How to Clean Eavestroughs: 6 Cleaning Tips

However, cleaning eavestroughs requires extreme care. There's always some personal danger when you are working at a high height. Plus, you need to be extra careful not to injure yourself or damage the eavestroughs during the cleaning process. For these reasons, it's imperative to contact an eavestrough cleaning company that can help you with this type of home maintenance.

Whether you hire professional help or clean the eavestroughs by yourself, you should know a few useful tips about the cleaning process. Here are six best practices for how to clean eavestroughs in your home:

Tip #1: Get a Secure Ladder

Before you begin cleaning, make sure the ladder is sturdy and safe to use. First, you should inspect if the ladder has any defects, dents or loose parts. Then, make sure the bolts and screws are securely fastened. Finally, check the extension-hinge arms to be sure they are locked in place and fully extended.

If it is a one-story building, use a four-legged ladder. For a double-storied structure or taller, an extension ladder will do just fine. If you can, avoid an orchard ladder, which has only three legs and can be extremely unbalanced. A wooden ladder is also likely to be too shaky to balance.

Fibreglass ladders are the best types of ladders since they are very sturdy. However, hauling them around can be quite tiresome, especially if it takes hours to clean your eavestroughs. An alternative option is the aluminum ladder, which is light and almost as sturdy as the fibreglass ladder.

Tip #2: Keep Your Eyes & Feet Protected

You never know what might fly out of the downspout as you clean the eavestroughs. There have been reports of wasps, rats, bees, frogs, and birds flying out of downspouts at frightening speeds. If these creatures crashed into your eyes, you could end up with a severe eye injury. That's why you should always keep your eyes protected by wearing an eye shield.

For your shoes, make sure you wear something sturdy and practical. If you will have to walk on the roof while cleaning your eavestroughs, use rubber shoes to avoid slip-and-fall mishaps. The best time to climb the roof is early afternoons and late mornings when it is less moist.

Tip #3: Always Wear Gloves to Clean Eavestroughs

You should not clean the eavestroughs with just your bare hands. Always remember to wear gloves since eavestroughs may be ridden with germs and bacteria. The gloves will also protect your hands from cuts, especially if you are dealing with an old ragged gutter.

Suede gloves are the recommended choice. They are vastly superior to rubber, cotton, and thin leather gloves. Avoid cotton gloves since they expose your skin to bacteria and easily soak in dirty water. Leather gloves are also not ideal since they shrivel up easily, making them difficult to maneuver. Similarly, rubber gloves are prone to poking and tear.

Tip #4: Clean the Roof First

Get a power washer or a rake to remove debris from your roof before cleaning the eavestroughs. If you just clean the eavestroughs and leave the roof with debris, the rain will wash the trash into the gutter that you’ve just cleaned. Besides, if you leave trash on the roof, it could cause water to dam around the heating area or the chimney. Sometimes, that can cause roof leaks and may also flood your HVAC equipment.

You can clean the roof with a trigger-spray nozzle that allows you to use one hand to adjust the pressure. The pistol-grip spray nozzle can be purchased from any hardware shop.

Tip #5: Clean the Eavestroughs Carefully

The best way to clean the eavestroughs is to scoop the debris. You can use a plastic tool to scoop leafy debris from the gutter. Since the front edge of the scooping tool is thin, it can reach the gutter's bottom and scoop out even the most stubborn debris, regardless of its size or shape. Metal scooping tools are not preferred since they may scratch or damage the gutter’s bottom, which could lead to rusting.

To clean the downspouts, use a high-pressure hose to blast water at full pressure. If there is a clog, water will back up. You can also unclog a downspout by tapping on its sides. However, if the clog is stubborn, remove the downspout before cleaning it.

Tip #6: Schedule a Regular Cleaning

Cleaning eavestroughs isn't normally a task that most homeowners enjoy, so contacting a professional for help is a popular option. For the best results, schedule to have your eavestroughs cleaned at least two times a year. You can have them cleaned once in the fall and again in spring.