How do I Choose the Best Gutter Cleaning Tools?

When you're looking for the best gutter cleaning tools for your home, it's a good idea to think about the options as well as your budget. Regular gutter maintenance that involves cleaning the gutters under the roof line of your house at least twice a year can be accomplished using different tool choices from inexpensive to a little more costly. The cost of gutter cleaning maintenance will also depend on what items you already have.

For example, if you don't already have a good, safe ladder and have no other reason to buy one, but you do have a pressure washer, you may want to purchase a gutter wand attachment. Gutter wand attachments are long pipes with a spray nozzle. These gutter cleaning tools fit onto a pressure washer and are usually long enough to reach most house roof lines without the use of a ladder. Other types of wands designed for cleaning house gutters fit onto an ordinary garden hose. If you have neither a ladder nor a pressure washer, you may decide to choose the garden wand gutter attachment.

However, if your gutters become over-clogged with wet leaves and other yard debris, it may be necessary to use a ladder to allow you to reach the gutter directly. Extension ladders are often the best type to use for gutter cleaning because they can be adjusted to different roof levels. Of course, any ladder used along with gutter cleaning tools should be safe and sturdy. Either a wet vacuum or a scooping tool plus a bucket are needed for direct cleaning of house gutters.

Hand-held scoops are gutter cleaning tools that are typically very inexpensive. They have high sides to allow you to scoop out water and leaves from the gutters to place in the bucket as you work. While you could use a garden trowel or other item as a scoop, the high sides on the gutter scoops usually help get the job done faster.

Whatever type of cleaning tool you choose, you should be careful not to use excess pressure or you run the risk of causing damage to the gutters. You should also wear a mask and rubber gloves when cleaning gutters. Gutters often have mold or mildew growths that can be unhealthy to breathe in or touch. One thing to watch when cleaning your gutters is to try not to push the excess water and debris down the side of your house or it could leave it dirty and in need of power washing.