Cleaning skylights and roof windows safely

Skylights and roof windows are best cleaned by doing the inside yourself with a microfibre cloth and glass cleaner, and leaving the outside to a professional unless your window has a safe rotating sash. Roof glass gets grimy fast from rain, dust and debris, and a dirty skylight noticeably dulls a room. The inside is straightforward; the outside is where safety matters, never lean out or climb onto a roof to reach it.

Why skylights need regular cleaning

A skylight or roof window can transform a room with natural light, but because it faces straight up, it collects rain spotting, dust, pollen, leaves and bird mess faster than vertical windows. A grimy roof window cuts the light dramatically and looks dull from inside. Regular cleaning keeps the room bright and the glass clear.

Cleaning the inside

• Dust the frame and glass first to remove loose dirt and cobwebs.
• Clean the glass with glass cleaner or warm soapy water and a microfibre cloth.
• Buff dry for a streak-free finish, see cleaning windows without streaks.
• Wipe the frame, seals and any vent, and check the filter on ventilated models.

An extendable microfibre tool helps reach high skylights from the floor safely.

Cleaning the outside, safely

Many modern roof windows (such as common centre-pivot designs) have a sash that rotates almost fully, so you can clean the outer glass from inside the room, check your model and lock it in the cleaning position if it has one. If yours does not rotate, do not attempt to reach the outside by leaning out or going onto the roof. External roof glass is a job for a professional with the right reach equipment.

Prevent leaks and pooling

Skylights can leak if debris builds up around them. Clear leaves and dirt from the surrounding roof, flashing and any channels so water drains freely rather than pooling against the seal. This is part of good whole-roofline maintenance and ties in with keeping gutters clear.

Dealing with condensation

Roof windows can show condensation, especially in kitchens and bathrooms. Use the window's vent, improve airflow, and wipe condensation promptly so it does not mark the frame or feed mould. Persistent heavy condensation between panes, rather than on the surface, can indicate a failed sealed unit.

When to call a professional

Call in a professional for: external glass on non-rotating skylights, high or multiple roof windows, and anywhere reaching them safely is not possible. The combination of height, angle and fragile surroundings makes external roof-window cleaning genuinely risky to DIY.

Let us reach what you can't

Our window cleaning service includes skylights and roof windows across Derby and Derbyshire, using pure-water reach-and-wash systems to clean external roof glass safely from the ground, so your skylights stay clear and your rooms stay bright, without you going near the roof.