How to Safely Clean Your Gutters

Gutter cleaning is not a fun task, and even if you have gutter guards on your home you still need to clean it occasionally, especially in the fall. Clogged gutters can be dangerous for your home and end in costly repairs if water is left to sit for too long. However, you want to follow certain procedures when cleaning your gutters so that you are being safe in the process.

Make sure that you have all of your materials together before you begin so that you won’t have to stop in the middle of cleaning to go retrieve anything. The materials you want to have on hand include a ladder, gloves, a bucket with a hook, a gutter scoop and a water hose. There are some alternative tools that you can purchase to replace some of these tools, but these are the basics. Make sure that your ladder is sturdy and solid before you get on, and lean it against a solid surface. Do not lean the ladder against the gutter itself, as the aluminum may buckle, damaging the system and hurting you in the process of your gutter cleaning.

When assembling your supplies, you want to put your gloves on and put everything else in the bucket before you get on the ladder. Once at the top, you can hook the bucket on a ladder rung in front of you for easy access. Your scoop will allow you to extend your reach so that you do not have to continually move your ladder as often.

After you have used the scoop and bucket to remove the debris from your gutter, it is time to test it out using the garden hose. This will help you make sure that you got the clogs out, as well as help you finish the final gutter cleaning by rinsing anything you missed out.