Cleaning Your Greenhouse

Fall greenhouse cleanup takes a few hours of your time, but it is worth the effort to ensure a pest and disease free environment

Cleaning Glass

• For an aluminum and glass greenhouse a recommended cleaning solution is a mixture of hot water and a disinfectant such as Lysol, pinesol or household bleach.

Cleaning Polycarbonate

• To clean an aluminum and polycarbonate greenhouse the panels need to be protected, so first rinse the greenhouse with lukewarm water. Then, using a mild soap such as Safer soap and soft cloth, or a mild dish soap but do not scrub the panels. Rinse the greenhouse again and wipe dry with a soft cloth. Benches, shelving, plastic trays and pots also need to be cleaned and sterilized

Sap or other Sticky Substance

• If you have sap that is sticking to the glazing, you can use any solvent on glass to remove but there is only one recommended product called Naptha for polycarbonate.  You can spot clean it, rinse immediately and dry.   You can not use any acetone, paint thinners or harsh chemicals on the polycarbonate as it will dissolve and destroy it.

Algae Build Up

• If you have algae build up, a pressure washer on a low setting works best.  If you have build up between the overlaps on the glass panels this could be due to lack of air circulation to keep condensation at a minimum.  With the pressure washer at the ready, gently push in on the pane of glass and zap it with the pressure washer.  You can put a small bead of silicone on the interior and exterior of the overlap glass to avoid this happening in the future.