10 Outdoor Spring Cleaning Projects
Spring cleaning isn’t exciting for a lot of us. But it is important. As the holidays and winter end and we start looking forward to spring and warm weather, something within us pushes us to get our homes in order by cleaning, organizing and throwing away things we’ve hoarded throughout the winter.
But who says spring cleaning is only for the inside of a home?
The outside of your house could probably use some refreshing after a cold, dreary winter, too!
It’s Time For Home Exterior Cleaning
Here are home exterior cleaning projects that will improve the appearance of your house in Richmond, and, even more important, will offer much-needed care and maintenance that will save you money over the years to come.
1. Gutter Cleaning
Spring is the ideal time of year to clean your gutters, because a lot of leaves and debris pile up during the fall and winter. The pollen count is at its highest during spring, making a mess in your gutters if they aren’t properly cleaned.
Plus, bugs and critters are looking for places to build homes during spring, so having your gutters cleaned will help to stop an infestation in your home.
Gutter cleaning will consist of cleaning the inside of your gutters, removing mold, mildew, rust stains and restoring them to a nice appearance.
2. Window Cleaning
Residential window cleaning is necessary for spring cleaning. Ground floor windows shouldn’t cause you too much of an issue, but any second and third floor windows are tougher to reach.
Cleaning windows by hand is a tough job, and will require 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 perfect way to get the panes and the outer frame clean.
3. Pressure Washing
You do not want clean gutters and windows on a dirty home. That means you will want to pressure wash your house too!
Pressure washing is quick, effective and affordable. You can clean your home, outdoor furniture, concrete patios, porches and walkways with not too much effort. It will remove 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 home’s driveway and giving it a deep cleaning might seem strange because you will just be driving on it, but actually, a clean, maintained driveway can increase the curb appeal of your house.
A professional pressure washing company can do wonders when it comes to driveway cleaning, whether it is pavement, asphalt, brick or another material. Also think about adding a gravel border to your home’s driveway to really help it pop!
5. Patio Cleaning
Your home’s patio gets the most use throughout the summer, so it’s easy to overlook it during the winter when you aren’t doing as much outdoor entertaining, relaxing or grilling. Your patio could be in bad shape the first time you go onto it in spring.
Soap and water – and a little hard work – can sometimes be enough for patio cleaning, but if you notice signs of mold or mildew, you need to think about a more serious option, like power washing, to guarantee that friends and family can safely enjoy your patio all summer.
6. Roof Cleaning
Algae and moss are common roof issues in Richmond. While you are cleaning the outside of your house, it is a great time to clean your home’s roof as well, but you will have to use a different process than the one 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 can’t be wiped off shingles, nor can you pressure wash the roof of your house. Both of these methods will ruin the shingles on your home’s roof.
The ideal process for roof cleaning is to spray the shingles with a half-bleach, half-water mixture and let it sit. This mixture will eliminate any organisms on your home’s roof without reducing 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 and for yourself! Returning home to a beautiful exterior will immediately improve your day, and will even encourage you to spend more time outdoors.
Clean your front porch with soap and water or a good pressure wash. Clean cobwebs and mud off of the front door, and think about painting it for a really bright look! Clean overlooked areas like the porch ceiling, light fixtures and ceiling fans, too.
8. Organize Garden Tools
You will be spending a lot more time outside, so spring is a wonderful chance to organize the things you will need for outdoor chores.
Yard tools as well as pool care equipment should all have an exact area outside your house – somewhere that it is safe from harsh weather and out of sight so it isn’t a constant eyesore to anyone. Spending the time to organize in the spring allows you to appreciate the outside of your house much more during the time of year that 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 look of your house.
Remove weeds around your flower beds and walkways and driveway, till up places where you’ll be planting later on and sweep off walkways. You can spray pre-emergent weed poison to make yard maintenance easier on yourself throughout the next few months. Trim all bushes too.
10. Clean the Grill
After being unused for several months, your gas or charcoal grill could need a good cleaning, too. Leftover grease and food from your grill are definitely unappetizing, but even worse they can make you and your family ill.
Wet it down to get rid of ash, then scrub the grates with a scrubber or grill brush (so you don’t leave behind particles that can get into food) and a dish soap or degreaser.
You can probably complete these jobs after a few weekends but it is going to be a lot of hard work. Instead, give us a call! Richmond Pressure Washing offers professional home exterior cleaning services for driveway cleaning, patio cleaning, pressure washing, roof cleaning and more!