It’s raining it’s pouring the old man is snoring! We’re so glad it’s raining; now we can get a good roof cleaning. Have you heard that before? We sure have. Being in Chico, California it’s important to have good rain, we need it. The rain is not the end all answer to cleaning your roof though. There are a few suggestions we have to help you keep your roof clean all year long. A little roof maintenance can go a long way. Seriously, it can save you heavy repair or replacement costs so now is the time to invest in the proper ways to maintain your roof. Cleaning your roof shingles can help accentuate your homes curb appeal, get rid of discolorations and can help keep your roof from looking older than it is. Before we get started there are some things you’re going to need.
Materials and ingredients needed to clean your roof shingles:
- 1 gallon-ish of hot water
- 1 cup of liquid chlorine Bleach
- 1 cup of laundry detergent
- Garden sprayer or pump sprayer
- Bucket
- Broom or a good scrubber ( a stiff-bristle broom)
- garden hose
- Stir Stick
- Ladder
Optional items for safety:
- Rubber-soled shoes
- Safety glasses
- Harness
Now that you know what you’ll need, here are a few easy suggestions on how to keep your roof shingles clean.
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Start off mixing the hot water, the bleach and the laundry detergent in your bucket until the soap granules dissolves. Once you’ve got a good mixture going you should pour the mixture into your garden sprayer or other pump sprayer.Tip: It’s always best to clean your roof shingles on a cool, overcast day to make sure that the cleaner doesn’t try too fast on the roof. So doing it on a summer afternoon in 112 degree Chico weather won’t fly, but doing it on a cool spring day that wont dry it out would be perfect. 
Now that you’ve got the formula ready to go in your sprayer, it’s time to spray the cleaner on the roof. It’s best to do the roof cleaning in sections and let each section sit for about 15 minutes after applying the mixture.
Safety first: It’s important to remember that roofs can be a slippery and dangerous situation. We always recommend calling the professionals to help you with your cleaning and maintenance needs. That being said, when cleaning the roof you should always start cleaning by moving up so that you won’t ever have to stand on wet surfaces. Reducing your chances for slipping is important so be careful not to spray someplace that you might stand on while it’s still damp or wet.
Scrub the wet section of the roof! As we mentioned, it’s always a good idea to keep the roof as dry as we can when cleaning (a nearly impossible task for a novice, we understand). Use the broom to scrub the applied area as needed to get it clean.
If you find the roof section you’re working on when cleaning drying up, use the sprayer to spray a little bit more. It’s important to remember that you do not want the cleaner to dry-out while you’re still trying to clean. You should be scrubbing your roof shingles while they’re wet.
Rinse. Rinse. Rinse! Now that you’ve sprayed the cleaner, scrubbed the section it’s time to rinse the section you’re working on and move on to the next. You want to rinse after each section of the roof is complete. Repeat the process of our 5 steps until your roof is looking clean. Need help? Give us a call.
These are a few of our tips on how to clean your roof shingles! Getting on your roof can be a dangerous thing so naturally, we always recommend you to hire a professional to help maintain your roof. If not, be extremely careful and remember to wear rubber-soled closed toe shoes.
Nor-Cal Roofing is Northern California’s premier choice for residential and commercial roofing projects in Chico, Orland, Corning, Oroville, Hamilton City, Durham, Paradise and other surrounding North State areas in Butte and Glenn Counties. If you would like an estimate or consultation on roofing services please feel free to call us at (530) 892-9960!
