Cleaning your gutters is a very daunting chore and it is not a surprise that most homeowners dread the task. I know for years my husband and I didn’t have gutters on our house but now that we do, we are constantly cleaning them.
Of course, putting together this site and sharing all that I’m learning with you, I stumbled across a gutter leaf guard that lessens the cleaning process. Definitely something we will be investing in very soon.
Regular rain gutter cleaning is essential for avoiding gutter clogs. A rain gutter clog can cause extensive damage to your property. To keep your gutters fully functional, you need to clean your gutters twice a year.
I dreaded the task ask much as you do, but my research of rain gutters and rains helped me learning some tricks for a fast and easy DIY rain gutter cleaning. I recommend cleaning your gutters at the end of Fall, and in early Spring.
In this blog post, I will tell you everything you need to know about DIY rain gutter cleaning. If you are not a fan of DIYs, I will also link some favorite tools that you can use. We will talk about the best tools, the best way of rain gutter cleaning without a ladder, and easy solutions for owners with a 2-story house.
Gutter Cleaning Tools for 2-Story House:
Rain gutter cleaning is tough, but it is even more difficult for homeowners with 2-story houses. One of the biggest reasons that make rain gutter cleaning unsafe is using the ladder.
First, you have to get up on a ladder while carrying your cleaning supplies with you, and then clean the dirt and debris. Imagine doing that while carrying a leaf blower, a vacuum, or a big bucket.
How do you Clean Gutters Without a Ladder?
Good news! You can clean your rain gutters without a ladder!
If you want to avoid using a ladder for cleaning your gutters, then you are lucky there are so many ways to do that.
- Use a Leaf Blower:
A quick and fast way for cleaning your rain gutters is to use a leaf blower. All you need is a leaf blower with an attachment. You can make one by using plumbing pipes. You can also find an attachment kit specially made for gutter cleaning with blowers.
Attachment kits are a great affordable way to enhance the function of the regular blower and make rain gutter cleaning a breeze.
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- Shop-Vacuum it:
Did you know that your shop-vacuum can act as a blower just by swapping the hose locations? Who needs a blower when you have a shop-vacuum?
And guess what, there are attachment kits for the shop-vacuums as well.
Get an affordable, high-quality rain gutter cleaning kit to use with a shop-vacuum. Or DIY one with plumbing pipes.
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- Water to the Rescue:
There is no better way to get rid of decaying leaves and debris that has lodged in the rain gutter than to wash it down with water.
You need to channel pressurized, and concentrated streams of water in the rain gutter. Don’t worry. It is a very simple process. You already have the gear lying in your house.
All you need is your garden hose pipe (a long one) and a spigot to start. Then you need to get a telescoping gutter cleaning wand. You can find one for less than $20.
The wand has an extendable pole that can be extended to 40-70 inches, and a rotatable sweeper nozzle for spraying water.
The process is fast and easy but there can be a lot of water splashing. It is recommended that you wear a raincoat before cleaning your rain gutter this way.
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- Clean the Exterior with an Applicator:
When cleaning your rain gutters make sure to do a comprehensive job by tackling both the interior and exterior of the rain gutters.
The best way to clean both the exterior and interior of your rain gutters without a ladder is to use an applicator.
You can DIY one by attaching a cleaning cloth to a large pole. I recommend using a high-quality microfiber gutter cleaning mop with a telescopic pole.
Use it with a cleaning solution, and you will have clean rain gutters for a long time.
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What is the Best Cleaner to Clean Gutters?
To clean the gutters, especially the exterior, the best way is to mop away with a microfiber cloth attached to a telescoping pole.
But it can be challenging to look and make sure you have got the whole thing cleaned. To make it effective, use it with a cleaning solution.
You can DIY one yourself.
- Make a solution of water and vinegar. It will clean thoroughly and won’t corrode aluminum.
- Mix water with the cream of tartar to make a paste. This can be the perfect gentle buffing and cleaning agent for you cleaning your rain gutters.
- Not into DIY-ing, get a fast-acting gutter cleaner instead.
I hope learning the easy and fast way to clean your rain gutters will make you less fearful of the task next time.
How many times do you usually clean your rain gutters?
I would love to know about your cleaning secrets. Share your tips and tricks in the comments.
Till then,
Stay happy and keep those Rain gutters clear from debris!
