The Truth About Gutter Cleaning (and Why It’s Worth Doing Right)
Your gutters do a lot more than most homeowners realize. They keep rainwater away from your roof, siding, and foundation — but only if they’re clean and flowing properly. When they clog, water backs up, wood rots, and landscaping gets washed out.
Here’s what it really takes to keep your gutters working the way they should — and when it’s time to call in the pros.
1. Cleaning by Hand
For most homes, the only real way to get gutters clean is to get up there and do it by hand. You’ll need a sturdy ladder (with stand-offs for safety), gloves, and a bucket. Scoop, clear, repeat — all the way around the house.
It’s slow, messy, and a little nerve-wracking if you’re not used to working at heights. But it’s also the most thorough way to remove damp debris and make sure downspouts are open.
Pro Tip: Always start near the downspouts so debris can flush out as you go.
It’s not complicated work — it’s just time-consuming and risky. If you’d rather stay off the ladder, that’s where our team comes in.
2. Cleaning with Power
There are a few “power” options out there — pressure washers, blowers, and vacuum systems. Here’s the truth: most of them trade convenience for mess.
Pressure Washers: They’ll clear gutters, sure — but you’ll spend twice as long cleaning up the splatter on your siding, windows, and deck.
Leaf Blowers: These work great on dry debris if your roof is safe to walk. But wet leaves? They’ll turn your landscaping into a swamp.
Vacuum Systems: Effective, but expensive and awkward to use from the ground.
We use a combination of techniques depending on the conditions. For homeowners, we don’t recommend pressure washing unless you love rinsing dirt off your house for hours and risking taking a fall from your gutter line.
3. Downspouts and Drainage
You can clean every inch of your gutter, but if the downspouts are clogged, you’ve still got a problem. Signs of a clog include:
Overflowing gutters even when it’s not raining hard
Dirt splashed up on the siding or foundation
Landscaping erosion near corners
You can test a downspout by running water through it with a hose or dropping something small (like a marble) down to see if it passes through.
Important: If your downspouts connect to an underground drain or French drain, don’t force debris into it — you can easily clog your drain system underground.
4. Gutter Brightening (a.k.a. Curb Appeal Boost)
Even if your gutters are clean inside, the outside can get those ugly black “tiger stripes.” That’s oxidation — basically old aluminum reacting to rainwater.
A simple house wash mix will clean light buildup, but deeper oxidation needs an aluminum brightener and a little elbow grease. It’s not hard, but the right mix matters — too strong, and you’ll damage paint or siding.
When we clean gutters, we also offer a “brightening” service that restores the outside to like-new condition. It’s one of those details that makes a home look freshly cared for.
5. Minor Repairs and Upkeep
Loose screws, leaky joints, sagging sections — they’re all common. Most can be fixed on the spot with basic tools and sealant.
At Spring Clean, if we see a small issue while cleaning, we just handle it. No upcharge, no hassle. We’d rather leave the gutter system better than we found it.
6. Gutter Cleaning Starter Kit
If you’ve decided that you’re still up for the task, here are links to a few tools that might help you get the job done a little quicker:
Good Sturdy Ladder with Standoffs
Great for sealing off leaky corners or minor holes
This works great for pulling debris and picking it up
5 Gallon Bucket
Empty it when it’s about half full (if gutters are wet) otherwise it’ll get heavy and cumbersome
Nitrile Dipped Gloves
The Bottom Line
Could you clean your gutters yourself? Sure. But between the ladders, tools, and cleanup, most homeowners realize pretty quickly that it’s not worth a weekend on the roof.
Our crews are trained, insured, and set up for this kind of work. We’ll clean your gutters safely, check your downspouts, and brighten the exterior — all while you stay comfortably on the ground.
If you’d rather skip the ladder this season, give us a call or request a quote!
