10 Outdoor Spring Cleaning Projects
Spring cleaning isn’t 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 within us encourages us to get our homes in order by cleaning, organizing and throwing away things we’ve collected over the winter.
But who says spring cleaning is limited to the interior of your house?
The outside of your house could 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 Virginia, and, more importantly, will provide much-needed maintenance and upkeep that will save you money over the years ahead.
1. Gutter Cleaning
Spring is the optimal time of year to clean out your gutters, because so many of leaves and debris collected during the fall and winter. The pollen count is at its highest during spring, making a mess in your gutters if they aren’t cleaned.
Plus, pests and critters are scavenging for places to build homes during spring, so having your gutters cleaned out will help to stop an infestation in your home.
Gutter cleaning consists of cleaning the inside of your gutters, removing mold, mildew, rust stains and returning them to a nice appearance.
2. Window Cleaning
Residential window cleaning is a must for spring cleaning. First floor windows won’t give you too much of an issue, but second and third floor windows will be tougher to reach.
Cleaning windows by hand is a hard job, and will need a lot of supplies, not to mention going up and down a ladder! A soft wash or professional cleaning of your exterior windows is the recommended solution to get the panes and the outer frame clean.
3. Pressure Washing
You aren’t going to want clean gutters and clean windows on a dirty house. Which means you will want to pressure wash your house too!
Pressure washing is quick, effective and affordable. You can pressure clean your house, outdoor furniture, patios, porches and walkways with very little effort. It will knock off 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 good cleaning may seem silly because you’ll still be driving on it, but, a clean, maintained driveway can increase the curb appeal of your house.
A professional pressure washer can do wonders for driveway cleaning, whether it’s pavement, asphalt, brick or some other material. Also consider adding a gravel or mulch border to your driveway to really help it stand out!
5. Patio Cleaning
Your patio gets the most use during the summer, so it’s easy to forget about it during the winter when you aren’t doing any outdoor entertaining, leisure or grilling. Your patio could be in pretty bad shape the first time you step onto it in spring.
Detergent and water – and a little elbow grease – can sometimes be enough for patio cleaning, but if there are signs of mold or algae, you need to consider a more serious option, like 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 Virginia. While you are cleaning the outside of your house, it’s an excellent time to pressure clean your roof too, but you’ll need to use a different method than what you use for the rest of your home’s exterior cleaning.
If you notice streaks on your roof, algae is probably the reason. Moss is typically obvious, too. These contaminants can’t be wiped off of shingles, nor can you pressure wash the roof of your house. Both of these methods will damage the shingles on your roof.
The best course of action for roof cleaning is to mist the shingles with a half-water, half-bleach mixture and then let it be. This will eliminate all organisms on your roof without lowering its lifespan.
7. Tidy 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 well-maintained exterior will improve your day, and will motivate you to spend a lot more time outside.
Clean your front porch with detergent and water or a good pressure wash. Wipe cobwebs and mud off of the front door, and think about painting it for a bright look! Clean forgotten areas such as the porch ceiling, light fixtures and ceiling fans, too.
8. Organize Outdoor Tools
You will be spending much more time outside, so spring is a wonderful opportunity to organize whatever you’ll need for outdoor chores.
Gardening tools as well as pool care equipment need to all have an exact area outside your house – a place 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 will allow you to enjoy the outside of your house much more throughout the time of year that you are going to spend the most time outside.
9. Lawn Care & Landscaping
Your yard, trees and bushes can make a big impact on the look of your house.
Get rid of weeds around your flower beds and walkways and driveway, till up areas where you will be planting later on and brush off walkways. You can spray pre-emergent weed killer to make lawn care easier on yourself throughout the summer. Trim all bushes too.
10. Clean the Grill
After sitting unused for several months, your grill could need 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 remove ash, then scrub the grates with a scrubber (so you don’t leave behind particles that can sometimes 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 tough work. Instead, give us a call! Virginia Beach Pressure Washing provides professional home exterior cleaning services for driveway cleaning, patio cleaning, pressure washing, roof cleaning and more!