10 Outdoor Spring Cleaning Projects
Spring cleaning isn’t always fun for many of us. But it is important. As the holidays and winter end and we begin looking forward to spring and warm weather, something within us pushes us to get our homes in order by cleaning, organizing and purging things we’ve piled up throughout the winter months.
But who says spring cleaning is only for the interior of your home?
The exterior of your house could likely use some refreshing after a cold, dreary winter, too!
It’s Time For Home Exterior Cleaning
Here are home exterior cleaning projects that will drastically improve the curb appeal of your house in Redmond, and, even more important, will offer much-needed maintenance and upkeep that will save a lot ofmoney over the years ahead.
1. Gutter Cleaning
Spring is the optimal time of year to clean out your gutters, since so many leaves and debris accumulate in the fall and winter months. The pollen count is at its highest in the spring, making a huge mess in your gutters and downspouts if they aren’t properly cleaned.
Plus, pests and animals are searching for places to build their homes in spring, so getting your gutters cleaned out will help to prevent an infestation in your home.
Gutter cleaning consists of cleaning the inside and outside of your gutters, removing mold, mildew, stains and returning them to a like-new appearance.
2. Window Cleaning
Exterior window cleaning is essential for spring cleaning. First floor windows shouldn’t give you too much of a problem, but any second and third floor windows are a bit trickier to reach.
Cleaning windows by hand is a tough job, and will need a lot of tools, not to mention going up and down a ladder! A soft wash or professional cleaning of your exterior windows is the best way to get the panes and the outer frame clean.
3. Pressure Washing
You do not want clean gutters and windows on a dirty home. That means you are going to want to pressure wash your house too!
Pressure washing is quick, effective and affordable. You can pressure clean your home, outdoor furniture, concrete patios, wood and stone porches and walkways with not too much effort. It will eliminate dirt and mud so they won’t stain your house, and you can also prevent the spread of mold, mildew and allergens.
4. Driveway Cleaning
Clearing off your home’s driveway and giving it a good cleaning may seem counter-productive since you’ll just be driving on it, but actually, a clean, maintained driveway can increase the curb appeal of your house.
A professional pressure washing company will do wonders when it comes to driveway cleaning, whether it’s concrete, asphalt, stone or another material. Also think about adding a gravel border to your home’s driveway to really make it pop!
5. Patio Cleaning
Your home’s patio gets the most use in the summer months, so it can be easy to forget about it in the winter since you aren’t doing as much outdoor entertaining, leisure or grilling. Your patio could be in pretty bad shape the first time you step onto it in the spring.
Detergent and water – and a little muscle – can sometimes be enough for patio cleaning, but if there are signs of mold or algae, you might need to think about a more aggressive option, like professional power washing, to ensure that friends and family can enjoy your patio all summer.
6. Roof Cleaning
Mold and moss are common roof problems in Redmond. While you are cleaning the exterior of your house, it’s a great time to pressure clean your home’s roof as well, but you’ll need to use a different process than the one you use for most of your home’s exterior cleaning.
If you notice streaks on your home’s roof, algae is probably the cause. Moss is typically obvious, too. These contaminants can’t be wiped off shingles, nor can you pressure wash the roof of your house. Both of these methods will destroy the shingles on your home’s roof.
The ideal course of action for roof cleaning is to spray the shingles with a half-water, half-bleach mixture and let it be. This will kill all organisms on your home’s roof without lowering its lifespan.
7. Tidy up the Front
The front of your house is probably what most people see, so try to make the best impression you can for visitors, neighbors and for yourself! Coming home to a well-maintained exterior will immediately improve your day, and will even encourage you to spend a lot more time outside.
You can clean your porch with soap and water or a good pressure wash. Wipe cobwebs and dirt off of the front porch, and consider painting it a new color for a really bright look! Clean overlooked areas such as the porch ceiling, light fixtures and ceiling fans, too.
8. Organize Garden Tools
You will be spending much more time outdoors, so spring is a great time to organize whatever you’ll need for outdoor chores.
Yard tools as well as pool care equipment should all have an exact area outside your house – a place that it is safe from harsh weather and out of sight so it isn’t a constant eyesore. Taking the time to organize in the spring will allow you to appreciate the exterior of your house so much more throughout the time of year that you are going to spend the most time outside.
9. Lawn Care & Landscaping
Your yard, trees and bushes can make a big impact on the overall look of your house.
Get rid of weeds near the exterior of your flower beds and walkways, till up areas where you’ll be planting in the future and sweep off walkways. You can also spray pre-emergent weed poison to make yard care easier on yourself throughout the next few months. Trim all the bushes too.
10. Clean the Grill
After sitting unused for several months, your gas or charcoal grill could use a good cleaning, too. Leftover grease and food from your grill are definitely unappetizing, but even worse they can also make you and your family sick.
Wipe it down to remove ash, then scrub the grates with a plastic scrubber (so you do not leave behind metal particles that can get into food) and a basic dish soap or degreaser.
You can probably finish all of these jobs over the course of a few weekends but it is going to be a lot of hard work. Instead, give us a call! Redmond Pressure Washing provides professional home exterior cleaning services for patio cleaning, roof cleaning, driveway cleaning, pressure washing and more!