Solar lighting has gained popularity in recent years. The number of people preferring solar lights to electricity is increasing each and every day. However, only a few people are aware that best outdoor solar lights require maintenance. One of the ways of maintaining solar lights is cleaning them. But, how do you clean solar lights? In this post, we have explained in details a step by step guide on how to clean solar lights.

Parts of solar lights that need to be cleaned

• The solar panel

The engine of solar lighting is the solar panel. It contains microlight receptors that harness sunlight converting it to energy. Usually, solar lights are placed outdoors where they will harness as much light as possible. Dust may collect on the surface of solar panel obstructing the smooth harnessing of light.

• The batteries

Unlike electricity, solar lights run on rechargeable batteries. The batteries store energy from the solar panels to light through the night. If exposed in moist conditions the battery might oxidize which is evidenced by which powder like ash of the surface of the battery.

• Light covers

Most light covers are either made of plastic or glass. Over time dust might collect either beneath or on the surface and this will reduce the illumination.

How do you know when to clean the solar lights?

Solar lights require regular maintenance. Once every two months you are required to clean your solar lights but what are some of the signs you should be on the lookout for?

• When the lights get deem

Not every time that your solar lights go deem indicate that you should clean up. Sometimes the solar lights may get deem if there is not enough sunshine. If you find out that despite there being enough sunshine the bulbs are still deem, then it’s time to clean. What if you don’t know how to clean solar lights? We got you covered we will be explaining in details on how it’s done.

• Flickering

Again dirt accumulation is not the only cause of light flickering. However, if your solar light is flickering to no reason and there is no problem with the wiring system then you should consider cleaning.

• Blackout

Sometime the lights might fail to work not because the system has a problem but lots of dust have accumulated over time rendering the lighting system functionless. Clean the light before replacing them, well that’s if they are still in good condition and have not burned out.

Step by step guide on how to clean solar lights

You don’t need a degree in rocket science to clean solar lights. In fact, this is something you can do with no prior knowledge in solar lighting. How do you go about it

1. Disassemble the lights

The first step in cleaning solar lights is disassembling the system. Different solar light systems are disassembled differently and it is recommended that you refer to the instruction menu on how to disassemble. This is so especially if the solar panel is independent. If you know the basics there is no need to refer to the disassembling instructions but you should be very careful. Most of the tools are fragile and you don’t want to break them in the name of cleaning.

2. Start off by cleaning the solar panel

As we mentioned earlier, the solar panel is the engine of a solar lighting system. The top portion is usually plastic and is meant to protect the sensitive and fragile panel. Over time, dust may accumulate beneath or on the surface of this plastic material limiting the amount of light collected. To clean it you need a wet towel. If the dirt is proving difficult to remove you can use a little dish soap to wipe it clean. Don’t leave it wet, after clean it wipe it dry with a clean dry towel.

Beneath the plastic is the solar cells, their prime purpose is to collect sunlight. Even the slightest dust particles act as obstacles in the smooth collection of light. If too much dirt accumulates on the solar cells there will be no light collected and the system won’t light. Use a wet towel to wipe clean the solar cells. Be careful not to drop it since it might break.

The solar panel should be cleaned once every 3 months

3. Clean the batteries

Solar lights only collect sunlight but the energy has to be stored in batteries. Though solar lights are labeled are waterproof, if exposed to moist conditions the battery might oxidize. The oxidation is in the form of white ash that accumulates on the metal surface of the battery. How do you clean it?

To remove the white ash like substance all you need is a clean brush or gritty sandpaper. It should come off easily and this should not be much of an issue. Depending on the model, most batteries wear off within 1-3 years. If you are not happy with the illumination you get and have not replaced the battery in over 1 year then you should replace the batteries. For most models, spares are readily either online or nearby solar lighting shop.

Solar light batteries should be cleaned once every month if the solar lights are exposed to humid conditions

4. Clean the covers

The cover of the solar lights should be easy to clean. You can either wash them over the sink or wipe with a wet towel. Either way, don’t stop until all the solar light covers are sparkling clean.

The covers should be cleaned once every 6 months.

5. Re-assemble the system

Once you are through with the cleaning it’s time to reassemble. This should not be challenging for you but always feel free to refer to the instruction menu whenever you are not sure how to do it. Again, be careful not to drop anything to avoid breakages.

Read more: Top 8 Largest Solar Farms in The World

Final verdict

If you didn’t know how to clean solar lights there you have it. It is that easy and it is my hope that you found this post useful. If you did, kindly share it with a friend or two informing them on the same.