Follow these tips for properly cleaning and maintaining your gazebo roof panels to maximize their functionality and lifespan.
Carefully Remove All Large Pieces of Debris
Throughout the year, you’ll notice that your polycarbonate gazebo roof panels collect a great deal of organic matter and debris such as sticks, leaves, sand, and dirt. This is the result of the wind blowing loose debris such as fallen leaves directly onto your gazebo roofing where they can get stuck in the gutters. Fall and winter are the most common times of the year for this to happen.
Gently remove the attached organic matter using either a leaf blower or a broom with a long handle. Be careful not to apply too much pressure. Although polycarbonate gazebo roof panels are scratch-resistant, they can still sustain some damages from unnecessary rough usage and conditions.
Check Your Guttering
Once you’ve removed all of the clearly visible pieces of debris from the gazebo panels, it’s time to check the gutters. Gazebos typically have gutters to drain excess water deposits from the roof. Just like any other structure, gazebo gutters can also attract a lot of debris, typically organic matter like leaves and dirt that block water from draining. Excess water deposits freeze in the winter and the weight from the ice can damage the guttering system, causing it to crack and even break down. Removing debris from your gazebo guttering at least once or twice a year can prevent these damages.
Use Mild Liquid Soap and Lukewarm Water
Avoid using abrasive chemicals to clean your polycarbonate gazebo panels at all costs as these can strip the protective coating. Opt for a mixture of mild liquid detergent like dishwashing soap and lukewarm water instead. Rinse the panels with the mixture. Then, use the soft side of a sponge or anti-bacterial microfiber cloth to gently clean the dirt off of the panels. Use a dry soft cloth to dry the panels after wiping them down and removing the dirt and dust.
No matter how stubborn or stuck on the dirt is, avoid using the rough side of the sponge or a steel wool scrubber to remove it. Polycarbonate sheets are incredibly durable, but scrubbing them with a rough sponge will damage the protective coating and leave the panels vulnerable to further damages.
Change Your Water and Replace Your Sponge Regularly
As you clean your polycarbonate gazebo panels, you may notice that the colour of the water will start to change from clear and soapy to brown or black. It may even develop a pungent odour the more you use the same water. That’s when you know that it’s time to change out the water and used a new sponge. Otherwise, you’re just using dirty water to try to clean your gazebo roofing and this defeats the purpose. It’ll only serve to spread the dirt around more and make it harder to clean the panels.
Always have a steady supply of cleaning provisions such as extra sponges, buckets, soft cloths, and detergent available when cleaning your polycarbonate gazebo roofing panels. Accounting for the size and layout of the structure ahead of time will help you prepare for the cleaning job ahead. You should also consider whether or not both the interior and exterior require cleaning. Keep in mind that the exterior will most likely require more frequent cleaning and maintenance than the interior because it’s exposed to more potentially harmful elements, dirt, and organic materials.
Check Your Guttering System Multiple Times
Throughout the cleaning process, you’ll want to check your guttering system for rogue pieces of organic matter that you may have missed during the previous inspections or that may have made their way in since the last time you cleaned out the gutters. It’s important to be as thorough as possible when cleaning out your structure’s guttering system to prevent future water backlog and freezing during the winter months.
Use Proper Cleaning Materials and Techniques for the Job
Whether you choose to do the job manually by hand or with the aid of a precision power washer, there are a number of cleaning materials you can use to guarantee a completely spotless gazebo. If you’re cleaning your polycarbonate gazebo panels by hand, then you should use a soft anti-bacterial cloth or the soft side of a sponge along with a mild detergent and lukewarm water solution. Depending on your height and the size of your gazebo, you may also need a long ladder to help you reach those high up and hard-to-reach crevices.
Once you’ve hand-scrubbed the entire gazebo from top to bottom with a soft sponge or cloth and cleaning solution, you can use a hose or power washer on the gentlest setting to rinse off the suds. Afterward, make sure to use a dry cloth to carefully dry the gazebo roofing panels. Move in a light and gentle circular motion to avoid leaving behind any streaks or marks.
Check the gutters one last time to absolutely guarantee that you’ve removed every last piece of debris and organic matter.
Need more advice on cleaning and maintaining your gazebo plastic sheets? The polycarbonate experts at Canada Plastics & Belting Inc. are always happy to help by offering proven tips. As one of Canada’s premier distributors of commercial and industrial plastic materials, we’re fairly confident that we can steer you in the right direction. Contact us today to learn more about how to properly care for your polycarbonate gazebo roof panels or to learn about our products.