Spring Cleaning Your Outside

By Maid Brigade of Northern Connecticut

Spring cleaning isn’t just for inside your home. It’s for outside as well.

A good place to start is with your dirty windows. Winter storms can leave a nasty residue all over that glass, much like the slushy, sludgy roads can make your tires look gross.

You’ll want to tackle your screens first, in preparation for those perfect, sunny, breezy spring days. Take the screens off and take them outside for a gentle bath with a hose. If they’re especially gross, you might want to rub them with some soapy water and a brush.

Start with the outside windows before doing inside or you won’t be able to tell whether they’re actually clean or not.

Cleaning the gutters is another important task to complete in the spring. Once you’re on that ladder, you’re going to need to get rid of all the leaves, twigs, and other gunk that’s made a home in your gutter.

Before you start organizing the garage, you’ll need to assign and arrange areas. Perhaps there’s a hobby area in one corner and workshop equipment in another. Decide where these will go, then move on to figure out how to store everything. Installing cabinets, shelves, racks and hooks may help immensely. Use boxes, baskets, and old plastic storage containers from the kitchen to organize everything.

Make a junk box for things that are mismatched or you want to keep “just in case.” However, don’t hesitate to toss anything you can.

Once you venture outside, take a look at your fences. Rot is the biggest thing to look for in a wooden fence, along with loose rails and any kind of wobbly parts. If it’s been a few years since the wood has been treated, it’s a good idea to check to see if bugs have gnawed their way around, too.

With a metal fence, you’ll want to make sure there aren’t any holes or places where it’s pulling away from the ground. This could make for unwanted two-way traffic.

I’m sure it feels like you just raked, but you’ll need to get rid of the soggy, old leaves choking your flowerbeds and grass. Weed your flowers, driveways, and sidewalks and trim your shrubs.

Spring might mean a fresh coat of paint for your house. Weather can really take a toll on a paint job. If the taupe that came with the house just isn’t cutting it color-wise, you might want to finally try out the red door you’ve dreamed of. Maybe get a new mailbox to freshen things up.

This may also be a good time to look into borrowing a pressure washer to wipe away all the grime. Certain kinds of siding can’t take the pressure (same goes for peeling paint), so make sure you’ve got the right type. A pressure washer can also come in handy for greasy driveways, decks, and walkways.

Spring is the perfect time to get your poor, neglected patio, or deck in shape. Banish the dirt and cobwebs with a broom first. Then wash and restain the deck. If you have plastic furniture, break out the hose. Let your grill re-enter your life. You’re going to need a degreaser and a wire brush.

Ready to get outside and get cleaned up? Let us worry about the inside of your house. Give us a call at 860-645-6243 and we’ll help you out.