10 Outdoor Spring Cleaning Projects

Spring cleaning is not always fun for a lot of us. But it is important. As the holidays and winter end and we start 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 hoarded throughout the winter months.

But who says spring cleaning is only for the interior of a home?
The exterior of your house could use some 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 Toledo, and, even more important, will offer much-needed care and maintenance that will save a lot of money in years ahead.

1. Gutter Cleaning

Spring is the optimal time to clean out your gutters, since a lot of leaves and debris pile up during the fall and winter months. Pollen is at its highest during the spring, making a mess in your gutters if they are not properly cleaned.

Plus, bugs and critters are scavenging for places to build their homes during spring, so getting your gutters cleaned out will help to prevent an infestation in your home.

Gutter cleaning will consist of cleaning the inside and outside of your gutters, removing mold, mildew, rust stains and restoring them to a nice appearance.

2. Window Cleaning

Exterior window cleaning is a must for spring cleaning. Ground floor windows will not give you too much of a problem, but any second and third floor windows will be trickier to reach.

Cleaning windows by hand is a tiring job, and it will need a lot of tools, not to mention going up and down a ladder! A soft wash or professional cleaning of your exterior windows is the perfect way to get the panes and the outer frame nice and clean.

3. Pressure Washing

You don’t 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 affordable. You can clean your home, patio furniture, patios, wood and stone porches and walkways with very little effort. It will eliminate dirt and mud so they will not permanently 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 good cleaning may seem counter-productive since you’ll be driving on it, but actually, a clean, well-cared for driveway can increase the curb appeal of your house.

A professional pressure washing service will do wonders when it comes to driveway cleaning, whether it is pavement, asphalt, brick or another material. Also consider adding a gravel border to your home’s driveway to really make it stand out!

5. Patio Cleaning

Your home’s patio gets the most use in the summer months, so it is easy to forget about it during the winter since you are not doing a lot of outdoor entertaining, relaxing 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 hard work – can sometimes be enough for patio cleaning, but if there are signs of mold or algae, you may need to consider a more serious option, like power washing, to ensure that friends and family can safely enjoy your patio all summer long.

6. Roof Cleaning

Algae and moss are common home roof problems in Toledo. While you are cleaning the exterior of your house, it is an excellent time to clean your home’s roof as well, but you’ll need to use a different method than the one you use for the rest of your home’s exterior.

If you start to notice streaks on your home’s roof, algae is probably the cause. Moss is usually obvious, too. These particles cannot be wiped off shingles, nor can you power wash the roof. Both of these methods will ruin the shingles on your home’s roof.

The ideal method for roof cleaning is to mist the shingles with a half-water, half-bleach mixture and then let it sit. This solution will kill all organic organisms on your home’s roof without reducing its lifespan.

7. Clean up the Front

The front of your house is 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 immediately improve your day, and it will probably inspire you to spend more time outside.

Clean your porch with soap and water or a good power wash. Wipe cobwebs and mud off of the front door, and consider painting it for a bright look! Clean unnoticed areas including the porch ceiling, light fixtures and ceiling fans, too.

8. Organize Garden Tools

You’ll soon be spending a lot more time outdoors, so spring is a wonderful opportunity to organize everything you’ll need for outdoor work.

Yard tools and pool care equipment should all have an assigned place outside your house – somewhere that it is safe from weather and not in sight so it is not a constant eyesore to anyone. Spending the time to organize in the spring will allow you to enjoy the exterior of your house so much more throughout the time of year when you are going to spend the most time outside.

9. Lawn Care & Landscaping

Your yard, trees and bushes make a major impact on the look of your house.

Remove weeds near your flower beds and walkways and driveway, till up areas where you’ll be planting in the future and brush off walkways. You can spray pre-emergent weed killer to make lawn care easier on yourself throughout the next few months. 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 particles from your grill are unappetizing, but 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 (so you do not leave behind particles that can sometimes get into food) and a basic detergent or degreaser.

You can probably complete these projects after a few weekends but it will be a lot of hard work. Instead, give us a call! True Toledo Pressure Washing offers professional home exterior cleaning services for driveway cleaning, patio cleaning, pressure washing, roof cleaning and more