Signage cleaning across the North East

A sign is the first thing a passer-by reads, and it is also the part of a shopfront that collects the most dirt. Traffic film settles on the face, rain washes grime down from the ledge above, spiders and birds use the top of the box, and green algae creeps along the bottom edge. Because the sign is above head height, it tends to be left until it looks noticeably tired.

Signage cleaning removes that build-up gently. Most fascia signs and lettering can be reached from the ground with water-fed poles, the same pure water method used for windows, and the face is brushed and rinsed so it dries without spots. Acrylic, aluminium composite and painted panels are cleaned without abrasive pads or harsh chemicals that would dull or scratch them.

For the canopy and frontage around a sign, our guides to retail canopy cleaning and why a shop canopy gets dirty explain the causes. This page covers the sign cleaning service itself.

Light boxes and halo-lit letters show dirt more than any other sign, because every streak and dead insect is backlit after dark. The outer face is cleaned carefully so the light comes through evenly again. We clean the outside of the sign only; we do not open light boxes, change lamps or work on wiring, which is for a sign maker or electrician.

Tell us the height of the sign, what is below it (a pavement, a canopy, a car park) and the materials if you know them. Where a sign is beyond sensible pole reach we will say so rather than promise the job. Visits can be timed before opening or during quieter hours, and pedestrians are kept clear of the working area.

Signage is often cleaned on the same visit as the shop windows and canopy, which makes sense because they dirty together. See commercial window cleaning and commercial exterior cleaning for the rest of the frontage, or bird droppings removal if pigeons are the main problem.

Projecting and hanging signs collect a surprising amount of debris on their top edges and brackets, from leaves to old nests, and that is cleared before the faces are washed so nothing streaks back down. Vinyl lettering on glass is cleaned with the window, gently enough that edges are not lifted.

Scope is set at quote: which signs, roughly how big, and how often you want them done. Some retailers prefer a regular clean so the frontage never slips; others book a one-off before a reopening, a rebrand photo or a busy season.