This job can be dangerous. Consult or hire a pro to be safe.
Time to complete
2 hours
Cost
$25–$50
Just a short shopping trip (or online order).
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What you'll need:
TOOLS
Safety harness
Non-skid footwear
Extension ladder’
Push broom
Leaf blower (optional)
Garden hose
Spray nozzle
Pump sprayer
Gloves
Eye protection
Plastic tarps (optional)
SUPPLIES
Roof cleaning liquid
Among the pros and cons of roof cleaning, one of the most important advantages is the ability to lengthen the life span of your roof by several years. Of course, it’s a dangerous DIY task if you don’t know what you’re doing when cleaning your shingles. Learning how to clean roof shingles isn’t difficult, but it requires a lot of physical effort to climb onto the roof, stand on it, and work on the shingles for an hour or more. Ultimately, this work is risky for a non-professional because of the chance of falls. But if you’re up for the challenge, we’ve outlined the steps you must follow.
Prepping to Clean Roof Shingles
Before cleaning your shingles, be certain you are ready for the dangers of climbing onto and working on a roof.
You need to have a safety harness and understand exactly how to use it.
You’ll want hoist ropes to help with moving your gear to the roof.
Having a second person to help watch your back is a key safety step.
Pick a day with minimal weather issues, like rain, excessive heat, or wind.
If you’re battling an illness that could leave you feeling dizzy or weak, pick another day for the work.
Because of the potential for falls, preparation is extremely important. If you don’t have experience with this kind of work, strongly consider hiring a pro rather than doing the work yourself.
You should also take steps to protect items near the perimeter of the home. Overspray from the roof cleaning liquid could hit plants, furniture, or landscaping materials around the home’s foundation. Move any furniture away from the home. Temporarily use plastic tarps or sheeting to cover delicate plants.
How to Clean Roof Shingles in 4 Steps
Once the prep work is done, it’s time to learn how to clean roof shingles.
If you don’t feel comfortable moving around on the roof while working, it’s understandable. A slip and fall from the roof could cause life-altering injuries. Instead of doing the work yourself, you always have the option of hiring a local roof cleaning company.
Remove Debris From the Roof
Photo: romarti / Adobe Stock
Put your extension ladder in a spot where you can gain easy access to the roof. Climb onto the roof and secure the safety harness. Make sure you’re wearing non-skid shoes or boots.
Move to the highest peak on the roof and start working downward on both sides. Use the push broom or the leaf blower to push debris down the roof slope and over the edge. If the debris lands inside the gutters, you may have to hire a pro to clean your gutters or learn to clear them yourself after cleaning the roof shingles.
Return to the ground and mix your roof cleaning liquid with water according to the instructions on the bottle. Add the mixture to the pump sprayer.
Some cleaners help remove moss from a roof, while others help with removing roof algae. Some cleaners can do both. Select a cleaner that can handle the specific problems you are seeing on your shingle roof.
Put on eye protection and gloves. Climb the ladder again and, after securing the safety harness, move to the highest peak. Spray both sides of all the peaks with an even coating, so the cleaning agent runs down the slope of the roof shingles. Cover all the shingles as you work your way down the roof. Walk carefully, as you don’t want to slip on the wet shingles. Climb down the ladder after applying the cleaner.
Rinse the Shingles
Photo: PicMedia / Adobe Stock
Let the cleaning liquid sit on the shingles for the amount of time specified on the bottle of cleaner. A 30-to-60-minute soak is common, but your cleaning solution may specify a different amount of time.
When it’s time to rinse the cleaner away, grab the garden hose and attached spray nozzle. Climb the ladder again and secure the safety harness. Move to the top peak and work your way downward. Spray both sides of every peak, rinsing the cleaning agent and water down the slopes of the roof.
Use a gentle setting on the spray nozzle, as excessive water pressure could loosen the shingles or force water underneath them.
If your garden hose is not long enough, you could fill the pump sprayer with clean water and use it to rinse the shingles.
Scrub Any Remaining Stains
Photo: aquaArts studio / E+ / Getty Images
Some roof stains may remain behind after your work. Learning how to clean roof stains simply requires a little gentle scrubbing.
Add more cleaning solution to the sprayer and climb the roof again. Secure the safety harness. Apply the cleaning liquid directly to the stains. Use the push broom to gently scrub the stains. You may need to switch between applying the cleaning liquid and scrubbing a few times to finish the job. Rinse away the cleaner after removing the stain.
DIY vs. Hiring a Pro
For a typical roof, the cost to have a pro clean it averages about $450. Roofs with a large square footage or a severe slope could cost $625 or more.
You can save this cost by learning how to clean roof shingles yourself. You need to have the tools on hand, though, to truly save money the first time you do it. Things like an extension ladder and safety gear to climb on the roof can be pricey. A pro will have all the equipment on hand—and will know how to use it.
Ultimately, if you don’t feel comfortable standing on the roof to work for an hour or more, hiring a pro to clean the roof is probably the better choice. You may not want to risk a fall from height.
Additionally, if you make an error during the cleaning process, you could damage the shingles or gutters. Any money you save by cleaning the roof shingles yourself could be lost to the cost of repairs.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you’re asking yourself, should you pressure wash your roof, the answer almost always is no. The water pressure that the power washing machine generates could damage the shingles by forcing water underneath or causing them to loosen. Soft washing with a pump sprayer is the better and safer option.
For most people, summer is the best season to clean roof shingles. You want a day with dry weather and comfortable temperatures. In hot climates, late spring may work better for washing shingles. Avoid cleaning roof shingles at any time where ice could form from applying water in low temperatures.
You should not clean roof shingles if the roof has damage like missing shingles or low spots where water may accumulate. You should focus on repairing the roof before any cleaning process occurs. If you notice roof damage as you’re climbing on the roof to clean it, stop immediately. Call a roofing pro to make repairs. Cleaning a roof that has damage could lead to pooling water or water damage to the roof decking. The roof cleaning process removes mold and mildew, making the roof look better. It is not going to fix physical damage, though.
Kyle Schurman has a passion for writing about topics ranging from home improvement to consumer electronics. His writing appears in online publications like Business Insider, New York Magazine, Scary Mommy, and multiple Tribune Publishing websites.
Kyle Schurman has a passion for writing about topics ranging from home improvement to consumer electronics. His writing appears in online publications like Business Insider, New York Magazine, Scary Mommy, and multiple Tribune Publishing websites.
The homeowners guide to Roof Cleaning
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