10 Outdoor Spring Cleaning Projects

Spring cleaning isn’t exciting for most of us. But it has to be done. As the holidays and winter come to an end and we begin looking forward to spring and warm weather, something inside of us tells us to get our homes in order by cleaning, organizing and throwing away things we’ve piled up over the winter months.

But who says spring cleaning is limited to the interior of a home?
The outside of your house could 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 improve the appearance of your house in Arlington Heights, and, even more important, will provide much-needed care and maintenance that will save you a lot of money in years to come.

1. Gutter Cleaning

Spring is the ideal time to clean out your gutters, because a lot of leaves and debris collected during the fall and winter months. Pollen is at its highest during the spring, making a huge mess in your gutters and downspouts if they aren’t properly cleaned.

Plus, pests and animals are looking for places to build homes during spring, so having your gutters cleaned out will help stop an infestation in your home.

Gutter cleaning will consist of cleaning the inside and outside of your gutters, removing mold, mildew and rust stains and returning them to a like-new appearance.

2. Window Cleaning

Residential window cleaning is essential for spring cleaning. First floor windows will not cause you much of a problem, but second and third floor windows will be a bit tougher to reach.

Cleaning windows by hand is an exhausting chore, 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 clean.

3. Pressure Washing

You don’t want clean gutters and windows on a dirty home. This means you will want to pressure wash your house too!

Pressure washing is quick, effective and affordable. You can pressure clean your home, patio furniture, concrete patios, wood and stone porches and walkways with very little 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 washer can do wonders when it comes to driveway cleaning, whether it’s pavement, asphalt, brick or some other material. Also consider adding a gravel or mulch border to your home’s driveway to really make it stand out!

5. Patio Cleaning

Your home’s patio probably gets the most use throughout the summer months, so it can be easy to forget about it during the winter when you aren’t doing a lot of outdoor entertaining, leisure or grilling. Your patio could be in pretty bad shape the first time you walk onto it in the spring.

Detergent and water – and a little hard work – can sometimes be enough for patio cleaning, but if you notice signs of mold or algae, you need to consider a more serious option, like professional power washing, to ensure that friends and family can safely enjoy your patio all summer.

6. Roof Cleaning

Mold and moss are common home roof problems in Arlington Heights. While you’re cleaning the outside of your house, it’s a great time to pressure clean your home’s roof as well, but you will need to use a different process than what you use for the rest of your home’s exterior cleaning.

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

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

7. Tidy up the Front

The front of your house is probably what most people passing by see, so make the best impression possible for visitors, neighbors and for yourself! Coming home to a beautiful exterior will instantly improve your day, and will inspire you to spend more time outside.

Clean your porch with soap and water or a good pressure wash. Wipe cobwebs and mud off of the front porch, and think about painting it for a fresh look! Clean overlooked areas like the porch ceiling, light fixtures and ceiling fans, too.

8. Organize Garden Tools

You’ll probably be spending much more time outdoors, so spring is an excellent time to organize whatever you will need for outdoor work.

Gardening tools as well as pool care equipment should all have an exact area outside your house – a place that it is safe from weather and out of sight so it isn’t a constant eyesore. Spending the time to organize in the spring allows you to enjoy the outside of your house much more during the time of year when you are going to spend the most time outside.

9. Lawn Care & Landscaping

Your lawn, trees and bushes can make a big impact on the overall look of your house.

Get rid of weeds around your flower beds and walkways and driveway, till up areas where you might be planting later on and sweep off walkways. You can spray pre-emergent weed poison to make lawn maintenance 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 need a good cleaning, too. Leftover grease and food particles from your grill are definitely unappetizing, but they can make you and your family ill.

Wipe it down to get rid of ash, then scrub the grates with a scrubber (so you don’t leave behind metal particles that can sometimes get into food) and a basic dish soap or degreaser.

You can probably complete all of these jobs over the course of a few weekends but it will be a lot of tough work. Instead, give us a call! Arlington Heights Pressure Washing offers professional home exterior cleaning services for driveway cleaning, patio cleaning, pressure washing, roof cleaning and more!