As a homeowner, you likely know how important it is to keep your gutters clean. The only problem is that it isn’t always easy to get this done without endangering yourself. You see, many people simply aren’t comfortable with climbing a ladder and leaning over precariously as they try to remove debris from their gutters.
If you’re one of the many people who finds cleaning the gutters while standing on a ladder to be less than ideal, then you should know that you do have other options.
There are certain ways that you can clean your gutters from the ground effectively. Read on to learn how to clean your gutters from the ground so that you don’t have to feel unsafe when it comes time to clean your gutters again.
There are several options that you can look into and it’s likely that one of them will work out for you. Just read through them all and then decide for yourself whether or not they will work out.
1 – Use a Power Washer
Using a power washer is an option when you need to clean your gutters out safely. You can stand firmly on the ground and use your power washer to get debris out of your gutters.
This might require you to get an extension wand for your power washer so that you can reach high enough without needing to climb on a ladder, though. Regardless, this is going to be one of the more convenient options that should work well for cleaning most gutters.
The only real downside to using this method is that it’s going to get messy very fast. It’s probably best for you to wear safety goggles while you’re doing this so that you won’t accidentally get debris in your eyes. Wearing clothing that is waterproof could help you to have a better time with this as well.
Sadly, you might get the sides of your house messy with debris and this could require you to wash your house as well.
It’s also possible that your house might be too tall for this option to work out for you. Some houses are simply taller than others and if you have a duplex or something like that, then you might not be able to reach the gutters from the ground.
Consider the size of your property before determining if this is a logical option in your case. For most average homes, it’ll be possible to clean the gutters using a power washer with the right attachment from the ground.
2 – Use a Wet/Dry Vacuum
Do you have one of those wet/dry vacuums at your house? Many people use them in the garage and they’re commonly referred to as shop-vacs. They’re very convenient for many different purposes and you could use them to help clean your gutters safely.
If you can find an extension for your shop-vac, then you can use it to reach your gutters and clean them out efficiently.
Making your own shop-vac extension is actually possible if you want to get inventive. Many people have used plastic tubes to create extensions for shop-vacs and the last tube will be bent at an angle to make it easy to get it in the gutters for cleaning.
If you can make this work, then your shop-vac is easily going to be able to clean out small debris such as pine needles, leaves, twigs, dust, bugs, and other such things. This could be a very practical method for getting your gutters clean that won’t cost you much of anything if you already have a shop-vac.
The only problem with this is that you might not feel like going through the effort to create an extension for your shop-vac. Plastic tubes won’t be hard to find, but some people just don’t like having to do little projects like this. If you’re looking for something simpler, then you might want to keep reading on.
Just know that this project doesn’t take a lot of effort and that just about anyone can accomplish it if you do wish to attempt it.
3 – Use Your Garden Hose
Using your garden hose is a possibility, too, but it might be hard to get this done right from the ground. To use a garden hose properly, you’re going to need to blast water from one side of the gutters to the other.
This means that you’ll have a hard time reaching the right spot with your hose unless you have an attachment. The attachment could be as simple as a hard tube that features a curved end, thankfully.
When you have your attachment ready, it’s going to be simple to use this to clean out your gutters. It might not work excellently if your gutters are packed tightly with debris, though.
It depends on the situation, but people have found success using garden hoses from the ground. It depends on how powerful the hose is and how packed your gutters are with debris.
4 – Leaf Blower with Gutter Attachment
Most people are going to own some type of leaf blower in the modern era. They’re super convenient for getting those autumn leaves into an orderly pile and they also happen to have other uses.
If you have a decent leaf blower, then it might have attachments that came with it. Some of these leaf blower attachments are meant specifically for cleaning out your gutters.
What you’re looking for is the long tube with a curved end on it. This can be attached to your leaf blower so that you can stand underneath your gutters, reach up, and then blow out the debris from your gutters. It works very well when you have a long enough attachment and a powerful leaf blower.
This should be similarly effective to the power washer option listed earlier and it’s highly recommended if you already have a leaf blower.
5 – Telescopic Gutter Cleaning Tools
Telescopic gutter cleaning tools can be purchased from various retail stores if you’re looking for something that is specifically for your gutters. These tools have long poles that can be manipulated in various ways to help you clean your gutters.
Some of the telescopic tools might have a claw arm for grabbing debris that is clogging your gutters. Others might feature a simple cleaning pad to help you dislodge debris by running the pad through your gutter.
These gutter cleaning tools work very nicely and you should invest in some if none of the above methods appeal to you. Generally, telescopic gutter cleaning tools are not all that expensive. You’re going to be able to get what you need without having to break the bank or anything.
Consider your needs and then look into the available telescopic gutter cleaning tools that can help you to get things done while keeping your feet firmly on the ground.
Just keep in mind that you need the telescopic gutter cleaning tools to be tall enough when fully extended. Depending on the height of your house, you might need to look for particularly long telescopic gutter cleaning tools.
Try to determine the height of your gutters so that you will know how long you need these tools to be. As long as you’re able to do this, things will be able to go smoothly.
6 – Hire Professionals
Another option for getting your gutters cleaned while staying on the ground is to not clean them yourself. You could simply hire gutter cleaning professionals to get things handled for you if you’d like.
There are likely many gutter cleaning companies in your area that would be happy to assist you. They can come out to your home at regular intervals and clean your gutters for you.
Many of these companies will also offer special services such as installing guards for your gutters. These convenient guards can be placed on your gutters and they will prevent debris from getting inside the gutters. You won’t need to go to so much effort to keep your gutters cleaned moving forward if you have this done.
Whatever your choice is, it’s just nice to know that you don’t have any reason to actually climb a ladder when you aren’t comfortable doing so.
Final Thoughts
You can definitely take care of your gutters without having to step on a tall ladder. If your house is taller than most other houses, then your best option might be to hire professionals, but there probably are telescopic tools that will do the trick, too.
Just consider all of your options so that you can make the best decision for you. It’s about getting your gutters cleaned out nicely while also ensuring that you can feel safe.
Always try to keep your gutters cleaned out so that they can work as intended. Now that you know how to clean things while staying on the ground, it shouldn’t be too big of a deal to get this done every so often.
You’ll be able to do your job to protect your house as a homeowner and you’ll feel confident moving forward. Cleaning your gutters doesn’t have to be seen as a problematic thing any longer.
Ben has a bachelor’s degree in construction engineering. When not constructing or remodeling X-Ray Rooms, Cardiovascular Labs, and Pharmacies, you can find him at home with wife and two daughters. Outside of family, He loves grilling and barbequing on his Big Green Egg and Blackstone Griddle, as well as working on projects around the house.
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