How to Get Gutters White Again
Properly working gutters are imperative for preventing water damage to your home and its surrounding landscaping. Removing leaves, twigs and other debris that has accumulated in your gutters is necessary for proper water flow. Clogs in the gutters themselves, as well as the downspouts, can result in costly damage and repairs. That’s why it is so important to regularly clean out what has been building up inside your gutters.
Gutters full of debris also cause another issue. The organic materials that sit in your gutters, along with the water overflow it naturally causes, may result in dirty, unsightly streaks on the outside of your gutters. Those streaks are actually grime, mold, algae and/or moss.
Instead of nice pops of white against your siding and roofing, over time those gutters full of dirty material end up looking dingy. Cleaning the dark markings from the outside of the gutters is a great way to quickly boost your curb appeal and freshen up your home’s exterior.
Steps for Cleaning the Outside of Your Gutters
- Gather all the necessary materials for the job with a focus on safety. You will need a ladder to reach the gutters, a hose, cleaning solution, and a sponge or cloth. We also recommend eye protection, and gloves. You may also want to wear a mask so you don’t breathe in the fumes from the cleaning solution. We can’t stress enough that you follow proper safety measures. And choose your cleaning solution wisely – you want to make sure that the solution does not damage your gutters.
- Gently wet the gutters with the spray of a hose, then get to work cleaning with the sponge/cloth and the cleaning solution. Be prepared use some good old elbow grease. Those dirty streaks will not easily disappear. You may be tempted to use something abrasive to do the job, but don’t. Things like metal brushes or steel wool will scratch the gutters, making them even more unsightly. Your next thought may then be to use a power washer. Use one with extreme caution. If you use it too close to the gutters, or with too high of a pressure, you can dent the gutters.
- After you have scrubbed the dirt away with the cleaning solution, gently rinse the gutters with the hose. You want to make sure you have rinsed the solution completely from the gutters to prevent any buildup.
As with routine gutter cleaning of debris, you could try and tackle cleaning the outside of your gutters on your own, but we think the cautions mentioned above are pretty strong reasons against trying to do so. Just like routine gutter cleaning, we recommend you leave the cleaning of your dirty looking gutters to a professional – both to keep yourself safe and to avoid damaging your gutter system.
Reasons Why You Should Hire a Professional to Clean Your Dirty Gutters
- You will need to climb a ladder to reach the gutters. For smaller homes, the heights may seem manageable; for larger homes this action on its own can be particularly dangerous. Add in carrying the cleaning solution and moving on top of the ladder to get the job done and the danger of falling increases exponentially.
- Gutter professionals know just which cleaning solutions to use for each type of gutters (vinyl, aluminum), as well as how to properly use a power washer to avoid damaging the gutters.
- Simply put, hiring a professional provides peace of mind that the job will be done right and that you remain safe.
If you live in the Bergen County, New Jersey and Rockland County, New York area and would like to have your gutters – inside and out – professionally cleaned, contact us for an estimate.
