight/skylights and begin cleaning them.
Warm Soapy Water
While there are numerous glass and window cleaning solutions out there to choose from, if you’re thorough enough, all you need to do is use warm soapy water and you’ll be left with sparkling skylight windows in no time at all.
A little standard dish soap with some warm water should be sufficient. Once you agitate the water slightly you should have plenty of bubbles and the solution can then begin working its magic.
Alternatively, if you are worried about the soap suds leaving streaks and smears behind, you can always go ahead and use a water and white vinegar solution. Vinegar is great at cutting through dust and grime, plus it has antibacterial properties too. Don’t worry about the smell of vinegar either, it will soon dissipate after a couple of hours.
Mop and Bucket
Finally, once you’ve cleaned your skylights and have got them looking all sparkly clean, all that is left is for you to clean up the mess below on your floor.
Chances are, water will have dripped from the skylight onto the floor below. All you need here is a mop and bucket to mop everything up and get your floor back to looking its best. Of course, to make life even easier you can put down a clean sheet underneath to catch anything that drips or falls from the skylights as you clean them.