Cleaning roof windows/skylights

[Gozo]

The roof has 2 fixed skylight windows and they really help with lighting. Every fall I go up on the roof (asphalt granule shingles, about a 30 degree slope, so walkable with care) and blowoff all the leaves and ****, and clean the windows, which get pretty filthy after a year of rain and soot and dust. I used to use glass wax after cleaning, but that washed away after a month or two. Past half dozen years I used various car waxes. That would last about 6 months or so.
I’m getting close to the age where I’m not going to want to be roof walking. I made up a long handled wheelie thing with a nozzle and a long hose to use the exhaust from the shop vac to blow off leaves while I’m on the ground. Gave it a test today and it’ll do.
Back to the windows…any suggestions on what to use after a good thorough cleaning to keep the dirt down? Not sure if a sheeting or beading product would be better, but something that will last a while.
I know I shouldn’t care about it in the garage, but it’s that bit of OCD in me.

 

[BillK]

I go up on mine about once a month to clean the one skylight we have over in the kitchen. Also take the leaf blower up with me. I just use Windex and paper towels.

I always wondered how this stuff would work:

https://www.amazon.com/Windex-Concentrated-Outdoor-Cleaner-Attachment/dp/B07114L91X?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[Danno1]

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What about Rain-X ? That'll last a year (I think...)

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[dogdog]

I bought about 10 bottle of these, to clean my windows or planned to

ZEP 1 Gal. Ammonia Free Glass Cleaner Concentrate ZU1052128 - The Home Depot

For commercial applications, pros seek out ammonia- free concentrated solutions for large-scale projects. This versatile professional strength cleaner is safe for all types of tinted commercial, home & automotive glass, & glass-like surfaces. Quickly removes grime, dirt and fingerprints.

www.homedepot.com

Dunno where your skylight is relative to where you are climbing... maybe couple that cleaner with a electric pressure washer and extension wand?

Search Results for ryobi electric pressure washer extension at The Home Depot

Search Results for ryobi electric pressure washer extension at The Home Depot

www.homedepot.com

 

[Gozo]

Cleaning it’s not the issue, it’s keeping it clean. Tried Rain-x, gets about 2 months. I don’t know if it’s the rain that washes and coating off, or the pounding of UV day after day.

 

[Gozo]

I’ll revive this dead thread….
It’s amazing how filthy the rain is. The windows were pretty dirty by the end of the winter (no snow this year) and I was going to go up there in the spring and clean them. Well spring was short, seemed to go right to summer by April-May.
Every time I tell myself I’m going to get up there and give them a good cleaning, it’s either raining or 95+ outside. I’m getting too old for this.
Anyway, I’ve tried Rain-X, car wax, glass wax (seems like a nice smelling car wax type product); not much difference after a few months. Still gotta go up there with a scrubbie or a single edge razor blade and get it down to clean. Any other ideas before I head up again?

 

[gmcgeo]

I wax mine after cleaning, lasts about 6-10 months before having to do it again. Rainx does nothing for me.

Meguiar’s Hybrid Ceramic Wax is what i use.

 

[Gozo]

That was quick.
I was thinking along the lines of a “ceramic” wax product. I’ll give it a shot. 6-10 months means might be able get it to a once a year thing.
I recall some years back there was a car wax product that sold itself as “doesn’t bead, water just sheets right off” or similar. Could be a possibility, the roof slope is around 30 degrees. Anyone know what stuff I’m thinking of?
(I won’t go on a rant as to why our rain (and air) is so dirty. Not like I live in downtown LA.)

 

[gmcgeo]

I recall some years back there was a car wax product that sold itself as “doesn’t bead, water just sheets right off” or similar.

Turtle Wax Ice i recall is the one who started that

 

[BillK]

Reminded me that I need to get up there and do ours this weekend

 

[nadogail]

70 years ago i used a product called Glass Wax to clean windows. I have no idea how long those windows stayed clean.

 

[Gozo]

Yep. I’ve got some of that stuff (glass wax). Tried it, no long term luck. I’ll bet you $2 sight unseen, after 70 years; it’s probably dirty.

 

[Gozo]

Just to start and give y’all a starting point - when we had these put in years ago (before that the house had those plastic bubble skylights; sounded like living inside a drum when it rained) I could do planetary astronomy through the skylights. The kids got a kick out of Saturn’s rings and stuff. Jump forward 30ish years, and looking at the moon is just a fuzzball blob of light. Yeah pretty dirty (and I get up there and clean them every so often).

OK, so here’s the update: This morning was a bit cooler than it’s been the past few weeks (low 80’s) so I figured I’d get up there and clean them off. Well first I had to clean off all the branches and twigs and **** over the roof and rotting organic matter in the valleys at the upper side of the skylight frames. By the time I got to actually cleaning the glass it was low 90’s. (I’m getting too old for this roof stuff) Boy, were they dirty! Used dish soap and ammonia solution with one of those ScotchBrite scrubby sponges and a single edge razor blade.

Some say there’s no such thing as acid rain, but there were etched areas at the lower part of each window. The only thing that I can think of that etches glass is hydrofluoric acid. How’d that get up on my roof?

After scrubbing the **** out of the skylights and through drying, I used Meguiar’s Hybrid Ceramic Wax as suggested. Looked good, wiped and buffed it out pretty well to avoid streaks. At least on the outside. Now I can see the streaks and film on the inside that were obscured by the outside dirt. That’ll wait a bit until I schlep out the ladder. At least it cooler inside.

We’ll see how it does through the winter (I’m so looking forward to winter. Just tired already with high 90’s temperature as well as humidity the same).

That’s a lot of works for a “quick update”, ain’t it?