The short answer
Most Charlotte-area solar arrays benefit from cleaning once or twice a year — more if they're near heavy pollen, agriculture, construction, or a lot of bird activity. Panels should be cleaned the way manufacturers ask: filtered water and soft brushes, no abrasives or harsh chemicals, worked from the ground or the roof edge where it's safe. Dust and pollen reduce output gradually, so the loss is easy to miss until the panels are clean again.
Why a dirty array costs you
Solar panels convert light. Anything between the sun and the cell — pollen film, dust, bird debris, a tide line of hard-water spotting from a nearby sprinkler — cuts the light reaching the cell and shaves a percentage off production. It's not dramatic day to day, which is exactly why it goes unnoticed.
Rather than quote a recovery figure we can't stand behind, the honest test is to clean a visibly soiled array and let your monitoring app show the before and after.
How panels should be cleaned
Filtered (deionised) water carries no minerals, so it rinses clear with no spotting. Soft flow-brushes lift the film without scratching the anti-reflective coating. No detergents, no abrasive pads, nothing that risks the panel warranty. Where the roof layout allows, the work is done from the ground with a pole system rather than by walking the array.
Last reviewed September 2026. Written by the Aloe Cleaning team.