Lessons learned from a first-time gutter cleaner

1. Wear pants. Nuff said.
2. Marry someone who is not afraid of heights so HE is the one up on the ladder.
3. Wear plastic oven cleaning gloves. Then the disgusting soppy goo you're scooping out of the gutter doesn't soak through your brand new leather and cloth gloves into your nails and skin.
4. Tip to previous homeowner: you were so PROUD of those leaf guards you installed yourself that you mentioned it at least five times. Perhaps next time you want to clean the gutters BEFORE you install them?
5. Curse previous homeowners frequently during the process. It may not solve anything but it can be creative and fun.
6. Another tip to previous homeowner: Someone who used to work for Cablevision should know enough NOT to run coax cable inside gutters. You lazy piece of #^$%*&^%.
7. Just let the sweat roll down your face. Trust me, wiping your face with your disgusting dirty hand will be worse.
8. Don't swat at bees while you're at the top of a 20 foot ladder. A bee sting is nothing compared to the heart attack you'll have almost falling off of the damn thing.
9. Don't stop halfway through. You'll need the time to forget how gross it was before you do it again.
10. Investigate landscaper "fall cleanup" packages because three months just isn't enough time to get over this.

Re: Lessons learned from a first-time gutter cleaner

5. Curse previous homeowners frequently during the process. It may not solve anything but it can be creative and fun.

LOL!!

Cursing can be fun sometimes, can't it be? make sure your children are not within earshot!!

LOL

Re: Lessons learned from a first-time gutter cleaner

you sound just like my DH!!

He gets the honor of doing this job every year!!

Re: Lessons learned from a first-time gutter cleaner

Quick tip for cleaning out first floor gutters: Use your leaf blower! I'd recommend waiting until you've had at least 3 sunny days in a row. That should allow all the crude, leaves and polynoses to dry out. Its a little awkward to handle the blower while on the ladder, just be careful. But all that junk just comes flying out of there in no time!

Never tried it on our 2nd floor gutters though....I'm afraid to see whats accumulated up there!

Message edited 7/7/2008 11:29:55 AM.

Re: Lessons learned from a first-time gutter cleaner

Message edited 7/7/2008 12:04:36 PM.

Re: Lessons learned from a first-time gutter cleaner

Thanks for tips number 5 and 10! Although I'm sure I'd pass that job off on DH.

Re: Lessons learned from a first-time gutter cleaner

Or do like we did and get gutter guards installed on all gutters by professionals, who will first clean out the gutters. That worked for us!

Message edited 7/7/2008 1:26:08 PM.

Re: Lessons learned from a first-time gutter cleaner