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Read on to learn 20 outdoor spring cleaning chores that you won’t want to miss, as well as plenty of tips, tricks, and helpful habits to help you along the way.
Outdoor Spring Cleaning Checklist
Because each office environment and situation may vary, we recommend moving at your own pace and doing these chores in whichever order works best for you.
You may find it easier to work in an order that will help you avoid extra steps.
This might include steps like dusting and cleaning from top to bottom or moving around the room in a counterclockwise or clockwise fashion to reduce missing areas, depending on what you’re doing.
Cleaning Tips
1. Clean and check the gutters.
Making sure your gutters are clear of debris and in good working condition can be important, particularly if you live in an area that gets a lot of heavy rain.
It’s typically recommended to do this during the fall season, after all the twigs, leaves, and other types of autumn-type debris have fallen already.
However, it may be beneficial to do it while spring cleaning, particularly if you haven’t done it in a long while and feel that your gutters could use some TLC before heavy rains come through.
2. Clean up cobwebs and debris on or near the house.
Spend some time to get rid of any cobwebs and other debris that might be on or near the house.
This not only is a quick and easy way to give your home a minor facelift, looks-wise, but it can also help reduce the chance of infestation—both in and outside the home.
If you’re looking to reduce spiders within the home, particularly in the fall and winter season, try to keep up on removing their webs throughout the year, even if you have to set reminders or go on a schedule. Oftentimes, with frequent evictions, the spiders will get the hint.
Pest Removal
! Please use caution if you live in an area that may have the more toxic varieties of spiders, such as brown and black widows. Check for egg sacs and remove them as necessary, preferably with a shop vac or other hands-free method.
! You can spot brown widow sacs as a round, spikey ball; whereas, the black widow’s egg is rounded and smooth. They often cast their webs lower to the ground. Either way, do a little research about the species and how to best get rid of them if that’s your goal.
3. Clean siding.
Maintaining your siding not only keeps your home looking fresh and looking like new. It also helps to maintain the material and the value of your home.
Taking care of your siding, such as through repainting or sealing, can also help prevent potential leaks coming inside your home to issues with mold, among other factors.
Siding Check
4. Inspect the area for any need of damage.
Working on outdoor or backyard spring cleaning is also a great time to inspect your home for any issues, concerns, or damage.
This might entail looking for fissures or cracks in walls, checking the foundation, keeping an eye out for any landscaping issues, inspecting the chimney, and looking out for leaks, gaps, or other types of damage.
Items to Inspect
! You can also have a home inspector or professional contractor check for you if it’s in your budget; otherwise, do the best you can, even if you can’t get to everything.
5. Clean up debris on the ground.
Before you begin working on the actual yard, you may want to focus on cleaning up any debris or clutter from the ground so that you have a tidier space to work with.
Debris might include anything from pet or kid toys to rocks, sticks, trimmings, dead vegetation, or anything that might prove to be a hazard for you, other members of the household, pets, or your yard tools.
6. Tidy up flowerbeds, trees, container plants, and shrubs.
It wouldn’t be spring or even outdoor spring cleaning if we didn’t include taking care of your trees, shrubs, veggies, and flowerbeds. So don’t forget to give your plants a little TLC this spring.
Tidying Up
Research
You can find plenty of how-to- guides and other information on YouTube or online in general and even work your way up from maybe one or two plants, such as a snake plant, until you’re comfortable moving up in the gardening world.
We got our citrus shipped from Four Winds Growers (not affiliated or sponsored), and I’ve honestly never seen such beautiful-looking plant specimens. And even after being under my unruly thumb for the last several months, they still look great and are growing beautifully.
! Always check with a professional grower or garden center for the best information on how to care for your plants or trees, and refer to their care instructions.
7. Perform lawn care and maintenance.
Regardless if you plan to hire someone to take care of your lawn and other vegetation or plan to do it yourself, there’s no better time to get’er done than when spring cleaning your outdoor spaces.
Lawn Maintenance
! Always check with a professional grower or garden center for the best information on how to care for your lawn, or refer to its care instructions. Some varieties may require pruning, thatching, aerating, or fertilizing at different times than others.
8. Repair or repaint fencing.
It’s always a good idea to inspect your fencing and gates for any damage or wear and tear a few times out of the year—especially after wet and cold seasons.
This is also a great time to make any touch-ups, repairs, resealing, staining or re-painting to any areas that might need attention.
Resealing, staining, or painting your fence, particularly if it’s wood, can help increase its longevity, not to mention up the entire look of your yard.
! Make sure you prep the fence according to the type of material involved, as well as make sure that it’s the surface is clean before you get started.
9. Clean and stain your deck.
Just as with any fencing, it’s important to make sure that your deck is properly sealed. This should typically be done every one to three years.
However, things such as the weather, exposure to the sun, and the amount of use your deck gets may factor into how often you should reseal.
10. Clean feeders, baths, and birdhouses.
Spring is an excellent time to make sure that you thoroughly clean any birdhouses, birdbaths, or bird feeders on the premises.
Cleaning feeders, baths, and birdhouses won’t just preserve, but it’s also healthier and necessary for the birds.
It’s also essential to do this throughout the year, especially when concerning water (i.e., hummingbird feeders, which should be done weekly at least or made as part of your weekly cleaning tasks).
You can usually clean feeders with mild dish soap and warm water, making sure to rinse well. Hummingbird feeders may require a little more work and the use of cleaning brushes, which you’ll want to ensure will fit your particular feeder.
Brushes are used in hummingbird feeders to remove mold, mildew, or algae at least once a week, often using hot water. However, some people may use a solution of vinegar water or a mix of bleach and water.
Either way, if you use a solution to clean the feeder, make sure to rinse really well.
! You can make your own hummingbird juice by boiling water 4 parts water and adding it to 1 part sugar. For instance, I would normally do 1 cup of sugar with 4 cups of boiled water in most average-size feeders.
! Most feeders have instructions in case you forget or have trouble with conversions based on size. Don’t forget to check for mold and to clean it out before adding more juice.
11. Clean light fixtures.
Make sure that any outdoor light fixtures and string lights are cleaned.
This includes lights fixed to the house, ones that are wired and designed for landscaping, string lights, and solar varieties.
It’s also a good idea to check your lights for possible scorch marks and other damage or if bulbs need to be replaced.
12. Clean windows and doors.
Maximize the view to your newly cleaned yard by taking some time to clean your windows and screens
And if you stay on top of cleaning them throughout the year, it should only take a few minutes, depending on the cleaning method you use.
Window Tips
Helpful Hints
Water-only Method
Our preferred method is to use warm water along with a microfiber window cleaning clothing and a polishing cloth, using this window-cleaning kit by E-Cloth. We find that it’s often the faster
The water-only microfiber window cleaning method for spring cleaning windows is ideal because it’s fast and easy to do, and I often find that it cuts the time it usually takes to do our windows in half.
Because there’s no residue left behind, unlike traditional window-cleaning methods, it means less dirt and debris will be sticking to your glass, often resulting in less cleaning effort later.
Cleaner-based Method
If, however, your windows are filthy, it may help to use a cleaner instead. You can then use the microfiber and water method later for maintenance cleaning if it’s not cutting it initially.
Some people also find using Dawn dish soap or similar can be helpful as well. In fact, it’s what my mother’s old window cleaner would use Dawn or Ajax for the exterior side of her windows.
Try to use a lint-free cleaning cloth, microfiber cloth, or sponge for both cleaning and drying to avoid lint buildup.
Hard-Water Stains
If you’re having issues with hard water stains, consider using a vinegar-water solution. Many people prefer a 1-cup to 1-cup hot water ratio, which can be put into a spray bottle and sprayed directly onto the window.
Allow it to sit for a moment before cleaning. Repeat as necessary. Make sure you’re in a well-ventilated area if you use vinegar indoors.
If you’re not into the DIY stuff or need something a little more heavy-duty, my preferred method is to use this vinegar gel by Mrs. Meyers, which works great in the shower as well and throughout the house where hard water stains may be a concern.
The gel sticks to the surface, allowing the vinegar and other cleaning agents to work longer. Best of all, it smells great and not a bit like vinegar.
13. Clean patio furniture.
To truly enjoy your outdoor space this year, make sure to spring clean your patio or backyard furniture, according to their care instructions.
This should typically be done with gentle cleaners whenever possible, mainly using products designed for the kind of furniture you have or using a mild soap.
Many patio furniture cleaners are designed to clean outdoor-related issues and protect furniture from common outdoor elements.
Patio Furniture
14. Clean patio and decks.
It’s good to wash and reseal any decking that you might have, if any, or to at least make sure your patio is cleaned. This way, you can enjoy it for the rest of the year and/or protect your investment.
15. Clean sidewalks and pathways.
Sprucing up your sidewalks, pathways, and cemented areas can be an excellent way to get your backyard or other outdoor space looking great again.
Some do this by sweeping and then hosing everything off as best they can, with or without a cleaner, while others may choose to do some patch repair work as well. It’s also optional to use a standard power washer or one with a floor-cleaning tool.
16. Clean pet areas.
Because things can get pretty messy outside during the wetter and colder months, it’s a good idea to make sure that your pet areas are inspected and cleaned up thoroughly during the springtime in particular.
However, it usually a good idea to do this throughout the year for the sake of your pet’s comfort and health.
It can also make the environment easier to maintain and a more comfortable and enjoyable place to relax in the long run.
Pet Areas
18. Clean any special features and outdoor entertainment areas.
Don’t forget to clean any entertainment areas or features according to their care instructions. This means ensuring that things like any water features, such as fountains, pools, and ponds, are treated for mold issues or algae, and that debris is removed.
It may also involve repair work or moving things back outside that might have been put away during the winter, such as sports-related entertainment, lounge chairs, cleaning out fireplaces or firepits, etc.
Outdoor Features
19. Restock and refuel.
Refueling and restocking supplies and fuel in advance may save you a lot of hassle later on.
Therefore, it may be beneficial to see whether you need any propane, charcoal, pellets, wood, and even gardening supplies before you need it.
20. Clean common outdoor knickknacks and décor
You can spruce up your outdoor area by spring cleaning any decorations, whether they’re on tabletops, on the ground, in the yard, or hanging up somewhere.
One easy way to clean up small ceramic, metal, or even glass decorations is with an old, lightly damp cloth using warm water only.
Knickknacks & Decor
Conclusion
In this post, we covered 20 ultimate outdoor spring cleaning chores that you can do in whatever order or timeframe you see fit.
You can also do these tasks at your leisure throughout the year or as needed, and customize them to suit your needs, schedule, or type of environment, regardless if you own your home or rent.
Happy Spring Cleaning 🙂
! Looking for more spring cleaning motivation? Feel free to check out our other posts from the rest of our spring cleaning series here.
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