Winter is ending, and spring is just around the corner; that means it’s time to get outside and start cleaning up the yard. This is especially necessary if you live in a cold climate where snow and ice have ravaged your home. Maybe you didn’t get all the leaves off the lawn before the first snow. Now is a perfect time to rake or mow and let the grass grow. Winter takes a toll on a home’s exterior, so it will need some time and attention to look good again. Check out this outdoor spring-cleaning checklist and make your property shine.

Wash the Windows and Doors

Take off all the screens and give the windows a good wash with soap and warm water. Dirt and weird fuzzies collect in between the screens and windows. That dirt attaches to the glass like glue and is tough to get rid of. Cleaning the screens and getting rid of the dirt will make it like new. You’ll be able to see out of the windows once again. This is an easy little trick to freshen up the house.

Clear the Walks and Driveway

Leaves, dirt, salt, and water coated the sidewalk, porch, and driveway for months. Get the broom out and sweep them all clean. Then, get a pressure washer and blast away what’s left. This is a good time to inspect the driveway for cracks and holes. The temperatures are at a consistent level to seal coat or patch the driveway or do some general maintenance on it. Sealcoating is a great way to make the exterior look brand new.

It is preferable to use pressure washer soap while washing your driveway and walks with your pressure washer to make them cleaner and more pristine. The most effective and efficient pressure washing soap is also environmentally friendly. Check the best pressure washing soap from Hotsy Equipment Company.

Wash the Patio Furniture

Hopefully you didn’t leave your patio furniture out all winter, but if you did, clean it. Get the hose out, pick up some soap and rags, and clean it all. No one will want to sit on dirt-covered furniture that looks awful and feels even worse. Shine it up and get it ready for summertime barbecues and patio parties.

Pull Any Dead Plants and Flowers

Any shrubs or flowers that are dried up and dead in the flowerbeds have to go. Don’t leave them there hoping they will grow back; make them grow back by pulling the dead brush. This makes room for the new spring flowers to come up and bloom. The dead plants look awful and only get in the way.

Clean the Gutters

Cleaning the gutters is a nasty chore, but it must be done. Get the ladder out, put on some gloves, and prepare to get dirty. Who knows what landed in those things over the winter, but it sure won’t be pretty. Get up there and pull it all down until there’s nothing left. You want the spring rains to make their way into the downspouts and away from the foundation.