10 Outdoor Spring Cleaning Projects
Spring cleaning is not exciting for many of us. But it is important. As the holidays and winter come to an end and we start looking forward to spring and warm weather, something inside of us tells us to get our homes in order by cleaning, organizing and getting rid of things we’ve hoarded throughout the winter.
But who says spring cleaning is only for the interior of your house?
The exterior of your house could probably use a little tidying up after a cold, wet winter, too!
It’s Time For Home Exterior Cleaning
Here are home exterior cleaning projects that will drastically improve the appearance of your house in Chesapeake, and, even more important, will offer much-needed care and maintenance that will save you money in years to come.
1. Gutter Cleaning
Spring is the optimal time to clean out your gutters because a lot of leaves and debris accumulated during the fall and winter. Pollen is at its highest during the spring, making a huge mess in your gutters and downspouts if they aren’t properly cleaned.
Plus, pests and animals are looking for places to build their homes during spring, so getting your gutters cleaned out will help stop an infestation in your home.
Gutter cleaning consists of cleaning the inside and outside of your gutters, removing mold, mildew and rust stains and returning them to a like-new appearance.
2. Window Cleaning
Home window cleaning is essential for spring cleaning. Ground floor windows will not cause you too much of an issue, but second and third floor windows are trickier to reach.
Cleaning windows by hand is a hard job, and it will require a lot of tools, not to mention going up and down a ladder! A soft wash or professional cleaning of your home’s windows is the best way to get the panes and the outer frame nice and clean.
3. Pressure Washing
You aren’t going to want clean gutters and clean windows on a dirty house. Which means you are going to want to pressure wash your house too!
Pressure washing is fast, effective and affordable. You can pressure clean your house, patio furniture, 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 stop the spread of mold, mildew and allergens.
4. Driveway Cleaning
Clearing off your driveway and giving it a deep cleaning may seem counter-productive because you’ll just be driving on it, but actually, a clean, well-cared for driveway can increase the curb appeal of your house.
A professional pressure washing company will do wonders for driveway cleaning, whether it’s pavement, asphalt, brick or another material. Also, consider adding a gravel border to your driveway to really help it pop!
5. Patio Cleaning
Your patio gets the most use during the summer, so it can be easy to forget about it during the winter when you aren’t doing a lot of outdoor entertaining, leisure or grilling. Your patio can be in pretty rough shape the first time you step onto it in the spring.
Detergent and water – and a little elbow grease – are sometimes be enough for patio cleaning, but if there are signs of mold or mildew, you may need to consider a more serious option, like professional power washing, to ensure that friends and family can safely enjoy your patio all summer long.
6. Roof Cleaning
Mold and moss are typical home roof problems in Chesapeake. While you are cleaning the exterior of your house, it’s a great time to pressure clean your roof as well, but you’ll have to use a different method than what you use for the rest of your home’s exterior.
If you see streaks on your roof, algae is most likely the cause. Moss is usually obvious, too. These particles cannot be wiped off shingles, nor can you power wash the roof of your house. Both of these methods will ruin the shingles on your roof.
The ideal process for roof cleaning is to mist the shingles with a half-bleach, half-water mixture and leave it be. This will kill all organisms on your roof without reducing its lifespan.
7. Clean up the Front
The front of your house is likely what most people passing by see, so try to make the best impression you can for visitors and for yourself! Coming home to a clean exterior will instantly improve your day, and it will inspire you to spend more time outdoors.
Clean your front porch with soap and water or a good power wash. Clean cobwebs and mud off of the front door, and consider painting it a new color for a really fresh look! Clean forgotten areas such as the porch ceiling, light fixtures and ceiling fans, too.
8. Organize Garden Tools
You will soon be spending a lot more time outdoors, so spring is a wonderful opportunity to organize the things you’ll need for outdoor chores.
Gardening tools and pool care equipment should all have an assigned area outside your house – somewhere that it is safe from weather and out of sight so it is not a constant eyesore. Taking the time to organize in the spring allows you to appreciate the exterior of your house much more during the time of year when you are going to spend the most time outdoors.
9. Lawn Care & Landscaping
Your yard, trees and garden bushes can make a huge impact on the overall look of your house.
Get rid of weeds near your flower beds and walkways, till up places where you’ll be planting later on and sweep off walkways. You can spray pre-emergent weed killer to make lawn maintenance easier on yourself throughout the summer. Trim all the bushes too.
10. Clean the Grill
After sitting unused for months, your gas or charcoal grill could use a good cleaning, too. Leftover grease and food from your grill are unappetizing, but they can make you and your family sick.
Wipe 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 detergent 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 hard work. Instead, give us a call! Chesapeake Pressure Wash Plus provides professional residential exterior cleaning services for patio cleaning, roof cleaning, driveway cleaning, pressure washing and more!