How to Prepare Your House Exterior for the Wintertime

Autumn is here! Once the mornings get brisk and the days shorter, you know it’s time for the autumn house clean to prepare your house exterior for the wintertime.

Since autumn cleaning is a once a year event, it’s better if you use a checklist so you don't forget anything. Below you will find everything you need to consider as part of your exterior house cleaning.

• Clean your driveway, deck and patio.

Autumn is the perfect time to give your driveway, deck and patio a thorough cleaning. Not only will proper cleaning keep your exterior areas looking nice, it will help them last longer and decrease the amount of maintenance needed in future.  


•  Clean your outdoor items.   

Brush away dust, and then wash all summer furniture, umbrellas, grills, kids’ toys and other outdoor items. Store away any of them which you won't use again until next spring.

• Clean rain gutters and downspouts.

To prevent them from clogging, gutters and downspouts must be cleared of leaves and debris. Keeping them clean is more than just maintaining a nice looking house exterior. If not maintained properly, they may cause flooding and damage your home interior.


• Wash house exterior.

Pressure wash your house exterior, including windows and siding. The pressure washer will take off dust, mildew, chalk using highly pressurized water. It may also remove the paint especially if it is old. So, be ready to touch up exterior paint if necessary. Before washing, don’t forget to tape down all external outlets and fixtures and turn off electricity.

• Clean the garden shed.

Before storing everything inside, first take the time to clean your garden shed. Start by moving outside all gardening equipment and tools. Get the shed clear of any loose grass, dirt and dust to avoid clogging your machines, as the dust may settle on them over the winter.


• Clean your gardening tools.

Autumn is the perfect time to inspect, repair and clean your gardening tools. It’s really frustrating to start the new gardening season with rusty, dirty tools. To properly store them, first wash away any mud and soil, then scrub away stubborn soil. Finally, wipe dry with a rag, or let them dry in the sun.

• Drain and store garden hoses.

Inspect, drain and store garden hoses. If water remains inside the hose during the cold winter months, it may freeze and cause ruptures to its form. So before storing, make sure to drain all water from inside, and then coil it tightly.


• Pick up leaves from your lawn.

Autumn cleanup is an important part of preparing your lawn for the colder months as well as ensuring that it stays healthy until next spring season. Mulching is better than raking. After you shred the leaves into fine pieces, you can add them to flower beds, or simply leave them on the lawn. Never throw away fallen leaves because they're an important source of organic matter.

• Prune your trees.

Trimming dead, damaged and diseased branches out the trees, will not only prevent them from coming down and causing accident or damage in a winter storm but will keep them healthy too.


• Drain and clean your pool.

Start by washing and storing all pool accessories. If you’re ready to close down the pool completely for the season, clean leaves and debris, drain the water, including the water from the pump, and cover it well.

When it comes to general home cleaning and organizing you can do it yourself, but some tasks need special skills and equipment and in such cases you better call the experts to get professional cleaning services.


You’ve done a great job!  Now you are ready to welcome the approaching holidays with a clean and inviting home exterior.