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 inside of us tells us to get our homes in order by cleaning, organizing and throwing away things we’ve collected over the winter months.
But who says spring cleaning is only for the inside of your home?
The outside of your home could likely use some tidying up after a cold, dreary winter, too!
It’s Time For Home Exterior Cleaning
Here are home exterior cleaning projects that will drastically improve the appearance of your home in El Cajon, and, more importantly, will provide much-needed care and maintenance that will save a lot of money over the years ahead.
1. Gutter Cleaning
Spring is the ideal time of year to clean out your gutters, because a lot of leaves and debris collect in the fall and winter months. The pollen count is at its highest in the spring, making a mess in your gutters and downspouts if they aren’t cleaned.
Plus, bugs and critters are looking for places to build their homes in spring, so getting your gutters cleaned out will help stop an infestation in your home.
Gutter cleaning will consist of cleaning the inside and outside of your gutters, removing mold, mildew and stains and returning them to a nice appearance.
2. Window Cleaning
Residential window cleaning is necessary for spring cleaning. First floor windows won’t give you much of a headache, but second and third floor windows can be a bit tougher to reach.
Cleaning windows by hand is a hard chore, and it will need a lot of tools, not to mention climbing up and down a ladder! A soft wash or professional cleaning of your home’s windows is the perfect way to get the panes and the outer frame clean.
3. Pressure Washing
You aren’t going to want clean gutters and windows on a dirty home. That means you are going to want to pressure wash your home too!
Pressure washing is quick, effective and doesn’t cost very much. You can pressure clean your home, outdoor furniture, patios, porches and walkways with very little effort. It will remove dirt and mud so they won’t permanently stain your home, and you can stop the spread of mold, mildew and allergens.
4. Driveway Cleaning
Clearing off your driveway and giving it a good cleaning might seem counter-productive because you will be driving on it, but actually, a clean, maintained driveway can increase the curb appeal of your home.
A professional pressure washer can do wonders when it comes to driveway cleaning, whether it is concrete, asphalt, stone or some other material. Also consider adding a gravel or mulch border to your driveway to really help it pop!
5. Patio Cleaning
Your patio gets the most use in the summer months, so it is easy to forget about it in the winter when you aren’t doing any outdoor entertaining, relaxing or grilling. Your patio might be in bad shape the first time you walk onto it in the spring.
Soap 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 consider a more aggressive option, like power washing, to ensure that friends and family can enjoy your patio all summer.
6. Roof Cleaning
Algae and moss are typical home roof issues in El Cajon. While you’re cleaning the outside of your home, it is an excellent time to pressure clean your roof as well, but you will need to use a different process than what you use for most of your home’s exterior.
If you see streaks on your roof, algae is probably the reason. Moss is typically obvious, too. These particles can’t be scrubbed off shingles, nor can you power wash the roof. Both of these methods will destroy the shingles on your roof.
The best course of action for roof cleaning is to spray the shingles with a half-water, half-bleach solution and let it be. This solution will eliminate any organisms on your roof without lowering its lifespan.
7. Spruce up the Front
The front of your home is going to be what most people see, so try to make the best impression you can for visitors, neighbors and for yourself! Returning home to a clean exterior will improve your day, and it will encourage you to spend a lot more time outside.
You can clean your porch with soap and water or a good power wash. Wipe cobwebs and mud off of the front porch, and consider painting it a new color for a bright look! Clean forgotten areas like the porch ceiling, light fixtures and ceiling fans, too.
8. Organize Outdoor Tools
You’ll soon be spending more time outside, so spring is a great chance to organize everything you will need for outdoor chores.
Yard tools and pool care equipment must all have an exact area outside your home – a place that it is safe from harsh weather and not in sight so it isn’t a constant eyesore to anyone. Taking the time to organize in the spring allows you to enjoy the outside of your home much more throughout the time of year when you spend the most time outside.
9. Lawn Care & Landscaping
Your yard, trees and bushes make a big impact on the look of your home.
Get rid of weeds around your flower beds and walkways and driveway, till up areas where you might be planting later on and brush off walkways. You can spray pre-emergent weed killer to make yard maintenance easier on yourself throughout the next few months. Trim all the bushes too.
10. Clean the Grill
After being unused for months, your gas or charcoal grill could use a good cleaning, too. Leftover grease and food particles from your grill are definitely unappetizing, but even worse they can make you and your family ill.
Wet it down to remove ash, then scrub the grates with a scrubber (so you do not leave behind metal particles that can sometimes get into food) and a basic detergent or degreaser.
You could probably complete all of these projects over the course of a few weekends but it will be a lot of hard work. Instead, give us a call! El Cajon Pressure Washing offers professional home exterior cleaning services for driveway cleaning, patio cleaning, pressure washing, roof cleaning and more!