Clean The House: Cleaning Solutions for the Home Exterior – Cleaning Solutions

Home Exterior Cleaning – Cleaning Solutions

Cleaning the exterior of your house is just as important for maintaining a safe and attractive home as cleaning the interior. Houses that are never cleaned become dirty and unattractive, which can lower the value of your home as well as irritate your neighbors. Ignoring the outside of your home can also cause you to miss minor issues that can develop into major problems over time. These exterior house cleaning solutions make cleaning the outside of your home easy.

Wash Siding and Windows

Begin cleaning the exterior of your house by washing siding and windows. The easiest way to clean siding is to use a pressure washer to blast away grime and gunk. Pressure washes can be purchased at many home improvement stores as well as rented. Using a pressure washing does not require the use of detergents or other cleaning solutions.

Siding

If you prefer to scrub your house by hand, begin by spraying the siding with a detergent and water mixture. Allow this mixture to dissolve the dirt on the side of your house before scrubbing. Then, gently scrub your siding with a long-handled brush. If you are cleaning painted wood, do not scrub so hard that the paint begins to peel off. Always start at the top of your house and work your way down when cleaning siding to prevent clean areas from becoming dirty again.

Window – Public Domain, Link

After washing your siding, you can then wash your windows. The outsides of many new windows can be cleaned from inside the house. Follow the directions for your specific windows, and use a glass cleaner and a clean cloth to clean the exterior glass. If you are washing your windows from inside your house, go ahead and clean the interior glass at the same time.

Older windows will need to be washed from outside the house. For lower windows that can be reached from the ground, simply use glass cleaner and a clean cloth. For upper and hard-to-reach windows, either use a ladder to reach the windows or use an outdoor glass cleaner that attaches to your garden hose. Washing windows on a cloudy day is recommended for preventing streaking due to the sun drying the windows too quickly.

Repair Maintenance Problems – House Cleaning Schedule

The time you spend washing your siding and windows is also a great time to check your property for maintenance issues. Check the roof of your house for loose or missing shingles. Inspect gutters for debris like sticks, leaves, and bird nests. Ensure that shutters, gutters, drainpipes, trim, and moldings are securely attached to your house.

Brick House and Rain Gutters

Examine brick walls and chimneys for cracks and other damage. If your house is painted instead of sided, check for peeling paint and rotted wood. Examine windows, pipes, and other openings for old caulking and other leaky openings. If you do notice any of these issues, take the time to repair maintenance problems now. Hire a repair professional if necessary. 

Clean Up Landscaping

After cleaning siding and windows and repairing maintenance issues, the final exterior house cleaning solution is to clean up your landscaping. Begin by cutting back overgrown bushes and removing unsightly or troublesome branches from trees.

Garden

Next remove sticks, leaves, and other debris that has accumulated along the sides of your house and in your gardens. Finally pull weeds from flowerbeds and gardens. Cleaning up your landscaping is a simple solution that improves the overall attractiveness of the exterior of your home.

Cleaning the exterior of your house is important for maintaining the attractiveness, value, and safety of your home. These exterior house cleaning solutions make cleaning the outside of your home quick and simple.

Exterior House Cleaning

Cleaning
the exterior of your home is important for maintaining the appearance
and quality of your home. Learn tips and instructions for cleaning the
outside of your house such as how to wash windows and sidings, when to
check for maintenance problems, and why to clean up landscaping.

1. Cleaning Solutions for the Exterior of the House
2. Effective Cleaning Solutions for House Siding

Sources & Image Credits

• Basic Housekeeping – Exterior House Cleaning: http://www.housekeepingchannel.com/a_353-Exterior_House_Cleaning
• Brick House and Rain Gutters – Tomasz Sienicki: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:RYNNA_019_UBT.JPG
• Garden – snty-tact: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:SF_Japanese_Garden.JPG
• House – Bruce W. Stracener: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Shotgun_House_in_Little_Rock_Arkansas.jpg
• Siding – Michael Lee: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Painted_siding.jpg
• Window – Saintswithin: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Window.jpg