10 Outdoor Spring Cleaning Projects
Spring cleaning isn’t exciting for many of us. But it is important. As the holidays and winter end and we begin looking forward to spring and warmer weather, something inside of us encourages us to get our homes in order by cleaning, organizing and getting rid of things we’ve hoarded over the winter months.
But who says spring cleaning is only for the interior of a home?
The outside of your house could probably use a little tidying up after a cold, dreary winter, too!
It’s Time For Home Exterior Cleaning
Here are home exterior cleaning projects that will really improve the appearance of your house in San Bernardino, and, even more important, will offer much-needed care and maintenance that will save you money in years to come.
1. Gutter Cleaning
Spring is the best time of year to clean out your gutters, because a lot of leaves and debris collect in the fall and winter months. The pollen count is at its highest in the spring, making a mess in your gutters and downspouts if they are not properly cleaned.
Plus, bugs and animals are searching for places to build their homes in spring, so getting your gutters cleaned out will help to prevent an infestation in your home.
Gutter cleaning consists of cleaning the inside of your gutters, removing mold, mildew and rust stains and restoring them to a like-new appearance.
2. Window Cleaning
Exterior window cleaning is necessary for spring cleaning. First floor windows won’t give you much of an issue, but second and third floor windows can be a bit trickier to reach.
Cleaning windows by hand is a tough 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 home’s windows is the recommended solution to get the panes and the outer frame nice and clean.
3. Pressure Washing
You don’t want clean gutters and clean 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 pressure clean your home, outdoor furniture, concrete patios, wood and stone porches and walkways with not much effort. It will remove 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 driveway and giving it a deep cleaning might seem silly because you’ll still be driving on it, but, a clean, well-maintained driveway can increase the curb appeal of your house.
A professional pressure washing company will do wonders when it comes to driveway cleaning, whether it is pavement, asphalt, stone or some other material. Also consider adding a gravel or mulch border to your driveway to really make it pop!
5. Patio Cleaning
Your patio gets the most use throughout the summer months, so it is easy to overlook it in the winter when you are not doing any outdoor entertaining, leisure or grilling. Your patio could be in pretty bad shape the first time you go onto it in the spring.
Soap and water – and a little muscle – are sometimes be enough for patio cleaning, but if there are signs of mold or algae, you need to consider a more aggressive option, like power washing, to guarantee that friends and family can enjoy your patio all summer.
6. Roof Cleaning
Mold and moss are common home roof problems in San Bernardino. While you are cleaning the outside of your house, it is an excellent time to pressure clean your roof as well, 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 see streaks on your roof, algae is probably the cause. Moss is pretty obvious, too. These particles cannot be scrubbed off shingles, nor can you power wash the roof. Both of these methods will damage the shingles on your roof.
The ideal course of action for roof cleaning is to spray the shingles with a half-bleach, half-water solution and then leave it be. This solution will eliminate any organisms on your roof without lowering its lifespan.
7. Spruce up the Front
The front of your house is going to be what most people passing by see, so try to make the best impression possible for visitors and for yourself! Returning home to a well-maintained exterior will immediately improve your day, and will even inspire you to spend a lot more time outdoors.
Clean your front porch with detergent and water or a good power wash. Wipe cobwebs and mud off of the front door, and consider painting it for a really fresh look! Clean forgotten areas including the porch ceiling, light fixtures and ceiling fans, too.
8. Organize Garden Tools
You will be spending much more time outside, so spring is an excellent chance to organize the things you’ll need for outdoor chores.
Yard tools and pool care equipment need to all have an assigned place outside your house – 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 outside of your house much more throughout the time of year when you are going to spend the most time outdoors.
9. Lawn Care & Landscaping
Your lawn, trees and garden bushes can make a huge impact on the overall look of your house.
Get rid of weeds around your flower beds and walkways, till up areas where you’ll be planting in the future 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 the bushes too.
10. Clean the Grill
After sitting unused for several months, your gas or charcoal grill could need a good cleaning, too. Leftover grease and food from your grill are unappetizing, but even worse they can make you and your family ill.
Wipe it down to get rid of leftover ash, then scrub the grates with a plastic scrubber (so you do not leave behind metal particles that can sometimes get into food) and a basic dish soap or degreaser.
You could probably complete all of these jobs after a few weekends but it is going to be a lot of tough work. Instead, give us a call! San Bernardino Pressure Washing offers professional residential exterior cleaning services for driveway cleaning, patio cleaning, pressure washing, roof cleaning and more!