10 Outdoor Spring Cleaning Projects
Spring cleaning isn’t always fun for a lot of us. But it is important. As the holidays and winter near an end and we start looking forward to spring and warm weather, something inside of us pushes us to get our homes in order by cleaning, organizing and getting rid of things we’ve piled up throughout the winter.
But who says spring cleaning is only for the interior of a home?
The outside of your house could 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 appearance of your house in Alhambra, and, more importantly, will offer much-needed maintenance and upkeep that will save you money over the years ahead.
1. Gutter Cleaning
Spring is the optimal time to clean your gutters, because so many 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 if they are not properly cleaned.
Plus, bugs and critters are searching for places to build homes during spring, so getting your gutters cleaned will help to prevent an infestation in your home.
Gutter cleaning consists of cleaning the inside of your gutters, removing mold, mildew, rust stains, and restoring them to a like-new appearance.
2. Window Cleaning
Home window cleaning is essential for spring cleaning. First floor windows won’t give you too much of a headache, but second and third floor windows can be a bit trickier to reach.
Cleaning windows by hand is a tough job, and it will need a lot of supplies, not to mention climbing up and down a ladder! A soft wash or professional cleaning of your exterior windows is the recommended way to get the panes and the outer frame nice and 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 fast, effective and doesn’t cost very much. You can clean your home, outdoor furniture, patios, porches and walkways with not too much effort. It will knock off dirt and mud so they will not stain your house, and you can prevent the spread of mold, mildew and allergens.
4. Driveway Cleaning
Clearing off your home’s driveway and giving it a deep cleaning may seem strange because you will still be driving on it, but actually, a clean, well-maintained driveway can increase the curb appeal of your house.
A professional pressure washer will do wonders when it comes to driveway cleaning, whether it is pavement, asphalt, stone or another material. Also think about adding a gravel border to your home’s driveway to really help it stand out!
5. Patio Cleaning
Your home’s patio probably gets the most use in the summer, so it’s easy to overlook it during the winter since you are not doing a lot of outdoor entertaining, relaxing or grilling. Your patio can be in rough condition the first time you go onto it in the spring.
Detergent and water – and a little elbow grease – are sometimes be enough for patio cleaning, but if you notice signs of mold or mildew, you might need to think about a more serious option, like professional power washing, to ensure that friends and family can safely enjoy your patio all summer.
6. Roof Cleaning
Algae and moss are common home roof problems in Alhambra. While you’re cleaning the outside of your house, it is an excellent time to clean your home’s roof too, but you will need to use a different method than the one you use for most of your home’s exterior.
If you notice streaks on your home’s roof, algae is probably the reason. Moss is typically obvious, too. These contaminants can’t be scrubbed off of shingles, nor can you power wash the roof of your house. Both of these methods will damage the shingles on your home’s roof.
The best course of action for roof cleaning is to mist the shingles with a half-water, half-bleach solution and then let it sit. This will eliminate any organic organisms on your home’s roof without lowering its lifespan.
7. Spruce up the Front
The front of your house is what most people passing by see, so make the best impression possible for visitors, neighbors and for yourself! Coming home to a clean exterior will immediately improve your day, and it will even encourage you to spend a lot more time outdoors.
Clean your front porch with soap and water or a good power wash. Wipe cobwebs and dirt off of the front door, and consider painting it a new color for a bright look! Clean unnoticed areas including the porch ceiling, light fixtures and ceiling fans, too.
8. Organize Outdoor Tools
You will be spending more time outdoors, so spring is a great chance to organize whatever you will need for outdoor work.
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 isn’t a constant eyesore. Taking the time to organize in the spring allows you to enjoy the outside of your house much more throughout the time of year when you spend the most time outdoors.
9. Lawn Care & Landscaping
Your lawn, trees and bushes make a major impact on the look of your house.
Remove weeds around the exterior of your flower beds and walkways, till up places where you’ll be planting in the future and brush off walkways. You can spray pre-emergent weed poison to make lawn care easier on yourself throughout the summer. Trim all the bushes too.
10. Clean the Grill
After being unused for months, your grill could use a good cleaning, too. Leftover grease and food from your grill are unappetizing, but even worse they can make you and your family sick.
Wet it down to get rid of leftover ash, then scrub the grates with a plastic scrubber or grill brush (so you do not leave behind particles that can get into food) and a basic detergent or degreaser.
You could probably finish these projects after a few weekends but it is going to be a lot of tough work. Instead, give us a call! Alhambra Pressure Washing provides professional residential exterior cleaning services for patio cleaning, roof cleaning, driveway cleaning, pressure washing and more!