Spring cleaning is nearly here, so it's time to plan. De-cluttering can make every job you have for the rest of the year easier, but it doesn't just count for inside your home. You can de-clutter the outside of your home, too. Everything from cleaning out your gutters to power washing your home and deck to cleaning out the grit and debris is on the table. Many of these actions will help extend the life of your home and make it look more beautiful:
1. Gutters are a priority.
Gutters are often clogged from fall into winter. Fallen leaves, broken branches, and a variety of other debris will find its way into your gutters. As water soaks into this debris and backs up any melting snow or rain, they can cause leaks. These leaks may appear on the top floor or attic and may travel through the walls to other areas of the home – often the basement.
Backed up gutters are one of the most overlooked causes of water damage that makes its way into the home. Make sure you get them cleaned before the spring rains come.
2. Let the light in.
Windows will be a mess after winter. They'll be specked with mud, dirt, and watermarks from drifting snow. A quick cleaning of the exterior will help clear the view, making the indoors a bit brighter without a lot of extra work.
If you haven't cleaned the inside all winter, give them a quick spritz and wipe down with a glass cleaning product. This will get the dust off. That lets the light in and helps you breathe better.
3. Prepare your deck for spring.
All decking materials can harbor moisture that enables mold and mildew to grow. Moisture retained from winter melt and spring rains can give way to growth when the summer heat kicks in. This moisture is usually absorbed by debris that's been pressed into the deck. Wood, stone, and even composite have tons of small imperfections. It's part of what gives them their natural charm.
Tiny bits of leaves, other organic debris, and dirt and grit will get stuck in these nooks and crannies. This debris will absorb moisture, allowing unwashed decks to get a good head start on mold growth.
This can be avoided with a thorough clean. Don't worry, it's less painful than it sounds. Most decks are well set up for power washing. It depends on the material and how it's finished, but this can be one of the most thorough, deep cleans your deck can have. It's one of the best steps to take in preventing mold and mildew come summer.
4. Power wash your garage floor...
Speaking of power washing, vehicles track in an incredible amount of dirt, salt, and debris from the winter. This will be collected on your garage floor. When you power wash the floor, you may be amazed at the difference it makes. It may even change color once the grime is thoroughly washed off!
5. ...and the driveway and walk.
While you're at it, you may wish to have the whole driveway and front walk power washed. It's quick and removes a lot of the grime that gets stuck in tires and to the underside of your vehicle.
For the walk, it'll look much nicer and give your property a brighter appearance. It's especially nice for pets to be able to walk on a nice clean surface – plus they'll track less dirt into your home!
6. Have a plan for your lawn and garden.
You can get a jump on having a beautiful lawn and healthy garden by having a plan. Know when you'll be fertilizing or which patches gave you trouble last year. Know what you want to plant and when. Just marking down a few actions on your calendar for the spring can make a big difference. It will also save you the rush of only remembering on the day-of and rushing out to a packed garden store.
7. Get weeding!
It's everyone's least favorite activity, but what if you could cut down on weeding? You can, and that's by getting your weeding done early. If you pull every weed the moment it rears its head, you'll cut down on the spread of weeds later in the summer. If you can get neighbors to do this, too, or lend them a hand, you can help cut down on all your weeds when summer rolls around! A little bit of weeding now saves you from a lot of weeding later.
8. How's your home's exterior?
Winter is the roughest time of year for your home. Dirt seeps everywhere with the meltwater and gets ground into the exterior as it freezes and thaws over and over again. Harsh winds slam bits of debris against your home and leave it clung there.
Power washing your home can very quickly clean off the winter dirt and grime. By getting rid of this grime, it can help preserve your paint job. Re-painting or re-siding your home can be expensive, so elongating the life of your paint or siding can be a great way to save while keeping your home beautiful. Consult a professional – there may be certain types of siding or paint quality, that isn't right for pressure washing. Where it is appropriate, it can make your home bright as new!
9. Clean out the shed.
If you have a shed or outdoor storage space, clean it out before the rain and heat come. You can eliminate a lot of the risk for pest infestation and mold and mildew growth by de-cluttering it and sweeping out the mess before it gets wet and humid.
10. Prepare for the year.
One great thing about spring cleaning is that it helps eliminate work that would only pile up and be harder to do later in the year. If you need to re-stain your deck, get it done early. It will help your deck withstand spring rains, and it'll mean you're doing the work when it's comfortable and not in the blazing sun and hammering heat.
Power washing your home gets that winter grit out early. If it's left stuck in there, it can grow mold and mildew in the heat. The best tip you can have is that whatever you want to get done, start it as early as you can. A home's health is just like yours: a little bit of prevention will help you avoid bigger problems down the road. Contact Mobile Magic Pressure Washing to kick off your spring cleaning.
