This post begins our week of curb appeal tips designed to spruce up the exterior of your home! Whether you’re trying to sell or just impress the neighbors, our curb appeal tips are applicable to every homeowner, no matter where you live or the size or style of your home. So without further ado, our first curb appeal tip of the week is… Clean it!
The first step to improving your home’s curb appeal should always be a good cleaning. Begin by standing out in the street and looking at your house from the same perspective as neighbors and passers-by. What do they see? If your home’s exterior looks a little dingy, it’s probably the result of years of built-up dirt on the surface. While rain does keep most of the dirt at bay, remember that not every side of your home will face the direction of the rainfall, and therefore 3 sides of your home are usually missing out on Mother Nature’s “bath.” Additionally, rain does not reach under overhangs where dirt collects. For these reasons, it never hurts to wash the exterior of your home periodically.
Siding and brick exteriors can usually be safely cleaned with a mild detergent and a soft brush and hose. Use care when picking a detergent. You don’t want the run-off soapy water to harm your landscaping. When cleaning, don’t forget to scrub down your driveway, sidewalk, and the street curb in front of your home. If they are stained, consider using a concrete cleaning solution (these can be found at most home improvement centers or hardware stores).
Before putting away your scrub brush and dumping out the soapy water, be sure to scrub down any outdoor pots, as well as chairs and tables. Other things that may need cleaning include outdoor lighting fixtures and address plaques.
Once your home’s siding is dry, you’ll probably notice that your windows are spotted. The final step in cleaning your home’s exterior should be washing the windows. A simple solution of equal parts water and rubbing alcohol, plus a little splash of ammonia will work wonders. To make quick work of the job, use a long-handled sponge or brush tool that features a squeegee on the opposite side.
