Top 5 Tips For Spring Cleaning Your Home’s Exterior

By Author: david raju
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Read on to get five tips to help you spring clean your home’s exterior to make it look shiny and new.

1. Get up on a ladder and clean out those Gutters. Some of the worst things that could happen to your home start with clogged gutters. If debris and falling leaves are allowed to clog up your gutters, that can lead to water or ice backing up, which can then lead to the moisture seeping into the ceilings and/or walls of your house. If you’re feeling motivated, you may want to go the extra step and invest in gutter guards, which can help to prevent clogs from happening—with the extra benefit being that you won’t ever have to clean out your gutters again.

2. Grab a pressure washer and give your house a bath. If you don’t own a pressure washer, rent one and get to work. However, be very careful when using the washer, because the high pressure can damage soft materials like wood if you’re not paying attention. To get the job done even quicker, add some detergent to the mix, which will help the washer break down stubborn dirt or mud. If you find mold during your clean, ...
... use one part bleach to four parts water to get rid of the mildew and mold, especially if it’s on nonporous surfaces.

3. Use that pressure washer on your deck, too. Don’t return or put up that pressure washer just yet—if your home has a deck, go ahead and give it a quick wash. The best way to do it is to apply a deck cleaner to your deck first, and then clean it off with your washer. Again, you’ll want to be careful so as not to damage the wood. If you want to skip using the washer for your deck, don’t worry—a long-handled scrub brush will get the job done.

4. Give your driveway a quick makeover. Chances are that, over time, your driveway will start to look less-than-fresh. Take this opportunity to repair any cracks that may have formed since you’ve been living there. First, remove any weeds that have begun growing in those cracks, and then use that good old pressure washer to clean in between the cracks. Now, use a concrete resurfacer to patch up any holes or crack in your concrete driveway. If you have an asphalt drive, you can restore it by slapping on a coat of latex asphalt sealer.

5. Get your grill ready. Regardless of whether you use a charcoal or gas grill, you’ll need to give it a quick clean to get it ready for use. Use a wire brush with some degreasing solution to clean the inside of the grill and the wire racks. This will also help to get rid of any rust that may have formed during the cold winter months.

So there you have the top five things you can do to prepare the exterior of your home for spring!
David is a freelance writer who covers a variety of home improvement topics, like Gutters, gutter repair and installing gutter guards.