10 Outdoor Spring Cleaning Projects
Spring cleaning isn’t always exciting for most of us. But it is important. As the holidays and winter 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 over the winter.
But who says spring cleaning is only for the interior of your house?
The exterior of your home could probably use some refreshing after a cold, wet winter, too!
It’s Time For Home Exterior Cleaning
Here are home exterior cleaning projects that will really improve the appearance of your home in Rialto, and, even more important, will offer much-needed maintenance and care that will save money over the years to come.
1. Gutter Cleaning
Spring is the ideal time of year to clean your gutters, because so many of leaves and debris accumulated during the fall and winter. The pollen count is at its highest during spring, making a big mess in your gutters and downspouts if they aren’t properly cleaned.
Plus, bugs and animals are searching for places to build homes during spring, so getting your gutters cleaned will help to 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 like-new appearance.
2. Window Cleaning
Home window cleaning is necessary for spring cleaning. Ground floor windows will not cause you much of a headache, but any second and third floor windows can be trickier to reach.
Cleaning windows by hand is a tiring job, and it will need a lot of supplies, not to mention going up and down a ladder! A soft wash or professional cleaning of your home’s windows is the recommended solution 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 house. That means you will want to pressure wash your home too!
Pressure washing is quick, effective and doesn’t cost very much. You can clean your house, patio furniture, concrete patios, wood and stone porches and walkways with not much effort. It will knock off dirt and mud so they will not 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’ll be driving on it, but actually, a clean, maintained driveway can increase the curb appeal of your home.
A professional pressure washing service will do wonders for driveway cleaning, whether it is pavement, asphalt, stone or another material. Also consider adding a gravel border to your driveway to really help it pop!
5. Patio Cleaning
Your patio probably gets the most use throughout the summer, so it can be easy to forget about it during the winter since you aren’t doing as much outdoor entertaining, relaxing or grilling. Your patio could be in a rough condition the first time you go onto it in spring.
Soap 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 guarantee that friends and family can enjoy your patio all summer.
6. Roof Cleaning
Algae and moss are common roof issues in Rialto. While you’re cleaning the exterior of your home, it is an excellent time to clean your roof too, but you’ll need to use a different method than what you use for most of your home’s exterior cleaning.
If you start to notice streaks on your roof, algae is probably the reason. Moss is pretty obvious, too. These particles cannot be scrubbed off shingles, nor can you pressure wash the roof. Both of these methods will damage the shingles on your roof.
The ideal method for roof cleaning is to mist the shingles with a half-water, half-bleach mixture and then leave it sit. This will eliminate any organisms on your roof without reducing its lifespan.
7. Clean up the Front
The front of your home is what most people see, so make the best impression you can for visitors and for yourself! Returning home to a clean exterior will immediately improve your day, and it will inspire you to spend a lot more time outdoors.
Clean your front porch with detergent and water or a good pressure wash. Wipe cobwebs and dirt off of the front porch, and consider painting it a new color for a really fresh look! Clean unnoticed areas like the porch ceiling, light fixtures and ceiling fans, too.
8. Organize Garden Tools
You will soon be spending much more time outdoors, so spring is an excellent chance to organize whatever you’ll need for outdoor work.
Yard tools as well as pool care equipment should all have an assigned place outside your home – somewhere that it is safe from harsh weather and out of sight so it isn’t a constant eyesore. Spending the time to organize in the spring will allow you to enjoy the exterior of your home so much more during the time of year when you spend the most time outdoors.
9. Lawn Care & Landscaping
Your yard, trees and bushes make a major impact on the overall look of your home.
Kill weeds around your flower beds and walkways, till up areas where you might be planting in the future and sweep off walkways. You can spray pre-emergent weed poison to make lawn maintenance easier on yourself throughout the summer. Trim all 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 particles from your grill are unappetizing, but they can make you and your family ill.
Wet it down to get rid of leftover ash, then scrub the grates with a plastic scrubber (so you do not leave behind 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 will be a lot of hard work. Instead, give us a call! Rialto Pressure Washing provides professional residential exterior cleaning services for patio cleaning, roof cleaning, driveway cleaning, pressure washing and more!