Your exterior is often overlooked when spring cleaning time comes around, which is a shame as it sets the tone and appearance of your home from the offset. Not only that, maintaining the outside of your home can prevent unfortunate things like leaks in the future.
You never know, you might even end up enjoying the fresh air! So get out there, roll up your sleeves and read through the following checklist:
Wash Those Windows
Winter is not your windows friend, so you need to give them a good spruce up when spring comes around. First, take off your screens and give them a rinse with a hose. If they’re especially dirty, use warm soapy water. Clean the exterior of the windows with a sponge, squeegee and a bucket of cleaning solution (usually water and dishwasher liquid or white vinegar). Use a lint free cloth to wipe the squeegee in between strokes. Then move onto the interior windows, us the same method, just remember to put towels down to protect the flooring.
De-leaf and De-clutter Your Lawn
Over the winter period your poor lawn has been up against the elements. Get rid of all the leaves that have fallen and are currently swarming your flowerbeds and lawn using a rake – it will make your life a lot easier if your purchase a new one and get rid of that rusty old item in your shed. Warm your body up before and maintain good posture whilst switching your hands regularly. Remember to bend your knees when lifting the leaves so you don’t cause yourself any damage.
Give Your Lawn Some Love
Your lawn needs some extra care when it comes to spring to ensure it is lush and green all year round. The most important ingredient for a healthy lawn is to mow regularly. You want the lawn to be the same height all spring (1-1.5in). You will also need to feed your lawn with a decent fertilizer; use a granular feed so the grass gets fed regular nutrients over a period of time. Use weed killer if necessary and plant grass seed in any bare patches – you will have your perfect lawn back in action in no time.
Clean and Repair Gutter
Your gutters will definitely need some attention if you want them to do their job properly. You will need to wear thick gloves to ensure you don’t get hurt from anything that is caught in the gutter. You can use a gutter cleaning kit to attach to a leaf blower or do it using a plastic scoop. Check the gutter for leaks whist you are up there.
Roof Requirements
Spring is a great time to check and maintain your roof tiles. With the strong winds, some may have become damaged so keep an eye out for any loose/missing shingles. Look closely at area around chimneys, vents and other areas that are more likely to leak.
