As each new season unfolds, it brings an assortment of new exterior home maintenance jobs to add onto our list of household chores.
We spoke to experts for the six outdoor home cleaning jobs you should never skip, and how to complete them like a pro, including cleaning your gutters, walkways and windows.
These cleaning tips are bound to leave your property's exterior in great shape to weather the seasonal changes ahead, and reduce your risk of accidents and problems outside the home
1. Clean your windows
It's always good to stay on top of your window cleaning but there are many reasons why doing so is an ideal task to undertake during fall.
Bob of New Panes Creations says, 'Weather conditions in fall make it an ideal time of year to clean your windows. The mild temperatures and low humidity rate make cleaning more effective and efficient, especially on a more overcast or cool, cloudy day.'
You shouldn't clean windows in hot weather or direct sunlight as doing so can cause your cleaning solution to dry too quickly and unevenly, resulting in a streaky finish.
If you're seeking to spruce up your panes, first wash them down with warm, soapy water, and keep a bucket of clean water nearby to use for rinsing away the soap suds. Bob recommends using Dawn products such as the Dawn Platinum Powerwash Dish Soap Spray to wash your windows with, but most household soaps will work.
'Use a microfiber towel to apply the soapy wet mixture and another microfiber towel to dry (this is key!),' says Bob. 'Doing this will help avoid streaks. We also recommend using Sprayway Glass Cleaner with a microfiber cleaning cloth, if you are left with any streaks or water spots.'
The HOMEXCEL Microfiber Cleaning Cloth from Amazon will have you sorted for cleaning all your surfaces up to sparkling this fall, including the surface of your windows.
Typically an external window cleaning job like this, which includes the external panes and ledges will you between one to three hours. However, as Bob noted, 'The time it will take you to clean your home's windows depends on many factors including how large your windows are, how many windows you have, and how dirty your windows are.'
If done properly, window cleaning should only be needed every six months. Applying some WD-40 can assist you to clean your window tracks, too.
2. Pick up surplus leaves and fruit
Having your yard coated in the colors and flavors of fall can honestly feel very scenic. However, removing fallen leaves and fruit will help avoid slip-ups and protect your home from pests in fall, especially as resources run low and they're looking for extra food and shelter.
Mattie Sheppard, strategic interior design and cleaning adviser at HouseCashin, says, 'If you have fruit trees that have fallen on your yard or fallen leaves that have landed on your porch or deck, you will need to remove them. Disposing of this debris will avoid unwanted pests and avoid slippery surfaces which can be very unsafe if wet.'
The easiest way to remove fallen fruit from your yard is to pick it up while wearing gloves but watch out for wasps. Dispose in your trash, using sturdy trash bags such as the bestselling Hefty Strong Large Trash Bags available at Amazon, or compost pile. You can keep a bucket in the garden, such as the 11 qt Made By Design™ bucket from Target, to gather your fruit remnants if this helps. Just remember to wash it out with soap and water afterwards, and dry well to stop pests piling in for the sticky remnants of your fallen fruit.
Leaves can be raked or blown into a pile for picking up using a leaf blower. But if you're unsure which option is best, we asked experts their opinions on the matter of leaf blower vs rake. And, if you prefer not to use your hands to pick them up, using a leaf picker such as the RMS 34 Inch Extra Long Reacher Grabber available at Amazon, which features a rotating jaw, is great option.
'Completion time for this task I would estimate as taking between 1-2 hours depending on the size of a person's yard,' adds Sheppard.
3. Clean your gutters, drains and vents
Gutters, drains and vents in the fall will be prone to clogging up with autumn leaves and other debris such as twigs, and even moss, so it's vital to keep an eye on these areas to avoid leaks in rainy season.
'Blocked drains and vents can cause buildup when leaves, branches, soil, moss and other outdoor debris get in it. This can turn into mud and become increasingly tricky for the space to manage,' says Sheppard.
To clean out these areas in the most effective way, you will need a tall ladder (to clean gutters from the roof), a pair of gloves that you don't mind getting dirty, and a hosepipe to wash away any remaining debris.
'Depending on the size of the area being cleaned, this could take around two to two and a half hours,' says Sheppard. However, if you invest in gutter guards going forward, it won't be such a big cleaning job next time around.
The A-M Gutter Guard - Aluminum - Sample Pack from Amazon will help you to figure out which guard best works for your gutters so you can block leaves and debris from entering them at all.
This telescoping ladder is perfect for storing in small sheds and cupboards, as it's both portable and compact. It is adjustable from 3ft to 16.5ft, with triangle stabalizers for a strong and sturdy frame. It can also be used as both an A frame ladder and a straight extension ladder, ideal for cleaning any gutter.
4. Clean your door mats and entryways
Fall is synonymous with rain, meaning muddier shoes and trailing leaves back into the house. For this reason it's important to keep an eye on the hygiene of your door mats and entryways, as they'll be working overtime to keep dirt and debris in check.
'Keeping your door mats and entryways cleaned regularly helps to remove mildew, dirt, stains, debris, and leaves that are brought in the house,' says Sheppard.
Sheppard continues, 'To complete the task, you will need: gloves, a mask, a scrubbing brush (such as Great Value Iron Handle Multi-Purpose Cleaning Scrub Brush available at Walmart), a hose and a good, suctioned vacuum cleaner. This task can take anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour depending on how many mats need cleaning.'
If you need to invest in a new vacuum, our dedicated best vacuum guide is the perfect place to start. Our favorite overall pick is the Dyson Gen5detect Cordless Vacuum Cleaner available at Amazon, which is the most powerful HEPA cordless vacuum, with over 115% more power.
Alternatively, you can make sure to invest in washable doormats that can go in a machine, such as the Kitinjoy Indoor Door Mat, and implement a rule that people take off their dirty shoes outside. Keeping a pair of clean slippers waiting just inside the house will give you something comfortable to slip into after removing your outdoor shoes.
5. Clean your walkways, paths and driveway
Walkways covered in slippery leaves won't be your best friend this fall, so it's best to remove debris as soon as possible to avoid injury. This same sentiment can be extended to your driveway, so while you're at it, why not give it a clean too?
'With the use of a power washer, and a good cleaner, cleaning these areas in sections will be a lot easier to approach,' says Sheppard. 'You can rent a power washer out if your walkways are bad at an equipment rental store, but otherwise you can use a hose.'
Sheppard recommends using products such as the Zep Driveway, Concrete & Masonry Cleaner and the Simple Green Oxy Solve Concrete and Driveway Pressure Washer Concentrate to pressure wash your driveway, as well as other outdoor areas, in around two hours.
Time will vary from person to person depending on the size of your areas that require cleaning and how many areas you intend to clean.
6. Clean away any accumulated algae
'Anyone with a deck or patio knows how slippery the flooring can be over time based on the outdoor elements. When moisture levels are higher than normal over time algae can buildup causing the floor or surface to be slippery. So to avoid any hazardous situations, proper cleaning is necessary,' says Sheppard.
You don't want to leave this task until winter comes, as your algae will freeze over and only become even more of a hazard.
The speediest way to remove algae from a surface such as decking or your patio is to pressure wash it, but there are still ways to clean a deck without a pressure washer, such as scrubbing it by hand using warm soapy water.
Sheppard recommends some products ideal for getting this job done, including the Wet & Forget No Scrub Outdoor Cleaner, the 30 SECONDS Outdoor Cleaner Concentrate for algae, mold and mildew removal, and the Wet & Forget Rapid Application Mould Lichen and Algae Remover with an attached nozzle for easy-reach cleaning.
Depending on the amount of areas you are tackling, this task can take a long time or only half an hour.
Tackling so many outdoor cleaning tasks at once can be tough, but with some expert-approved backyard cleaning tips you'll be all set to bring the best to your space. Once your energy returns, why not try to address these six things to clean ahead of fall in your home as well? The season has just begun so better slightly late than never!
