Thursday, October 28, 2021

Fall Cleaning Should Include Power Washing — 5 Things to Wash


The fall season is prime time to check those household chores off your to-do list. This includes fall floor-to-ceiling cleaning, which is tedious but necessary work. Take solace knowing there’s at least one task that’s quick, easy, and maybe even a little bit of fun: power washing your home’s exterior. With just five quick power washing projects, you can have your house sparkling clean and prepared to survive the winter.

With that in mind, take a look at the five most important power washing projects you should undertake to keep your home clean, protected, and ready for winter.

What is power washing?

Power washing is one of the final steps you should take before winter arrives. Odds are, there are leaves and other pieces of debris wedged on the gutters and around the home’s exterior, and washing removes all of this debris before it freezes over. Before the temperature drops below freezing, start the process of removing dirt, mildew, mud, and other blemishes with the power of pressurized, heated water.

Power washing is also effective for the following tasks:
  • Preparing your home to rent or sell
  • Removing mold or mildew
  • Killing moss or weeds
  • Cleaning and brightening your deck, patio, walkway, and driveway
  • Removing debris from awnings and gutters
  • Cleaning wood, aluminum, or vinyl sidings

Unlike pressure washing, power washing uses heated water to break down germs and contaminants, making it more efficient than pressurized water alone.

Power wash your house

The benefits of power washing your house are wide and varied. Cleaning the exterior of a home with high-pressure removes dirt, grime, mold, mildew, and algae from siding as well as roofs, decks, and sidewalks. It also makes sure that all the bugs and critters that nestle inside this debris are kept far away from your home’s gutters, pipes, windows, and small entrances to your home.

The heated temperatures can also kill bacteria that might be on the surfaces of windowsills or door handles. Regular cleaning methods cannot accomplish this without hours of scrubbing.

Last, tackling the exterior of your home can increase your home’s curb appeal, making it appear clean and new. This is especially important if you intend to sell your home soon since the facade can make a large impression on potential buyers.

Power wash your deck

Besides washing the exterior of your home, power washing your deck is another project you should cross off your to-do list before winter. Keeping it clean ensures your deck boards stay in good condition, preventing the need to replace them often. Growths of mold and mildew tend to get worse as moisture from snow and ice seeps into the wood of your deck, so it’s best to kill this mold with the high heat of the power wash before it grows further.

Driveway, walkways, and front steps

To maximize curb appeal, power wash your driveway, walkways, and front steps. An expensive-looking and aesthetic exterior can easily tack on another $10,000 to your home’s value. Even if you don’t intend to sell, power washing at least once a year will keep your home looking clean and inviting, not overrun and neglected.

On the driveway, power washing can also kill any moss and weeds that grow in the cracks, keeping the asphalt in good condition for longer. This process also removes tire marks, oil stains, and other imperfections that tend to accumulate over the course of the year.

Wrapping up

It might seem like power washing your home is above and beyond what is necessary for regular home maintenance. After all, you can spray weed killer on weeds, hose down your driveway, and scrub your house’s windows. That being said, tackling all those tasks individually costs a lot of time and energy.

Using a power washer takes care of all these problem areas with more speed, and the pressure and heat of the water ensure the job is completed thoroughly. Pollutants like smog and acid rain, as well as general dirt and grime build-up, can contribute to damage and discoloration of the facade over time. Therefore, to safeguard the investment you’ve made in your home, be sure to round out your fall cleaning plan by power washing your house, deck, driveway, walkway, and front steps at a minimum.

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