How to Clean Gutters With a Pressure Washer

Summer is here, which means sudden thunderstorms and rain can block the gutters. Getting up and cleaning out debris and leaves is riskier as you won’t want it to end up in the hospital. Here is an article for you on how to clean gutters with pressure washers. 

How to Clean Gutters With a Pressure Washer

Climbing up the ladder and brushing off leaves and collecting in the bucket is a tedious and hectic job to accomplish. Instead, you can pressure wash the debris while having a good walk around your lawn. 

Materials Required

• Extension wand
• Pressure washer broom
• Detergent
• Goggles
• Headgear

Step 1: Prepare the Outdoor Before Pressure Wash

Before starting the pressure wash to clean the gutter, be precautious of the result.

1. Place your outdoor furniture like a table or chairs inside.
2. Look out for flower plants or vegetation that can get in the way. Place it indoors or shift it to somewhere far, so the debris doesn’t fall on that.
3. Take out time to clear the path to avoid accidents. Be sure of the clearance as your eyes will be on the roof. 
4. Debris will fall on the ground, so make sure it doesn’t fall on anything that will increase your work. 

Follow the precautious procedures to prevent any mishap during pressure washing of the gutters. So, when the job is done, you can wash off the debris.

Step 2: Wear Safety Gear

The debris, dirt, and leaves will fall off from the gutters above your head.

1. Wear head gear as debris can fall on your head.
2. Do not forget to put on safety glasses; as is mentioned earlier, debris falls over your head.
3. Also, debris and water sprinkles can get into your eyes irritating. Never start pressure washer without wearing safety glasses.

When you pressure wash gutter after a storm or tornado, it is essential to be equipped with protective gear as you don’t know what can fall off from the gutter.

Step 3: Put the Wand Attachment for the Pressure Washer

Once you are well equipped with protective gear, you can move ahead to wash the debris out of gutters.

1. Attach a telescopic wand or an attachment to the pressure washer hose.
2. It will allow you to reach the top of the gutters, where you can get with a ladder.
3. Do not pressure wash while standing on a ladder as the force generated in the pressure washer creates recoil, which can cause imbalance.
4. Use a low-pressure nozzle to spray water on the dirt and debris. Wet the area you want to clean. This will prevent damage around the gutter when you wash off the debris.
5. Start with the low-pressure nozzle to exfoliate the dirt and rinse off the area outside the gutters.

Step 4: Fill in the Tank With Detergent

To clean the gutter properly, mix some detergent in the tank.

1. Mix some amount of detergent and make a diluted solution. 
2. Once you mix it well in the container, put it in the tank.
3. Next, put on wand attachment on action to the telescoping wand. This should be fixed on the end of the telescoping wand. 
4. You can use a U-shaped attachment to clean off the leaves properly.

Adding detergent is an effective way of cleaning the debris and layers of dirt. A proper attachment makes the work efficient as it cleans the gutter and the sides of the gutter.

Step 5: Clean The Debris With the Pressure Washer

1. Switch on the tank after fixing the attachments.
2. Pressure wash the debris with detergent. Detergent loosens the dirt and debris that makes it easier for the next step.
3. Clean off the detergent with water. To be sure that detergent has been washed, see the debris flowing off.
4. When all detergent flows off, minimize the water pressure.

Minimizing the water pressure is essential as too much water can lead to mildew or mold growth.

Step 6: Pressure Washer the Surroundings

Once you clean the curved gutters, it is time to wash off the dirt from the surroundings.

1. To clean off the dirt from surroundings, use a telescopic wand attachment. Use a pressure gun with it to control the wand.
2. Pressure wash the surroundings to clean off the dirt and debris that overflowed the curves and crevices.

Once you clean the outdoor walls of your house, you will see a significant change. The gutters would look freshly cleaned.

Step 7: Clean the Outdoor

After cleaning the gutter thoroughly, clean the lawn and ground where the debris and leaves fell.

1. Once you clean the gutters, use the pressure washer, and clean the ground from the debris.
2. Use water broom attachment to do the job quickly and effectively.
3. Spray and sweep wash the debris and collect it in one place.
4. Use gloves to carry the assembled trash. Throw it away in your trash bin.

The debris can fall off anywhere and using a pressure washer with broom attachment is efficient as the pressure in three or more nozzles giving it extra coverage.

Tips on Cleaning Gutters With a Pressure Washer

While cleaning the gutter with a pressure washer seems easy, the cleaning process can be better with a few tips and tricks.

1. It is good to clean your entire outdoor and house while you are cleaning gutters. If you spend some extra hours, you can get the entire house cleaned with gutters at once. 
2. Do not think the ladder will do the job. You can only clean off the leaves, but pressure cleaning focuses on deep cleansing. 
3. Using an extension wand will make the nozzle easier to control.
4. Embrace tools that make your work easier.
5. Always wear safety equipment.
6. While cleaning the gutter, identify the damage like cracks and repair it by calling of roof repairing expert.
7. The best time to clean gutters is spring, summer, and fall.

Why Do You Need to Clean the Gutters?

Gutters are the space where all the debris and dirt are collected.

It is essential to clean it off once in a while as waterlogging can happen in the gutter, causing a foul smell and breeding place for flies.

For instance, imagine the gutters are clogged with leaves and other debris and water running over them.

Then, think about the extra weight that the accumulated things are causing, making the gutter sag or even break off.

The water running through debris can destroy the soffits and walls. Hence, include cleaning the gutters in the maintenance chore once in a while.

Types of Pressure Washer Nozzle You Can Use?

The most popular pressure washer nozzle is a 40-degree pressure washer nozzle. It is used for spraying water in the entire area before washing it off with detergent.

Here are some other attachments.

• Brush attachment: It is used for cleaning the grime and sticky dirt from the gutter. It is like an extra help that will surely save the look of your house.

• U-shaped pressure washer: It has a curved shape that acts as an extension for other attachments. The attachment helps to do the same thing other washers do, but the curved design provides an angle to the nozzle.

• Telescopic wand extension: If you want to reach the roof gutters without losing balance, telescopic wand extension is the go-to attachment. It can be attached directly to the pressure hose.

• Water broom attachment: After cleaning the debris from the gutter, the gunk that falls on the ground is not pleasing. Therefore, the water broom attachment has become a necessity to clean the debris off the ground.

Here is a guide for you to follow to find the right nozzle for pressure cleaning. 

Frequently Asked Questions

At What PSI Should I Wash the Gutters?

1500 PSI is enough to clean the gutters without causing damage to the property. At the commercial level, it can go up to 3000PSI. If you are doing it in your home alone, start with 1000 PSI and move ahead to 1200-1300PSI. Here is a video guide that you can refer to for cleaning the gutters. 

How Often Should I Clean the Gutters?

Clean the gutters twice a year. The most appropriate time to clean the gutters is autumn and spring. It is good to clean the debris and leaves before the rain so clean water comes off the gutters. Some people clean it 3-4 times a year. It depends upon the neighborhood and how many nearby trees you have. 

Is It Safe to Clean Gutters With a Pressure Washer?

If proper PSI is maintained and precautions are taken, it is safe to clean gutters with a pressure washer. If you haven’t done that, then you can hire maintenance services to get it cleaned properly. Pressure washers are 100% safe to use; it is the easiest method to clean off the dirt from gutters. 

Conclusion

A pressure washer can be used for power cleaning your house’s exterior. A pressure washer allows you to quickie and safely clean the gutters. Who would have thought cleaning gutters could be easy and fun. Proper cleaning will prevent the gutters from damage.