You finally decide to throw a family get together after not seeing your in-laws for a few years. Things have been tense but now there’s a new hope of easing relations and letting the past be the past. That fateful Sunday brunch finally comes and your worst, and unexpected, nightmares come true. As soon as your in-laws get out of the car they see the unsightly black stains on your shingled roof and begin to tear apart all the hard work that went into this gathering. If only you had thought ahead! Avoid this and any other hypothetical disaster by learning how to get those shingles clean today!

Bring Your Roof From Drab to Fab

If you live in a more humid area of the country, you are probably familiar with the black streaks that eventually plague the shingles of any home. But what you didn’t know is that those streaks are caused by a common type of algae: gloeocapsa magma. Given enough time, even rooftops treated with algaecide will eventually fall victim to the effects of nature. Algae, common as it may be, isn’t the only factor in the equation to make a roof look old and unsightly; there’s always mold, vegetation, and just simple dirt to take into account.

Drop That Pressure Washer

Contrary to what you might think, pressure washing your roof is a terrible mistake. “But what about my neighbor, Dominic? I’ve seen him get his roof looking great in just an hour with his pressure washer,” you might ask us. Sure, it will likely clean your roof, but what you are really doing is severely cutting down the life of your shingles. The granules in shingles are what enable them to protect your home from the elements; pressure washing will strip granules from your shingles, effectively making them weaker and more susceptible to the aging process.

Let’s Get Started

So now that you’re ready to clean those shingles, here’s what you’ll need: a standard garden pump sprayer, a cleaning solution that is non-corrosive and bleach-free (bleach products will damage your roof and possibly your yard due to runoff), a garden hose, and of course a ladder. Safety protection is imperative so we suggest you get some slip-resistant shoes and goggles before starting.

Rinse your roof with water before applying the cleaning solution. This will ensure that the solution doesn’t dry out quickly and you have time to let it soak.
Spray your roof with the cleaning solution and make sure you get those heavily affected spots. Do your best to cover every part of your roof or you’ll end up with spotty looking results.
After letting the solution sit for approximately 15-20 minutes, use the garden hose to rinse the solution off your shingles.