Despite what many people may think about home cleanliness, it’s not just the inside of your house you need to consider tidying up from time to time. It’s important to remember that the exterior of your home needs some occasional TLC, too. However, the process can be intensive and require some specific methods to work effectively (such as going about it in a top-down, roof-to-ground fashion). The following article will provide you with the four basic steps you’ll need to follow to get your home looking as spectacular as the day you first bought it. That said, if you’re a Dallas or Austin homeowner and are looking for an effective house washing service to take the task off your hands, consider the fantastic services offered by the experts at Shine today.
Related: Common Mistakes Done With Pressure Washing
Step 1: The Roof
The roof is the first spot to focus on when it comes to exterior house cleaning. Roofs are made with a range of materials, and the tips below apply mainly to asphalt roofing, but the general process will work no matter what your roof is made of.
- Get onto your roof to check for missing or broken shingles that will need to be replaced or shingles that have shifted and will need to be refastened. Replace and secure everything you need to before moving on.
- Once all shingles have been replaced and secured as needed, use a leaf blower to get rid of light debris and remove sticks and other heavier debris by hand.
- Be sure to never use a pressure washer on your home’s roof, as it can easily remove or tear your shingles. Use your hose and make use of a “low pressure, high volume” approach to clean your roof. You may need to use a bit of extra effort or a mix of algaecides and bleach if parts of your roof are under trees to remove any moss, algae, or lichen that has developed.
Related: Why is Spring Cleaning Important?
Step 2: The Gutters
The gutters are the second area you’ll want to focus on, though gutter cleaning should be done relatively frequently to help protect your home’s roof, siding, and more.
- Start by carefully removing twigs, branches, leaves, and other debris using your hands and a standard gutter scoop you can likely find at any hardware store.
- Once the larger debris has been removed, take the spray nozzle of your garden hose to flush out the gutters, starting away from your downspouts to ensure everything gets flushed.
- Finally, adjust your hose so water will flow directly into your downspouts. If they are clogged, you’ll want to push the hose up the downspout from the ground to remove the blockage. If this method doesn’t work, you might need to use a plumber’s snake to force the stoppage loose.
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Step 3: The Siding
The third step of the process involves cleaning your home’s siding, which will likely be covered in easy-to-clean vinyl. Even if you have another type of siding, however, the following steps should still be effective in helping you get your home’s exterior looking its best.
- Mix a cleaning solution of 70% water and 30% white vinegar. If you need a more robust solution for the job, you can also add a bit of bleach to the mixture, especially if your siding is very dirty or displays possible mold signs. Store-bought solutions are also available.
- Take care to remove any obstacles that may get in the way of your ladder and hose, and be sure to cover any flowers or shrubs near your house to keep them protected. Also, make sure that you close all windows and vents to protect your home’s interior before cleaning.
- Coat the exterior of your home with water to prepare it, and then spray it down with your homemade or store-bought cleaner using a pump sprayer. Follow this up with a quick scrub down with a bristle brush to remove mold and caked-on dirt.
- Though the general exterior home cleaning process should be done from top to bottom, this step should be conducted by cleaning your siding from the ground up to help prevent visible streaking. Once everything has been cleared away, rinse it down with plain water to wash away any remaining residue.
Related: Post-Construction Window Cleaning
Step 4: The Windows
Step four of the process entails cleaning your windowsto remove layers of dust, debris, and pollen from the glass. Now that your roof and siding have been effectively cleaned, you can take on your windows without worrying about getting them dirty again from cleaning the rest of your home’s exterior.
- Begin this step by gently rinsing your windows off with your garden hose to remove most of the dirt and grime stuck to the glass. Anything you can’t remove during this phase can be left to soak while preparing your cleaning solution.
- Take a bucket full of plain water and mix in a bit of your preferred liquid dish soap.
- Depending on the size of the windows you’re cleaning, take either a soft mop or microfiber cloth and use the cleaning solution in the bucket to scrub down the entire surface of the window. Let tough-to-remove stains soak in the solution before scrubbing them with a gentle brush (never use steel wool, it will scratch the glass).
- Next, use a store-bought brand or mix your own secondary homemade glass cleaning solution by combining water, rubbing alcohol, and vinegar. Use a microfiber cloth and give the windows another wipedown using this second solution.
- The final part of this process involves carefully removing your window screens and spraying them down with your second vinegar-water solution before rinsing them off with plain water. Put them in a dust-free environment to dry off and ensure they are entirely free of moisture before re-installing them.
Congratulations! You just completed your exterior home cleaning project like a champ.
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