How to Clean Gutters
Table of Contents
Want to learn how to clean gutters? Read along!
You need to routinely clean the gutters to ensure that they keep draining water away from your house. Clogged gutters can cause water overflows that can cause damage to the property. By cleaning the roof gutters, you will also be reducing the risk of personal injuries and deaths.
What You Will Need
Before sharing the effective and most common methods of gutter cleaning, let’s talk about the tools you will need to give them a nice clean:
- Heavy-duty gloves
- Ladder
- Gutter scoops
- Garden hose
- Ladder stabilizer
Method 1: Gutter Cleaning by Hand
This method is perfect for people who do not want to invest in a lot of tools and just want to get the job done. All you have to do is pull out everything you find in the rain gutter and throw it in the bucket.
Tools you will need:
- A ladder
- Ladder stabilizer
- Heavy-duty gloves
- Buckets
Drawback: The only drawback of this cleaning method is the intense labor. You might have to go up and down the ladder quite a few times, which might end up causing muscle aches. If you feel disgusted by bugs, this method might not be the right one for you because from dirt to dust and leaves, you will find plenty of disgusting stuff in the gutter.
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Method 2: Gutter Cleaning with Leaf Blower
If you do not want to clean the gutter by hand, you can choose to use a leaf blower instead. All you have to do is climb the ladder onto the roof and slowly move around the edge while blowing leaves out of the gutter.
Tools you will need:
- Ladder
- Ladder stabilizer
- Leaf Blower
Drawback: This method does not require you to go up and down the ladder a lot. However, you may come across a couple of issues. The steam blower will not be able to blow off sticky and moist dust even if you set the fan speed at its highest setting.
You will be able to blow out leaves from the gutters through this method. However, you will have to spend time cleaning the ground because the leaves will land on the ground.
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- NO LOAD SPEED: 12,000/13,500 RPM
- LIGHTWEIGHT: Only weighs 3.9 lbs!
Method 3: Gutter Cleaning with a Dry/Wet Vacuum
Now, let’s talk about how to clean gutters using a dry/wet vacuum.
If the leaf blower did not work for you, this method will help you effectively remove heavier debris from the gutter. The method doesn’t require you to climb up and down the ladder. You can use curved attachments to get the gunk out while standing on the ground.
Tools you will need:
- Wet-dry vacuum
- Hose attachment
- Curved attachments
Drawback: If you want to clean dried-out dirt, you might have to moisten it before it yields into the vacuum. Also, there is a chance that the leaves will be sprayed out of the gutter and onto the ground. If that happens, they will have to be picked and bagged, which will take a lot of time.
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Method 4: Gutter Cleaning with a Pressure Washer
If you have not cleaned the gutter in a long time, you should use a power washer to clean the debris that may have built over time. Use the telescoping wand, so you don’t have to climb up the ladder. With the wand and curved cleaning tool, you will be able to remove debris from inaccessible nooks and crannies.
You will know you have cleaned the gutter thoroughly when the water flows down freely.
Tools you will need:
- Telescoping wand
- Power washer
- Rubber gloves
Drawback: This method can get messy, so you might have to rinse the walls and roof afterwards.
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- Max PSI at initial discharge per CSA internal pressure testing. Max GPM with nozzle open at minimum pressu
Method 5: Gutter Cleaning with a Garden Hose
If the gutter is not properly clogged, you can use a garden hose to get the dirt out. You do not necessarily need a pressure hose to clean the gutter. Using a garden hose will be enough to remove leaves and gunk from the gutters. You can either climb up the ladder or purchase an extension ward to clean while standing on the ground.
To give your gutter a thorough clean, you first have to fix the garden hose with a spray nozzle. Then, start flushing out the gutter, starting from the end farthest from the downspout.
Tools you will need:
- Garden hose
- Extension ward
Drawback: It is a messier option because you will have to clean whatever you spray out from the gutters.
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Tips to Make Gutter Cleaning More Effective and Safe
- Cleaning gutters can get really messy. So, make sure you have your work pants, a long-sleeved shirt, and heavy-duty rubber gloves on.
- Most gutter cleaning methods require an individual to use a ladder. So, whether you are choosing a cleaning method that requires you to stay on the roof or climbing the ladder to check if you have got everything out of the gutter, make sure you use a sturdy ladder and a ladder stabilizer. Exercising ladder safety is important because each year, around 300 peopledie because of ladder-related injuries.
- It is better that you use a gutter scoop for scooping out leafy debris and dirt.
- Wear proper eyewear to prevent injuries.
- Use thick, suede gloves to protect your hands against bacteria. Avoid using rubber, leather, and cotton gloves because they either soak up dirty water or get torn by metal shards in the gutter.
- If you do not want to clean the gutter every few months, purchase a high-quality gutter guard to prevent clogs.
- Use rubber-soled shoes to ensure you do not slip while going up and down the ladder.
- Keep in mind that a dirty roof results in a clogged gutter. So, make sure you blow off leaves and debris found on the roof.
Our Final Thoughts
We hope that you now know how to clean gutters while taking all the safety measures.
It is important to thoroughly clean the gutters at least twice a year to prevent structural damage to the house. If you don’t want to take the risk of doing the job yourself, you can give a call to a cleaning company.
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