How to Clean Gutters from the Ground l Gutter Sense

Every year, 500,000 people are treated for ladder-related injuries. Cleaning out gutters is a dirty but essential part of any home maintenance routine. Gutters protect your home from water damage by diverting water away from your house. While gutter guards do not eliminate the need for gutter cleaning, they do reduce the frequency of cleaning required. A well-installed set of gutter guards should lessen the need for gutter cleaning to approximately once a year.

Buyer’s Guide for DIY Gutter Cleaning Tools

Cleaning gutters from the ground is easier with a set of gutter guards. With gutter guards installed, the debris slides off completely or sits on the elevated, flat surface of the guard. If you already own a leaf blower, you might want to use it for the job. ‘Using a leaf blower with enough power can push out everything in the gutters,’ says Benjamin Nguyen, owner of exterior cleaning company Full Color Cleaners. Climbing a ladder to clean out gutters is just asking for trouble.

What is the best tool to clean gutters without a ladder?

This section explains the most important considerations to keep in mind while shopping for the best gutter cleaner. I found the Gutter Tool to be one of the easiest gutter cleaner tools to set up and use. It’s lightweight but durable, making it easy to manipulate, yet hardy.

What is the most effective way to clean gutters?

However, for optimal maintenance, cleaning them once every four months is advisable. Try to determine the height of your gutters so that you will know how long you need these tools to be. As long as you’re able to do this, things will be able to go smoothly. This means that you’ll have a hard time reaching the right spot with your hose unless you have an attachment.

More in Gutters

For the best results, it’s important that the hose be equipped with the proper attachment (a rigid tube with a curved end). By using an extension, such as the GutterMaster Telescopic Water Fed Pole, you can stand on the ground, not on a ladder, as you work. Start at the end nearest the downspout, spray out the entire channel length, and then work your way back to the downspout. Expect some mess—water, leaves, and small twigs are likely to spray over the sides of the gutter, so dress appropriately.

And because you’re not in the business of doing this more than absolutely necessary, let’s make sure you choose the right rain gutter cleaning tool. First of all, this isn’t just a set of tubes you can put together and attach to your hose. It has an actual telescopic pole with a non-slip grip, making it very comfortable to use. Also, it can deliver water pressure similar to that of a pressure washer so you can be sure there won’t be any leftover leaves stuck in your gutters. When it comes to cleaning out your gutters from the ground it’s always better, more efficient and safer to hire a professional gutter cleaning service.

It’s fallen leaves and other types of debris that can build up in gutters over time, so cleaning them should be part of your seasonal maintenance throughout the year. If you have the right tools like the best pressure washer, or even a leaf blower, the job will be a whole lot easier. But don't despair if not – whatever your set up, our guide includes a way to clean those gutters that will work for you.

Once finished, always check the downspouts to ensure they’re free of debris. Traditional gutter cleaning methods might be dangerous, but they’re highly effective. While cleaning gutters from the ground is a much safer alternative, there are a few tips and tricks for maximizing the effectiveness of the various methods. In fact, thousands of people are injured annually from ladder falls. Therefore, many homeowners are opting to clean their gutters from the safety of the ground.

Wet/Dry Vacuum Method

The attachment could be as simple as a hard tube that features a curved end, thankfully. It’s also possible that your house might be too tall for this option to work out for you. Some houses are simply taller than others and if you have a duplex or something like that, then you might not be able to reach the gutters from the ground. While you might find some stubborn grime needs a little extra attention, pressure higher than 1,700 psi usually isn’t necessary. Our team focuses on creating in-depth product and service review content. To date, we’ve published numerous tool reviews, from cordless drills and impact drivers to tape measures and laser levels.

It came with several wands and four nozzles, and it snapped to my pressure washer without an issue. It was easy to manipulate into the gutter and had plenty of power. This kit from Craftsman was one of my favorite surprises in testing. It was a little clumsy to use, and it might not be suitable for use on a ladder (not with a powerful vacuum, at least), but it was very easy to set up. It also felt like it could serve other purposes, such as vacuuming in vents or other nooks where a standard vacuum won’t reach.

It also allows you to work faster since you do not have to move a ladder every few feet in order to reach leaves and gravel. You can also stop what you are doing in order to attend to other matters without having to climb down a ladder or climb back through an upper floor window. A dent in your gutter can lead to a backup very quickly, as it will affect the slope of the gutter, if only for a very small space. This change in pitch will collect dirt and debris, creating a dam that obstructs flow. While clearing that dam will help, the fix is temporary and a backup will likely recur. Mike Miller is a writer and editor with more than a decade of experience crafting consumer-facing content.

The attachment is a long pipe with a curved end to fit inside the gutter. This allows you to blow debris from inside the gutter out to the ground below. Here are the best methods to clean out your gutters from the ground, so you don’t have to use a ladder and take unnecessary risks. Granted, it may take a little longer to clean them out than using a ladder, since it can be difficult to directly see the top or inside of the gutter system. But overall, it’s easier and safer to clean out your gutters from the ground.

Cleaning your gutters doesn’t have to be seen as a problematic thing any longer. Just consider all of your options so that you can make the best decision for you. It’s about getting your gutters cleaned out nicely while also ensuring that you can feel safe. The stand-out feature of this product is the five interchangeable nozzle tips.

However, it comes with a shoulder strap and does a great job of cleaning the gutters thanks to the 30-degree nozzle and angle adapters. If you don’t have gutter guards to prevent clogs from fallen leaves, cleaning your gutters is a necessary (and messy) job. Leaves and debris that pile up in your gutters can cause water to spill over the brim, creating foundation and drainage issues. Melted snow can also freeze and create ice dams that will cause leaks inside the home. It can be easy to put off cleaning gutters, but it’s a necessary job that isn’t difficult and will keep them working properly.

Rain gutters get clogged with leaves and other debris over time, so it’s best to clean them regularly to avoid more difficult work later. Use this guide to learn the basics of how to clean gutters and downspouts. Wet/dry vacuums, capable of managing damp and dry debris, are potent cleaning tools. They come with specialized attachments that safely remove debris from gutters from the ground. The Ridge Washer gutter cleaner is a pressure washer attachment that provides two jets of water for cleaning gutters. Inside the nozzles are rotary jets, which produce a twisting stream of water in either direction.

Certain types of products won’t work without additional necessary equipment. To blow leaves out of a gutter with a wet/dry vac kit, unsurprisingly, a wet/dry vac is necessary. The Worx WA4096 Leafjet Blower GutterPro attachment might be a great choice for folks who’d prefer to blow their leaves out of their gutters than spray or climb.