How to Clean Rain Gutters

Rain gutters are meant to gather and direct the water that flows down the roof towards downspouts that lead to the ground. These gutters eliminate the destruction that unabated rainwater causes on windows, siding, flowerbeds, lawns and landscaping. However, for rain gutters to work efficiently, they need to be free of debris, leaves and tree branches. Cleaning gutters, therefore, should be a maintenance task that every homeowner should perform. Here's how.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Tall ladder
• Thick gloves
• Bucket or trash bag
• Garden hose
• Safety glasses

1. Gather what you will need to do the job: a ladder that is tall enough to let you see and reach into the gutters, thick gloves to protect our hands and lower arms, safety goggles to protect your eyes, a bucket (or trash bag) to collect the debris and a garden hose connected to a water source to rinse the gutters and unclog the downspouts.

2. Prop up the ladder securely. Be sure the feet of the ladder are rubber-padded and resting on hard ground. If you are using an extension ladder, be sure it leans on a stable part of the edge of the roof.

3. Grab handfuls of debris from the gutter and collect them in a bucket or trash bag. You can hang the bucket or trash bag onto the ladder with a hook or strap. Or you could hold it with one hand while scooping debris with the other. Whichever method is more comfortable always put safety first.

4. Spray the gutter with a stream of water to remove leftover leaves and dirt. Direct the water flow towards the downspout to help clear the tubes.

5. Clean the rain gutters at least twice a year, most importantly before the rainy and snowy seasons.

Tips & Warnings

• Consider hiring a professional. For multi-story homes, calling a handyman or professional home maintenance company is recommended because they are well equipped and highly skilled to perform the job safely.
• A narrow trowel is a good tool for digging out hard and crusted debris from the gutters. If most of what's in the gutter are fallen leaves and pine needles, removing them with your own hands is often more convenient.
• If the downspout does not clear with the water stream from the garden hose, use a "snake" or plumber's auger to unclog the debris.
• Consider installing screens that are placed over gutters to prevent the leaves from falling into the grooves. Note that you will still have to go up the ladder to remove the leaves that accumulate over the screen and block the water flow.
• Consider using gutter cleaning tools and gadgets. Search online for the latest products.
• Never attempt to clean the rain gutters without heavy-duty gloves. Thick gloves will protect your hands and lower arms from the sharp edges of the gutters and roof flashing.
• Some homeowners choose to use blowers and pressure washers to clean their gutters. Depending on how strong the blowers and pressure washers are they could cause gutter dirt to spatter onto the walls and windows, or upset your balance while atop the ladder.

Resources

• Rain Gutter Cleaning Tools
• About Gutters

[guttercbuster]

on 6/27/2009 Instead of climbing a ladder and getting nasty dirty or falling and getting hurt, you should check out the new tool called the Gutter Clutter Buster. This is by far the best way to clean gutters ever. This cool tool attaches to a wet/dry vac and sucks all the junk out and keeps you safe on the ground. Check out the web site at www.gutterclutterbuster.com and see it for yourself.

[MyJB]

on 5/21/2009 Cleaning gutters aren't fun. Thanks for the information.