The short answer
Salt spray reaches further inland than most people expect, especially with the majjistral and winter storms. It dulls glass, corrodes aluminium frames, hinges and balustrade fittings, attacks limestone and coats solar panels. Rinse and clean regularly, more often after storms, and keep tracks, seals and drainage holes clear.
How salt reaches your home
Much of Malta and Gozo’s population lives near the sea: Sliema, St Julian’s, Gżira (Gzira), St Paul’s Bay, Bugibba, Qawra, Marsaskala, Birżebbuġa (Birzebbuga), Marsalforn, Xlendi and more. Salt arrives in a few ways:
- Sea spray, whipped up by waves and carried by the wind.
- Salty air, which settles as a fine film even on calm days.
- The majjistral, the north-west wind, which drives spray onto north- and west-facing coasts.
- Winter storms, when waves break over the promenade and spray reaches upper floors.
Salt does not stop at the seafront. On windy days, it is carried several streets inland.
What salt does to your home
Glass
Salt dries on glass as a hazy white film. It attracts moisture and dust, so seafront windows look cloudy soon after cleaning. Left for long, salt and hard water marks become harder to shift. See removing salt from sea-facing windows.
Aluminium frames and fittings
Salt and moisture attack aluminium frames, hinges, handles and screws, causing white powdery corrosion and pitting. Sliding door tracks fill with salty grit that wears the rollers. See cleaning aluminium sliding door tracks.
Glass balustrades
Balcony balustrades take the worst of the spray. The glass clouds quickly, and the metal clamps and channels corrode. See how to clean glass balustrades.
Limestone
Maltese globigerina limestone is porous. Salt water soaks in, and when it dries, salt crystals grow inside the stone, causing it to powder and flake. That is why you see crumbling stone on many seafront buildings. Stone repair is specialist work. Ask an architect or stone restorer.
Timber
Timber gallariji, doors and persjani suffer from salt and damp together. Paint lifts and wood swells. See how to clean and care for persjani and cleaning Maltese balconies and gallariji.
Solar panels
Salt leaves a film on panels that attracts dust and is not fully washed away by rain. See how often to clean solar panels in Malta.
A routine that keeps salt in check
Every few weeks
- Wipe or rinse glass on balconies and terraces you can reach safely.
- Wipe metal fittings, handles and balustrade clamps and dry them.
- Vacuum grit out of sliding door tracks.
After storms
- Rinse salt off glass, frames and balustrades as soon as you can.
- Check drainage holes in window frames and door tracks are clear.
- Look for new rust or corrosion on hinges and fittings.
Every four to six weeks
- A proper window clean on seafront glass, inside and out. Monthly when directly sea-facing.
Once or twice a year
- Clean solar panels, more often if salt builds up.
- Lightly oil hinges and moving parts on shutters, doors and windows.
- Check seals around windows and doors.
Rinsing with tap water
Malta’s tap water is hard. Hosing salt off glass and leaving it to dry swaps a salt film for mineral spots. If you rinse, follow with a squeegee or microfibre cloth, or use purified water. See removing hard water stains from glass.
Inside the house
Salty air also comes inside. Keeping windows clean, ventilating on dry days and wiping condensation helps with damp, especially in older stone homes in winter.
Booking
We arrange window cleaning for seafront homes and apartments, and solar panel cleaning, across Malta and Gozo, on schedules that suit coastal homes. Get a quote.