Spring Cleaning Outdoors

April 13, 2015 1 min read

Before you set down your mop and put away your gloves, there’s a bit more spring cleaning to be done.

Head outdoors and enjoy the weather as you finish the last of your annual chores. Here are a few things you won’t want to miss.

 

Check for Leaks. Sprinklers and hoses that may be dripping water can cost you and the environment.


Get your Head in the Gutter. Safely climb on the roof and clear out the leaves and branches that will impede gutters come winter. This is also a great time to make any repairs to leaking or broken gutters. While you’re up there, check the roof for torn or missing shingles or any gaps that may need to be sealed.


Yard Maintenance. Pull the weeds, trim the trees, rake the leaves and most importantly, get rid of excess brush around your property. As the temperatures heat up, so does the chance for fires. And nothing ignites faster than dry landscaping.


Freshen Up. Get to work painting unsightly areas on your house that may be peeling. Be sure to power wash any dirt and cobwebs, especially under the eaves, before you get started.


Window Washing. Don’t just clean your windows, clean them right. Rather than load your washer with dirty towels, use crumpled-up newspapers to wipe windows clean and dry. Opt for a natural cleaner— half water, half white vinegar will do the trick. And don’t forget hosing down the screens and wiping the tracks.

     

    How do you clean outdoors in spring? Share your best spring-cleaning tip and post photos on our Facebook page.

     

    69 Responses

    Casey B
    Casey B

    April 22, 2015

    I’m finally ready to plant flowers since winter is GONE!

    Richard Corkum
    Richard Corkum

    April 21, 2015

    Look Out, When I Break Out The Power Washer dIRT iS gONNA fLY

    Amanda Alvarado
    Amanda Alvarado

    April 21, 2015

    Really the only thing we do is plant a new garden. Everything else is the same ol, same ol since we don’t have snow and rarely get really cold. You’re supposed to wash the outside windows?!?! LOL I don’t think I have ever done that in my life!

    Cheri
    Cheri

    April 21, 2015

    I like to help my husband get the garden ready to plant.

    anel W
    anel W

    April 21, 2015

    i also thought my mom was crazy for using vinegar and newspaper to clean windows, but then I grew up and realized she was on to something! I don’t know if this counts as outdoors, but we clean out car too; check the tire pressure, oil, water, ete etc. a “clean” car is better for the environment! We also clean our dogs crates!!

    Sharron Johnston
    Sharron Johnston

    April 21, 2015

    I rake up the dead leaves and plant colorful flowers to welcome Spring.

    Kala
    Kala

    April 21, 2015

    My main goal is the windows… I love using vinegar to clean them!

    Gladys Aguilar
    Gladys Aguilar

    April 21, 2015

    All the windows are cleaned while curtains are in the wash. Then when everyone is out I paint the porch since the winter salt has peeled it. Then make the yard presentable. Finally, ENJOY THE SUN :)

    Jessica L.
    Jessica L.

    April 21, 2015

    I send my hubs out to do the spring cleaning outside :)

    Heidi
    Heidi

    April 21, 2015

    I love outdoor spring cleaning!! Weeding, raking, and planting. Wash the windows, get the house powerwashed and the fireplace cleaned. Sweep out the garage and pull out the grill!

    Holly
    Holly

    April 21, 2015

    spring cleaning means cleaning up the yard and swapping out winter clothing for something a little cooler!

    Wynter Royer
    Wynter Royer

    April 21, 2015

    We have a really low maintenance yard, so we don’t have to do any pruning or mowing, BUT we have a million pine trees so we have to take up all the pine needles and pick up pine ones. Usually we can fill our huge trailer 2x if we start early in the spring and then do it again right before winter. Our town has a free day to bring yard debris to the dump so it helps reduce flammable material in peoples yards. It is pretty awesome!

    Lori Jackson
    Lori Jackson

    April 21, 2015

    All the curtains come down and washed along with the windows. Plus clean out the closets. Love opening the windows and getting some fresh air in the house!

    char
    char

    April 21, 2015

    Installing tomato plants,

    Jessica Hughes
    Jessica Hughes

    April 21, 2015

    We live in military housing, so fortunately there isn’t much for us to worry about. We always try to make the front of our house look nice with potted or hanging plants.

    Melanie Baldi Cabaniss
    Melanie Baldi Cabaniss

    April 21, 2015

    My tip is DON’T OVERWHELM YOURSELF. If you have to split the chores up between 2-3 days, then that’s fine! Take breaks and then start the next task! It’ll be easier that way! And make a mental list! Those always help!

    Kari Judd
    Kari Judd

    April 21, 2015

    I use a mixture of water and Vinegar for my house cleaning!

    Janet M
    Janet M

    April 21, 2015

    For us, it is picking up branches that have blown down over the winter. The snow is just clearing and I have started the pick up.

    Cindy
    Cindy

    April 21, 2015

    I clean our patio furniture.

    Jodi Mitrovic
    Jodi Mitrovic

    April 21, 2015

    I like washing windows, raking and cleaning up dead leaves and debris that were hidden by a blanket of snow and power washing the house.

    tara e
    tara e

    April 21, 2015

    Wadh windows

    Shelley Hickey
    Shelley Hickey

    April 21, 2015

    Rake the lawn to get rid of snow mold, clean out the gardens, spray down the deck and clean up the garage. Been a long winter :(

    celeste
    celeste

    April 21, 2015

    I always start my clean spring with my closet then move on to my room.

    Amber Ludwig
    Amber Ludwig

    April 21, 2015

    We love in an apartment so thankfully most of the outdoor stuff isn’t done by us. My son and I do walk around with the wheel barrow and fill it with yard debris! This year we are planting herbs and possibly doing a fairy garden :) so that will be fun!

    Denise E
    Denise E

    April 21, 2015

    qe do a major yard clean up, wash outside windows & gutters :)

    Leela
    Leela

    April 21, 2015

    We need to get out and do some more weeding!

    Ashley Despain
    Ashley Despain

    April 21, 2015

    We live the desert, so we have desert landscaping in the yards. So every spring we are out there pulling “weeds” that poke through our rocks. Also trim all my bushes early spring.

    Brittany Drapeau
    Brittany Drapeau

    April 21, 2015

    We clean the kids clothes out that they have outgrown and bring the summer clothes out! Also clean my car top to bottom!

    Amanda S
    Amanda S

    April 21, 2015

    New mulch, a few new plants and flowers in window boxes and pots! My newest and best tip is using hot (right at or just below a gentle boil) to pour into window tracks for easy cleaning!

    Sarah Griffin
    Sarah Griffin

    April 21, 2015

    This year we will be doing lots of yard cleanup after a tree fell in the backyard. We also plan to paint the trim again

    jolene rose
    jolene rose

    April 21, 2015

    snow is finally gone, now comes out the rake

    Jill D.
    Jill D.

    April 21, 2015

    pulling weeds, and old plants and planting new beautiful vibrant plants and flowers.

    Cindy Kong
    Cindy Kong

    April 21, 2015

    We are pulling out weeds and with no water to start a new garden, we are doing low maintenance no water garden.

    Karin Bachrodt reemts
    Karin Bachrodt reemts

    April 21, 2015

    tidy the garden and get ready for spring planting!

    Audrey G.
    Audrey G.

    April 21, 2015

    Power washing the house and deck.

    Bree
    Bree

    April 21, 2015

    The outdoors are hard for us…neither my husband or I really feel gifted with green thumbs or knowing what it should look like. We usually try to de-weed, grow grass in bald patches, keep plants alive and this year, we’re hoping to fix and stain the deck! That might be more of a summer challenge.

    Stephanie Marcus
    Stephanie Marcus

    April 21, 2015

    We always do yard work in the spring. It’s been raining a lot but we are working on wedding the garden. I was able to plant some flowers. We are trying to plant grass seeds. We need to spread mulch on my flower beds and I have trimmed back my rose bushes.

    Beth
    Beth

    April 21, 2015

    My post here is going to look very similar to the one I posted on facebook! I love those first warm days! Raking beds. Planting veggies. Mulch. Mulch. Mulch!

    Jackie Wantink
    Jackie Wantink

    April 21, 2015

    We mulch all of our flower beds to clean them up and save water, weed, prune roses and trees. We also clean the patio and rake up leaves / spider webs by the side of the house.

    hollie n
    hollie n

    April 21, 2015

    I live in an apartment, so I don’t have to do much outdoors maintenance. I take my kids toys out of storage and clean them, and clean the windows.

    Elise Rogers
    Elise Rogers

    April 21, 2015

    Growing up we did yard work. Now though we live in a duplex and the landlord takes care of the yard. I do plan to clean the front and side porch and clean off our lawn chairs. Its not spring cleaning but buying some potted flowers so that we have a more spring feeling to the front of our house.

    Michelle
    Michelle

    April 21, 2015

    We clean up our yard: raking the leaves and dry grass, pick up all the branches that fell off the maple tree through our long winter, clean out the flower beds and trim back certain plants, prepare the vegetable garden beds, adding mulch to the flower beds, adding compost to the garden beds. It takes all of us in the family, working together, to get the yard looking nice for the warming temps. After a long and cold winter we love breathing in the new life of nature.

    Liberty T.
    Liberty T.

    April 21, 2015

    We get the yard hatched and wash all of the windows.

    Jenna D
    Jenna D

    April 21, 2015

    we give out windows and siding a good cleaning, get our BBQ ready for summer grilling and do all the yardwork/planting for our edible gardens :)

    Cheryl P
    Cheryl P

    April 21, 2015

    Power washer is my best friend. Love to be able to see everything sparkle when we set up to enjoy the season! Putting up a little decorativefence around the gardens after the are weeded and cleaned up as well.

    Kait W
    Kait W

    April 21, 2015

    My husband loves cleaning up outdoors. Raking any leaves and debris. Trimming back bushes and trees. Power washing the sidewalks and driveway to get rid of any moss.

    Susan Spidle
    Susan Spidle

    April 21, 2015

    Lots of work in the yard, burning the brush that was put around the house foundation before the snow, cleaning out the rain gutters, doing some painting and picking up all the broken branches from the wind,

    Brianne
    Brianne

    April 21, 2015

    We weed, weed, weed bleck. And spread weed and feed.

    Wendy Jensen
    Wendy Jensen

    April 21, 2015

    I clean outdoors in the spring starting by raking the lawn and cleaning out the flower beds so I can see what is coming up each year.

    Kristin
    Kristin

    April 21, 2015

    It’s our first year in our new house. It’s nestled in the woods and was empty in the fall, so we’ve been working on getting rid of old leaves and sticks. We purchased it in the middle of winter, and now everything is starting to blossom. It’s so beautiful.

    Morgan M
    Morgan M

    April 21, 2015

    I prune the roses and get rid of any weeds. This is my first year with a yard though so I might add more to the list next year.

    Jenny B
    Jenny B

    April 21, 2015

    We do all the yard clean up and clean the windows.

    Maddie Brown
    Maddie Brown

    April 21, 2015

    We wait until after storm season for outside, but the first thing is to clean up any debris the huge Oklahoma storms blew our way!

    Nancy
    Nancy

    April 21, 2015

    Cleaning up all the sticks and destroyed dog toys from a long winter. Filling in amok the holes the dogs feel the need to dog.

    Jessica Hessig
    Jessica Hessig

    April 21, 2015

    We pick up the yard of any debris left from snow plows, clean dog poo that’s been under the snow, clean the chicken coop, and put all the bird feeders out!

    Jodi T
    Jodi T

    April 21, 2015

    I take the kids to my parents’ house so we can help clean up their yard and patio. It is where we spend most of our summer!

    Elizabeth
    Elizabeth

    April 21, 2015

    I don’t specifically do spring cleaning but I did start a small garden plot this spring. Took some work.https://scontent-iad.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xta1/t31.0-8/q81/p180x540/11110365_10204054456148283_3206199356771242436_o.jpg

    Jackie Watson
    Jackie Watson

    April 21, 2015

    Cleaning up flower beds of leaves is an early spring clean up. I also live in the woods!

    Heather Howard
    Heather Howard

    April 21, 2015

    Thank you for the opportunity!
    I start small, picking up broken branches and raking up any leaves.

    Nancy
    Nancy

    April 21, 2015

    I make my husband do it ;)

    Danielle B.
    Danielle B.

    April 21, 2015

    We try to keep things clean in the fall so that there isn’t as much to clean in the spring. Leaves, sticks, etc. are so much easier to clean up when they haven’t been frozen, thawed, and refrozen all winter long.

    Brenna W.
    Brenna W.

    April 21, 2015

    Our house literally sits in the middle of the woods, so there’s very minimal outside work that needs to be done (can I get an amen?!). I guess our main job is just keeping the rhododendron nice and trim so it doesn’t overrun our driveway. :)

    Trisha W.
    Trisha W.

    April 21, 2015

    I don’t have any spring cleaning rituals but I do like it when my husband is able to wash our windows when the sun is shining.

    Meghan V
    Meghan V

    April 21, 2015

    It always feels good to get outside and do a pick up of the yard. We have to go around each spring and have the kids pick up all the toy in the yard that maybe hiding in the grass. Then my Hubby can mow!

    ameirah
    ameirah

    April 21, 2015

    getting my 3 yo to help do stuff. raking & fixing and play of course. The garden is gonna be great too.

    ameirah
    ameirah

    April 21, 2015

    getting my 3 yo to help do stuff. raking & fixing and play of course. The garden is gonna be great too.

    Hanna Schauppner
    Hanna Schauppner

    April 21, 2015

    Planting the vegetable garden and weeding the overgrown flower beds!

    Jana L.
    Jana L.

    April 21, 2015

    Lots and lots of yard work! Starting to clean the gutters this week, bit by bit.

    Kelly
    Kelly

    April 21, 2015

    It’s pretty much the same all year round here in South Florida, so no real change in keeping outside clean in spring or winter for us :)

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