Your Spring Cleaning Tips and Hacks

Part 7 - Cleaning Outdoor Spaces

Week 7 has arrived and this week we’re finally taking a step outside to breathe in that clean, crisp spring air. During Week 6 we focused our attention on sorting through all of our home storage spaces and now we will focus on taking care of the outside of the home.

There are many areas outside of the home that we have to address, so this week might run into other weeks depending how much time you have available. Don’t rush through this week, because servicing the exterior is just as critical as the interior, especially since the outside of the home is subject to more harsh conditions regularly than the inside.

Let’s get started!

Start with a Scrub Down

Like the rest of the home, there’s no better way to kick off spring cleaning a new section of the home than by starting with a wipe down.

The exterior of the home is often in desperate need of a wipe down by the time spring rolls around from sitting through the cold winter months, especially those who live in the Pacific Northwest.

Spring Cleaning Hack: It’s ideal to have access to a pressure washer since this will be the most effective tool at cleaning and saving time, but if you don’t then manual wipe downs with clean rags can be just as effective, but might be laborious.

Patio Furniture

Unless you put them away in the garage or storage for the winter, your patio furniture is likely in need of a major wipe down. As they sit through the winter, mildew, moss, and mold build up which can lead to early breakdown of the furniture’s structural integrity.

Remove and clean any of the cushions or other fabric material. With just the furniture themselves, wipe them down by hand if you don’t have a pressure washer or if the furniture itself would otherwise be destroyed by the pressure washer. Be sure you wipe down all sides of the furniture so there aren’t any missing areas that can later regrow and continue to eat away at the furniture.

Spring Cleaning Hack: Before you place the cushions back on or set up the umbrella, inspect all of the fabrics for any holes or major wear and tear.

The Patio

Anyone who has spent any time in colder climates understands that a deck, no matter the construction material, can quickly become dangerously slippery when moss begins growing on it. Not only is this dangerous for anyone walking across the patio, but it can mean a bad day for your patio’s health, especially wooden decks, since moss holds onto moisture.

Pressure washing the patio is the ideal way to remove these buildups, but this can be difficult for those who don’t own a pressure washer. Instead, if you don’t have a pressure washer you can start by sweeping the loose debris away and then take a stiff brush along with some warm soap water, and begin manually scrubbing away with the deck. After you’re done scrubbing, use a garden hose to spray off everything you’ve scrubbed or use buckets of water if a garden hose isn’t available.

If you don’t own a pressure washer or can’t borrow one then look at how you can rent one. It’s highly recommended to use a pressure washer for your outdoor cleaning, because it will be far more efficient and help you knock out tasks quicker.

Spring Cleaning Hack: If you’re struggling to get rid of moss then consider using a home solution of equal parts vinegar and water and apply it to the moss a few hours before scrubbing.

Windows to the Wall

Much like the patio and patio furniture, the windows and walls are prone to building up mold, mildew, and moss. In particular, using a pressure washer to clean off the side of the home and removing dirt and mud that’s accumulated over the last year.

Save the window washing for last to prevent your efforts from going to waste since washing the outside walls and siding might kick up extra water and debris on the windows.

Spring Cleaning Hack: Use this as an opportunity to also inspect the home siding and foundation for any issues that you can fix or hire a professional to repair. Home siding is the first layer of protection against bad weather getting inside, so it’s incredibly important to stay on top of any cracked or split siding around the home.

Sealing the Gaps

As the house ages and sits throughout each season, it will start to settle and create gaps. Seals breaking and gaps opening is a normal part of a house’s health cycle, but it can create compounding issues if not addressed early.

Gaps in a home mean air can easily flow in, pests have easy access, and even more moisture can find its way inside. During your spring cleaning escapades, take some time to inspect the home and address any gaps or broken seals – Your energy bill will thank you!

Doors

As the foundation of the home settles, so will the doors, particularly doors that get a lot of sun. The persistent heat from the sun will cause the doors to warp more and the door frame to settle quicker than doors that get little to no sun.

It’s ideal to inspect all the doors when the sun is shining the brightest in the day, so you can look at them from the inside out to see if any light is popping through. If there’s light coming through then the door may not be sitting properly in the door frame which means it’s not properly sealed. Often, the first step to resealing a door should include replacing the weather stripping that runs on the inside of the door frame and under the door itself.

Additionally, you might need to raise the sill at the bottom of the door frame if there’s too much of a gap, even after replacing the bottom weather stripping.

Spring Cleaning Hack: If the door is still revealing light after replacing the weather stripping and adjusting the sill, then you might need to adjust the strike plate.

Windows

Much like doors, windows are susceptible to settling and creating gaps. The windows are especially vulnerable to leaks and gaps because instead of a solid surface like a door, windows have more areas for their seals to break and leaks to occur. Inspect the window frame and try to identify any gaps visually unless you can feel airflow which is an even more obvious indicator of issues.

Unfortunately, windows are difficult to repair on your own and might require a professional’s touch. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t inspect them and identify issues before they get out of hand. Mold is particularly prone to growing in the window sill, so be aware of any early signs of mold and find out what may be causing it.

Spring Cleaning Hack: Check & replace screens as necessary, this essential for keeping pests out. Pests only need a little bit of space to squeeze through the screen and window frame to gain access to the home.

How’s the Yard?

Spring is the best time of year to prepare the yard for the incoming warm weather. This is the time to be cleaning up the yard and shaking it off its winter coat, allowing room for new vegetation to grow as the sunny days increase.

Let the Green Grass Grow

If you’re hoping for green grass this summer, the springtime is the time you must start preparing.

Dethatching – The first step in preparing the grass for a fruitful summer is by dethatching which is the process of removing thatch, or dead and living organic material that accumulates between the soil and grass. Thatch is a natural part of healthy grass, but too much can block air and water flow, preventing more grass to grow and promoting weaker grass. To dethatch, start by cutting the lawn shorter than normal, making it easier to access the layers of thatch. Then using a thatching rake, start raking over the lawn, pulling up all the thatch. It’s recommended to rake from several directions to ensure you get all of the thatch, as more will accumulate over the next few seasons.
Aeration – After dethatching the lawn, the next step involves aerating. Aeration is the process of opening up the soil to allow for better airflow and water to reach deeper in the soil. Aeration can be done manually, however, aerating by hand can take a long time. Additionally, there are certain manual tools such as aeration shoes that allow you to walk over the lawn and aerate it, but they may not penetrate the soil as well. The best solution for aeration is to rent or buy an aerator machine. These machines will turn an extremely laborious task into a simple one that can be done in a quarter of the time it would take to aerate the lawn manually.
Overseeding – Finally, after dethatching and aerating, it’s time to seed the lawn. Typically, you want to overseed, or use more seed than normal, to ensure the seeds can land in the new aerated holes and give you the best chances at a healthy growing lawn. In addition to overseeding, it’s also dually important to fertilize the lawn so the seedlings have nutrients to help them grow.

Spring Cleaning Tip: For best results, use a fertilizer that is best for the type of soil in your lawn. There are many soil test kits that will help you determine the type of soil you have and the appropriate fertilizer

Prune Shrubs

There are a lot of ways to prune shrubs and different plants need different methods. Overall, the idea behind pruning in the springtime is to promote new growth. The best time to prune shrubs in the spring is after the shrubs have finished their spring-bloom. You’ll want to focus on pruning dead, damaged, and diseased wood, crossing branches, or stems that look old and weak. Additionally, look out for any suckers, or unwanted stems, that are growing from the base of the shrub.

Spring Cleaning Tip: Before pruning, research the types of shrubs you have and how to appropriately prune them.

Trim Trees

Though everyone loves seeing big, beautiful trees that are filled in, it’s still a great idea to trim them to keep them healthy and safe. Unkempt trees can easily turn into a fall hazard as they grow top heavy and endure rough weather, making them prone to falling. Additionally, untrimmed trees are more of a fire hazard since they will have more combustible material on them like dry, dead branches and other vegetation.

For small trees, you can trim them yourself with a pair of tree trimmers, otherwise, most of the tree trimming should be left to expert arborists so they can identify what needs to be trimmed and safely do it.

Other Outdoor Spring Cleaning Tasks

The outdoor cleaning doesn’t stop wiping away moss and resealing entry points, there’s a lot more that goes into exterior maintenance. Every yard is different, so there might be some missing points listed below. However, here are some tasks that will help get the outside of the home ready for the rest of the year and should apply to most yards.

Clear Out Gutter

The gutters will get gunked up with debris from the winter weather and cause major backup. If the debris collects in the gutters for too long, the gutters will hold the water which can cause mold and rust to grow that will slowly eat away at the gutters. This spring takes time to clear out the gutters which will also let them air out while ensuring the waterflow is working properly.

Clearing out the gutters can be a dangerous job, especially for homes with multiple stories, so it might be best to let a professional handle this task.

Spring Cleaning Hack: While the gutters are being cleared, also sweep or leaf blow any debris on the roof like pine needles, leaves, or anything else the wind carries. Start with the roof and work down to the gutters.

Check Exterior Lighting

While tending to the exterior, it’s also important to inspect all your exterior lighting. Replace the lightbulbs and ensure they illuminate the yard as much as you need. This is also a great time to install more exterior lighting around the home if you feel the exterior is too dark at night for your comfort. Depending where you live there might be certain light restrictions, so it’s best to check local code and authorities if you’re planning on installing newer, brighter lighting systems.

Spring Cleaning Tip: Though not cleaning related, motion activated exterior lighting is a great feature to deter criminals and animals trespassing.

Inspect the Fence

The fence does a critical job of sectioning off the yard, but over time it can start to deteriorate, especially through a wet winter. While tending to the yard, take some extra time to inspect the fence and determine if any repairs are required. A common spring task is getting the fence replaced if it’s falling apart, especially since the spring time should have less harsh weather than the winter time.

Spring Cleaning Tip: If you have a wooden fence that is structurally sturdy, applying another layer of wood sealer can extend its life even more.

Check for Pests

You may already see them, but the springtime is when eggs will start to hatch and overall pest activity increases. While chipping away at your exterior spring cleaning tasks, take note of any lawn pest activity and address them. Often, pest activity will continue to grow if left undisturbed, so taking care of them early will prevent them from making it inside the home and spreading. Address ant hills, remove spider webs, and look for wasp nests that are growing.

Spring Cleaning Hack: If you want to hire a professional pest service, the spring is the best time of year since the pests are coming out of their overwinterization periods or hatching. Waiting too long into the summer for pest control may turn into a larger, and more annoying, uphill battle than you intended since pest treatments often require more time to build up and be effective.

Just like that Week 7 is done and by now your home is starting to look and feel spectacular inside and out. We recommend taking care of the exterior of the home as much as you do the interior, since both are spaces that you spend time and make your home feel whole. When one area isn’t as well-maintained as others, it can cause the entire home to feel off.

Follow this guide and our other spring home maintenance checklists to get started on your exterior spring cleaning, but understand that there might be more tasks you find along the way that weren’t mentioned in this guide. The best place to start is creating a running list of things that need to be taken care of throughout the spring and rest of the year.

Next week we’ll be heading back inside the home and going through the utility room in addition to taking care of the appliances.

Gaige Byerley Digital Marketing Associate

Gaige Byerley is part of the Digital Marketing team at West Coast Self-Storage and is a writer creating engaging content on self-storage, relocation, decluttering, and everyday living.