Most people think about gutters as a safe chore to tackle. This is not always the case. People have to use ladders, water, and other items to clean out their gutters. The fact that you are up on a ladder can lead to a very dangerous situation, especially if you are trying to avoid climbing up and down by stretching out to one side of the ladder or the other. Therefore, we want to talk to you about safety so that you can tackle gutter cleaning in the safest way possible.
The first step is to choose the safest ladder you can find. If your ladder is wobbly and not very stable, you will also end up not being very stable. The more you try to reach, the more unstable you will become and the higher your risk of falling will be. For this reason, many people suggest that you use a metal ladder rather than a wooden one. Metal is stronger and therefore more stable. If possible, you should also avoid trying to stretch to reach for anything. If you are going to try and reach, you should have someone on the ground giving your ladder, and you, more support.
Many people also use water hoses when cleaning their gutters. This is a great idea because it will show you where blockages are and help you to clean out heavily soiled areas. However, because you are using water on a metal ladder, you need to make sure that your shoes are non-slip. When spraying water, you will also want to wear goggles to protect your eyes from having debris flushed out of the gutter and into your eyes. You should also avoid power lines when cleaning your gutters.
You may want to wear gloves to protect your hands. This is because insects will often make a home inside of the gutters of your home. The last thing you want to do is stick your hand in an ant bed while trying to flush them out of the gutter. They will not be happy and you may jerk around trying to get them off your hands. From there, it would be easy for you to fall. Gloves can also protect your skin from animal droppings and bacteria. They protect your hands from any sharp metal that may be exposed inside of your gutter, and more. If you prefer to not use your hands, gloves are still recommended, but you can also use a gutter cleaning tool.