Is WD-40 Safe To Use On Home Solar Panels?

The big appeal of solar panels is passive electrical generation — just set 'em up outside, make sure they're getting enough direct sunlight, and let the voltage roll in. You might not be able to power your whole house with a single set, and it may take a bit for your solar panels to pay for themselves, but you can definitely make a tangible dent in your energy usage and lower your power bill. However, while they do the vast majority of their work without your direct intervention, there are some things to know before installing solar panels on your home.

Being big, flat surfaces placed outdoors, solar panels are natural magnets for various contaminants carried by the wind and rain. The surface needs to be unobscured to properly absorb sunlight, so it only takes a little grimy buildup to diminish functionality. This is why you need to clean and maintain your solar panels on a regular basis. There are plenty of dos and don'ts when cleaning your solar panels, and if you want to get a single stubborn spot out, you might try to handle it with some of the old hardware helper, WD-40. Just remember that not all WD-40 products are safe to spray on a solar panel's delicate surfaces.

If someone tells you that you can clean your solar panels with WD-40, you might be tempted to reach for your usual can of multi-purpose spray. This, however, would be inadvisable. There are a few reasons you shouldn't use regular WD-40 spray on solar panels, but here's one very big one: flammability. WD-40 multi-purpose spray is very flammable, and considering how hot a solar panel can get on a regular basis, spraying something so flammable onto its surface is just asking for trouble.

Rather than the regular multi-purpose spray, WD-40 recommends using the Cleaner and Degreaser spray from its Specialist line when cleaning solar panels. Unlike the regular stuff, the Cleaner and Degreaser spray is specially formulated to be non-flammable and biodegradable, so you can safely spray it onto either plastic or glass solar panels and wipe it off for quick and easy cleaning.