Cleaning clear plastic roof

Rickadoo · Jan 18, 2019

Hi.

Been asked by a customer to start cleaning this regularly. They call it a “sun box”. They wanted it all doing. The roof is a bit of a pig but I managed to get to it using stepladders. Also, as it’s flat on the very top, it doesn’t drain very quickly.

When I started cleaning it, I noticed that the roof isn’t glass. It feels like some kind of plastic, but totally clear, and so it got me a bit concerned. Plastic is a lot easier to scratch than glass. Just wondering if there’s bird muck being taken off most months, particularly throughout the summer, could that potentially cause scratches on the surface. Don’t know wether to tell them my concerns and that I can’t do it, as it’s brand new and will probably get covered in scratches over time anyway, whether it gets cleaned or not, and I don’t want to get blamed for that.

What are your thoughts guys?

Also which brush is best to use. I have gardiners flocked, medium mixed, and extreme brushes, but there might be a better one for that purpose out there.

Ash87 · Jan 18, 2019

Im thinking it could be polycarbonate !? But having a quick google i didnt see it as large clear sheets so am not sure , im pretty sure a long while back there was a thread here a chap had cleaned something similar and when the sun came out it was scratched really badly, my advice would be to raise your concerns with the customer try and get cleaning advice from the company that supplied it and walk away if you have the slightest concern , id rather tell a custy im concerned about damaging there property than risk cleaning it .

Trilby92 · Jan 18, 2019

I use reach and wash on this plastic roof it worked well as you can see.

scottish cleaning service · Jan 18, 2019

As for the sunbox, I would just use my Trad tools. My mop on a pole and squeegee off, no chance of scratching it. May take a tad longer but add it to the price. I would charge £20 just to do it once a month. :1f609:

Part Timer · Jan 18, 2019

scottish cleaning service said:
As for the sunbox, I would just use my Trad tools. My mop on a pole and squeegee off, no chance of scratching it. May take a tad longer but add it to the price. I would charge £20 just to do it once a month. :1f609:

How much? I usually get called for my somewhat competitive pricing and even I wouldn't do that for £20, no matter haw good looking she was ? @Pjjwould stick a zero on that and still get the job. Joking aside I'd rinse the roof well with water. preferably customers tap, apply a weak TFR solution, leave for 5 minutes and rinse off. If done regularly you might need to gently go over it with a soft flocked brush, making sure brush is clean.

Rickadoo · Jan 18, 2019

Trilby92 said:
I use reach and wash on this plastic roof it worked well as you can see.

View attachment 15534

Yes that has worked well. But this roof I’m talking about is completely clear/see-through. The slightest scratch will show on a sunny day, and that’s my worry.

Rickadoo · Jan 18, 2019

scottish cleaning service said:
As for the sunbox, I would just use my Trad tools. My mop on a pole and squeegee off, no chance of scratching it. May take a tad longer but add it to the price. I would charge £20 just to do it once a month. :1f609:

I don’t think I could do it traditional. As it is plastic, It moves slightly when you put any pressure on it. So squeegeeing it would be a nightmare. She agreed to it being done monthly for £20 by the way . Took about half an hour the first time.

steve garwood · Jan 18, 2019

scottish cleaning service said:
As for the sunbox, I would just use my Trad tools. My mop on a pole and squeegee off, no chance of scratching it. May take a tad longer but add it to the price. I would charge £20 just to do it once a month. :1f609:

£20!!!!!!! Your having a woolly one surely? ?

dazmond · Jan 18, 2019

Rickadoo said:
Hi.

Been asked by a customer to start cleaning this regularly. They call it a “sun box”. They wanted it all doing. The roof is a bit of a pig but I managed to get to it using stepladders. Also, as it’s flat on the very top, it doesn’t drain very quickly.

When I started cleaning it, I noticed that the roof isn’t glass. It feels like some kind of plastic, but totally clear, and so it got me a bit concerned. Plastic is a lot easier to scratch than glass. Just wondering if there’s bird muck being taken off most months, particularly throughout the summer, could that potentially cause scratches on the surface. Don’t know wether to tell them my concerns and that I can’t do it, as it’s brand new and will probably get covered in scratches over time anyway, whether it gets cleaned or not, and I don’t want to get blamed for that.

What are your thoughts guys?

Also which brush is best to use. I have gardiners flocked, medium mixed, and extreme brushes, but there might be a better one for that purpose out there.

View attachment 15533

i would probably say no and refuse to clean it....it looks a pita to clean.....if i was going to clean it id stand on that wall to the right of the pic and use a flocked brush....

most conny roofs that have no fall(not pitched)i wont clean anymore even for regular window cleaning customers as you normally have to pole them while your up a ladder and it takes ages to rinse all the bits of dirt off...no thanks....?

Pjj · Jan 18, 2019

That looks like a bit of an awkward job to me as @Part Timer said I would want at least £200 to clean that whole building , as for the roof scratching I would also be very concerned, to be truthful I would explain that to the customer and say Ime happy to do it but any scratches I wouldn’t want to be held responsible, you only need a small piece of grit and rub that around with the pole it will cause some serious problems, I think a flocked brush would be the order of the day but flocked brushes hold dirt badly and will hold any grit moving it all over that roof ,, we don’t use any flocked brushes as I don’t like them hold to much dirt for my liking so I would have to buy one especially for the job . It’s not a job I would readily be intrested in taking on to many potential problems , it’s your job but £20 to clean that roof is shooting yourself right in both feet .

Stevieboy · Jan 19, 2019

Rickadoo said:
Yes that has worked well. But this roof I’m talking about is completely clear/see-through. The slightest scratch will show on a sunny day, and that’s my worry.

I take it you are using Pure water on the Sunbox? The £20 quoted might just cover the water! As for Trilby92 , hoped pure water wasn’t used on his roof.

Iron Giant · Jan 19, 2019

I would go with the advice of @Pjj I am pretty certain that on this job it will be a high spec plastic it would have a be as it looks an expensive box, I have cleaned bike shelters etc with cheaper plastic fitted no doubt and the plastic was badly scratched before I even started as these had been up some years and no doubt the environment had given it a beating over time, I would rather walk away and even risk losing the house as well in time rather than potentially have a client wanting me to replace a damaged roof

Rickadoo · Jan 19, 2019

Stevieboy said:
I take it you are using Pure water on the Sunbox? The £20 quoted might just cover the water! As for Trilby92 , hoped pure water wasn’t used on his roof.

It’d take me a week to use £20 worth of water

Guest · Jan 19, 2019

If you do it traditional then watch out for the abrasive pad at the end of your applicator as that will scratch it.

Anything can scratch plastic.

Clean a private school, some Georgian Sash windows replaced with plastic and my micro fibre cloth scratched it while buffing

Rickadoo · Jan 19, 2019

Thanks Gents for your replies. This looks like one to walk away from.

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