10 Outdoor Spring Cleaning Projects
Spring cleaning isn’t exciting for most of us. But it needs to be done. As the holidays and winter end and we begin looking forward to spring, something inside of us encourages us to get our homes in order by cleaning, organizing and getting rid of things we’ve collected throughout the winter months.
But who says spring cleaning is limited to the inside of a house?
The exterior of your home could probably use a little refreshing after a cold, dreary winter, too!
It’s Time For Home Exterior Cleaning
Here are home exterior cleaning projects that will really improve the curb appeal of your home in Saint Cloud, and, more importantly, will offer much-needed care and maintenance that will save you a lot of money over the years to come.
1. Gutter Cleaning
Spring is the optimal time of year to clean out your gutters, since so many of leaves and debris collect in the fall and winter months. The pollen count is at its highest in spring, making a mess in your gutters and downspouts if they aren’t properly cleaned.
Plus, bugs and animals are looking for places to build homes in spring, so getting your gutters cleaned out will help prevent an infestation in your home.
Gutter cleaning consists of cleaning the inside and outside of your gutters, removing mold, mildew and stains and returning them to a like-new appearance.
2. Window Cleaning
Residential window cleaning is essential for spring cleaning. Ground floor windows will not give you much of a problem, but any second and third floor windows will be tougher to reach.
Cleaning windows by hand is a tiring chore, and it will require a lot of supplies, not to mention climbing up and down a ladder! A soft wash or professional cleaning of your home’s windows is the perfect solution to get the panes and the outer frame nice and clean.
3. Pressure Washing
You do not want clean gutters and clean windows on a dirty house. That means you are going to want to pressure wash your home too!
Pressure washing is fast, effective and doesn’t cost too much. You can pressure clean your house, outdoor furniture, concrete patios, porches and walkways with not much effort. It will remove dirt and mud so they won’t stain your home, and you can prevent the spread of mold, mildew and allergens.
4. Driveway Cleaning
Clearing off your home’s driveway and giving it a good cleaning might seem silly since you’ll be driving on it, but, a clean, cared for driveway can increase the curb appeal of your home.
A professional pressure washer can do wonders for driveway cleaning, whether it’s concrete, asphalt, brick or some other material. Also think about adding a gravel border to your home’s driveway to really make it stand out!
5. Patio Cleaning
Your home’s patio probably gets the most use during the summer months, so it can be easy to forget about it in the winter since you aren’t doing any outdoor entertaining, leisure or grilling. Your patio might be in pretty bad shape the first time you walk onto it in spring.
Detergent and water – and a little elbow grease – can sometimes be enough for patio cleaning, but if there are signs of mold or mildew, you need to think about a more aggressive option, like power washing, to ensure that friends and family can enjoy your patio all summer long.
6. Roof Cleaning
Algae and moss are typical home roof problems in Saint Cloud. While you’re cleaning the exterior of your home, it’s an excellent time to pressure clean your home’s roof as well, but you’ll need to use a different method than what you use for the rest of your home’s exterior cleaning.
If you start to notice streaks on your home’s roof, algae is probably the reason. Moss is usually obvious, too. These particles cannot be wiped off of shingles, nor can you pressure wash the roof. 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-bleach, half-water solution and leave it sit. This mixture will eliminate all organisms on your home’s roof without lowering its lifespan.
7. Tidy up the Front
The front of your home is likely what most people see, so make the best impression you can for visitors, neighbors and for yourself! Coming home to a beautiful exterior will improve your day, and it will inspire you to spend more time outside.
You can clean your front porch with soap and water or a good pressure wash. Clean cobwebs and mud off of the front porch, and think about painting it a new color for a really bright look! Clean unnoticed areas like the porch ceiling, light fixtures and ceiling fans, too.
8. Organize Outdoor Tools
You’ll probably be spending much more time outside, so spring is a wonderful chance to organize everything you’ll need for outdoor work.
Yard tools as well as pool care equipment must all have an exact area outside your home – somewhere that it is safe from harsh weather and not in sight so it isn’t a constant eyesore to anyone. Spending the time to organize in the spring allows you to appreciate the exterior of your home so much more during the time of year that you spend the most time outside.
9. Lawn Care & Landscaping
Your lawn, trees and bushes make a huge impact on the overall look of your home.
Kill weeds around your flower beds and walkways and driveway, till up places where you will be planting later on and sweep off walkways. You can spray pre-emergent weed poison to make yard care easier on yourself throughout the summer. Trim all bushes too.
10. Clean the Grill
After being unused for months, your gas or charcoal grill could need a good cleaning, too. Leftover grease and food from your grill are unappetizing, but even worse they can make you and your family sick.
Wipe it down to remove leftover ash, then scrub the grates with a plastic scrubber or grill brush (so you do not leave behind metal particles that can get into food) and a basic dish soap or degreaser.
You could probably complete all of these projects over the course of a few weekends but it is going to be a lot of tough work. Instead, give us a call! Saint Cloud Pressure Washing provides professional residential exterior cleaning services for driveway cleaning, patio cleaning, pressure washing, roof cleaning and more!