Spring Cleaning Part 3: Cleaning and Maintaining the Exterior of Your Home

Welcome to the final segment of our 3-part spring cleaning series. So far we have covered decluttering and deep cleaning your home - linked if you missed them and want to check them out. In this post, we are going to cover everything you need to do to get the exterior of your home ready for Spring.

First up: Assess.

Look over the following areas of your home’s exterior to make sure that your home weathered the winter months and came out intact. Check eavestroughs and downspouts and remove any built-up debris. Inspect your roof shingles. Inspect your driveway and sidewalks for cracks - not all cracks need to be fixed, but it is good to be aware of any smaller cracks so you can monitor them. Inspect your fences and deck along with any other outdoor structures.

Next: We Clean.

Re-connect your hoses Sweep out your garage and driveway Pressure wash the exterior of your home Wash your windows. Wipe down your front door. Clean your outdoor furniture. We suggest investing in a good cover for your outdoor furniture to increase its lifespan and decrease maintenance. If you don’t have one, then you can just give it all a good wipe down with warm soapy water. *Always check your labels*

Finally: The Yard.

Lawn Care

Pick up any garbage and debris from the winter. If you use sand or gravel on your driveway through the winter, you will need to clear that off your lawn. You can use your shop vacuum on this, or collect what you can with a rake and scoop it up with a dustpan. Rake - It can be challenging to find the right time to rake because you don’t want to leave it too late and risk harming healthy roots but you also want your lawn is somewhat dry or you could do more damage than good. Dethatch and aerate - again, this does need to be done in the spring, but be careful you aren’t doing it before your lawn has had a chance to dry. Overseed. Overseeding is best done in the fall, but if you missed that boat, you can seed in the spring focussing on particularly bare patches. Water regularly - once all raking is done, give your lawn a good soak. Fertilize - This is another thing that should be done in the fall, but can be done in the spring if your yard needs it. Just wait until later in the spring to allow the roots to develop first.

Planters & Beds:

Clean out your planters and/or flowerbeds and top up with fresh soil before planting new bulbs, seeds or plants.

Trees & Shrubs:

Prune back any overgrowth or damaged branches Don't forget to have fun with it - bring out a speaker & blast some music or pop in your earbuds and listen to your favourite podcast or current audiobook. If you've got littles, get them involved in age-appropriate ways; or invite a friend over for an outdoor visit and extra set of hands. We hope you’ve enjoyed our Spring Cleaning Series. If you missed our previous posts, check them out Spring Cleaning Part 1 - Decluttering and Spring Cleaning Part 2 - Deep Cleaning. Posted by Liv Real Estate on May 3rd, 2021