How should you clean your bioclimatic pergola?

The adjustable slats are one of the key components of the roof of a bioclimatic pergola. They're indispensable for varying how much sun you let in and let you better control light and your outdoor temperature. These slats are also part of the overall design of the structure. Like all the other parts of your bioclimatic pergola, you need to remove any dust or dirt that accumulates from the adjustable slats:

• Soaked by the rain and dried by the sun
• To ensure they keep their look, continue to work correctly and last for a long time.*

It's very simple to do this. You just need to clean the slats of your bioclimatic pergola with clean water or soapy water and a soft cloth. To avoid unpleasant surprises, it's not advisable to use abrasive products for cleaning the slats of your bioclimatic pergola. As aluminium (the main material used for a pergola) is very easy to look after, you don't need to use any products like this.

Looking after the structure of your aluminium or wooden bioclimatic pergola is just as easy as looking after the adjustable slats, and anyone can do it. You just need to wipe down the various parts of the structure with soapy water and a soft cloth to make your bioclimatic pergola look like new, and ensure your terrace remains ever-so stylish. To get rid of even the most stubborn dirt on the posts, black soap or household vinegar diluted in water is often a highly-effective solution. In all cases, you should rinse afterwards with clean water. And, to save time, you can even hose the structure down as long as you limit the power of the jet. However, a Kärcher-type high-pressure cleaner should never be used on any part of a bioclimatic pergola due to the risk of permanent damage.

The frequency of looking after your bioclimatic pergola mainly depends on the geographical location of your home. In most towns in France, cleaning twice a year is enough to ensure your structure looks like new and works perfectly, with:

• A first cleaning at the end of winter or early spring to prepare the bioclimatic pergola for the arrival of summer conditions;
• A second cleaning in autumn, to remove any dead leaves that can stagnate on the bioclimatic pergola during the winter season, endangering its proper function (clogged gutters and downpipes causing leakage problems).

The recommended frequency of cleaning a bioclimatic pergola is significantly different for structures in urban or industrial areas (3 times a year) or coastal environments (4 times a year). In winter, you'll sometimes need to carry out one-off cleaning sessions to remove any snow that may have accumulated on the roof, where the weight can be dangerous for the adjustable slats. To avoid this issue, it's often recommended to place the slats of bioclimatic pergolas in the open position when significant snowfall is announced.