As a new homeowner it can be overwhelming on where to start when it comes to ensuring that your new home is clean. Some people who move into a new home will invest in numerous different cleaning services to ensure that their house is spotless both inside and out. However, moving house is expensive, so some people may look to clean their home themselves to save additional costs.
This article will outline 2 different DIY exterior cleaning hacks which you can use to help save money on hiring professional cleaning services when you have just moved into a new home.
Cleaning Your Gutters:
Having clean gutters is very important, as the long term effect of neglecting your gutters can cause serious water damage to your home. You want to ensure that your gutters are either cleaned thoroughly by yourself, or a professional at least twice a year, especially after the autumn months. This will keep your gutters in full working order and avoid costly repairs in the future.
There are various different DIY gutter cleaning techniques out there which will save you from spending the money on hiring a professional. Firstly you want to ensure that you have a ladder, and that the ladder can be safely propped against the side of your home to ensure that you do not injure yourself or anyone near.
Having clean gutters means that you need to ensure that water is able to be free flowing without obstruction. For this reason you want to begin by cleaning out any leaves, twigs or other debris which could be preventing water from flowing through your gutters. Materials such as leaves and twigs can very easily be removed from the drains and placed on the floor, but any mud or sludge is really going to affect the curb appeal of your home. If you have a garden waste bin you can easily utilise this when emptying out your gutters so that you do not make any mess.
When removing the debris you can either use your hands for the ultimate DIY technique, or you can invest in a gutter scoop, these can be picked up in shops such as Wicks or B&Q. It is suggested, for ease, that you push all of the debris from your gutter into one large heap near where you are stationed and then scoop it into a bucket to dispose of once you are on the ground.
Once all of the debris is safely removed you want to flush the gutters to remove any dirt or mud particles left behind after the scooping method. You can simply use a bucket of water for this, but hauling a heavy bucket of water up a ladder can be dangerous. If you are doing this on your own it is suggested that you use a hose and start at the beginning of your gutter so that the water runs downwards into your downpipes.
Once you have cleaned the gutters themselves be sure to check your downpipes to ensure that these will also allow water to freeflow away from your home.
Cleaning the Walls Outside Your Home:
Imagine this, you have bought a nice new house with a light coloured exterior but it looks dirty and in need of some TLC. There are exterior cleaning services which can come round and clean the outside of your home, but this can be pricey.
There are various simple methods to which you can give the outside of your home a bit of love and make it look nice and clean.
First of all you want to make a solution which is going to remove any dirt, but also not damage the paint or brick work of your home. One very simple solution, using everyday cleaning products, is a mixture of water, oxygen bleach and washing up liquid. You can then use a large brush to scrape away the dirt off the surface of your home. A top tip is to use a broom, as the long handle will make it easier for you to reach higher up without the need for big ladders.
There are various different kits such as jet washes which you can purchase from any type of DIY shop, however this method ensures you are keeping the cost to a minimum by using equipment you already have to hand.
To Conclude:
Moving into a new house can be a costly experience leaving you looking for as many ways to save money as possible in the beginning, especially if you are a first time buyer.
If you are wanting to ensure that the exterior of your home is well maintained and looking as good as new, there are a few DIY exterior cleaning hacks which you can use which do not break the budget.
