How to clean solar garden lights and restore panels

Why clean solar garden lights?

Before we get into the cleaning process, it’s good to understand why maintaining clean solar panels is crucial for the overall performance of your solar-powered garden lights. Dirty panels can obstruct sunlight absorption, leading to a loss of performance and reduced battery life.

The accumulation of dirt and debris can create a barrier between the solar cells and sunlight, hindering the conversion of solar power into electricity, Additionally, clean solar panels enhance the visual appeal of your outdoor space, ensuring that the lights provide optimal illumination during the night.

Step by step guide to cleaning solar garden lights

1 Turn off the lights

Before the cleaning commences, if the lights have an off switch, then turn them off to ensure safety and so far, as possible, to prevent any electrical problems occurring with the lights whilst they are subjected to the cleaning process. Make sure there is enough light in the area you are working so you can clearly see the surface of the solar cell.

2 Remove the loose dirt

Use a soft brush or cloth to remove any loose dirt and debris from the solar panels as possible, this may be best achieved with a soft damp cloth such as a micro fibre cloth. This will help prevent any scratches to the panels during the next step of cleaning.

If your outdoor solar lights have not been cleaned for a long time then this first step in the cleaning process could take a few minutes but fear not, this is an easy task overall and will save on costly repairs later on.

3 Scrub Brush with Soapy Water

Mix a little dish soap with a little warm water in a bowl creating a soapy solution. Use a soft bristle brush or sponge and dip into the soapy solution. A soft bristled tooth brush may help in any areas where there are crevices.

Using a circular motion, gently scrub the panels with the mixture to help remove dirt and grease without causing damage to the panels. 

A spray bottle to apply the solution to the panels is a good idea and a great way to save time when cleaning several solar outdoor lights.

4 Rinse with Clean Water

Once the panels have been scrubbed, they should be rinsed with clean water to remove soap and any remaining debris. Make sure that no soap or water enters the battery compartment and take care to prevent water ingress into other parts of the lights. Water or soapy solution ingress into the light fittings could lead to damage and loss of performance.

5 Special attention for Stubborn Debris

If there is stubborn debris that has not come off the panels so far, a mixture of one cup of vinegar and a teaspoon of dish detergent may help. This type of mixture acts as a gentle abrasive cleaner and may be more effective at removing any tough stains without causing any damage to the cells on the light.

Avoid using harsh chemicals or abrasive cleaners and instead only opt for mild detergents when cleaning your lights, especially the solar cells surface.

It may be prudent to check that your mixture is ok and unlikely to cause damage to the solar cells by trying the mixture on a small corner of ONE of the panels first.

6 Wipe with a soft cloth or sponge

Wipe the dirty solar panels off with a soft dry cloth or sponge to ensure that they are thoroughly dried. Don’t use any abrasive materials or chemicals as damage can occur to the top surface of the solar cells and affect their efficiency and long-term performance.

7 Clear Coat Polish for Scratches

If there appear to be any surface scratches on the solar cells after cleaning, a clear nail polish can be used as a protective layer to prevent scratches from occurring. This clear protective layer will help maintain the solar cells defences and ensure top performance from your solar outdoor lights.

8 Check for white deposits

Hard water areas can result hard water deposits seen as minerals on the top of the solar cell of your panel. This can be removed by carefully using a water and vinegar solution and cleaning using gentle circular motions. This will help ensure that the cells stay crystal clear and as efficient as possible.

9 Inspect the Battery Compartment

When cleaning the solar light panels, it is important to also inspect the battery compartment and other metal components for any signs of damage, corrosion, or signs of distress. If there is corrosion then this should be cleaned gently using a damp cloth if possible.

Occasionally corrosion may need further assistance to be cleaned off, wire wool or a fine-grit sandpaper can remove corrosion and return the conductivity of the metal contacts.

It may be necessary to replace the batteries if corrosion is present. Ensure that the battery compartment lid or top cover makes a good seal with the compartment to prevent water ingress which will only accelerate any corrosion problems.

10 Visual Inspection

Whilst carrying out the cleaning process, it is the ideal time to check the entire fixture to ensure that all the components including any metal parts, plastic covers and other parts are free from dirt and damage. Damage that is caught early can prevent water ingress, rust or other issues with your lights and allow them a longer life.

11 Sensor Check

Some solar garden lights have a light sensor. This should be checked to make sure that it is clean and clear from debris. This sensor checks for the ambient light conditions so ensuring that it is clean should mean that the lights turn on and off when they are intended to.

12 Ongoing Maintenance

It’s a good idea to carry out this kind of cleaning on a regular basis for your solar garden lights. The frequency of this cleaning will depend on your specific location and the weather conditions present. Carrying out this type of cleaning every month or so is ideal to prevent the build-up of mineral deposits, debris, grime, and dirt.

13 Protection from inclement weather

If high winds or icy conditions are expected it may be a good idea to bring the lights indoors or to a safe place outdoors where they can be protected from the elements a little better. Whilst outdoor lights are designed to be outdoors, their lifespan will be reduced if they regularly suffer damage from icy conditions, high winds, and heavy rain.

14 Last Step: Getting the most from the Battery

To ensure that the battery lasts as long as possible in your solar garden lights, ensure that they are receiving the optimum amount of direct sunlight. They should be positioned in an area where the sunlight is likely to reach the panels for the longest period of the day ensuring that they are fully charged before discharging their battery again at night.

Maintaining and cleaning your solar garden lights is an important part of ensuring their longevity and gets the best value for money from them. A well maintained and regularly cleaned set of solar lights will ensure that they work optimally for their entire expected lifespan.