How to Clean Gutters Yourself (Safely)
Updated
Short answer
On a one-story house: set a ladder with a standoff on firm ground, scoop the gutter by hand into a bucket, bag the debris as yard waste, flush each run with a hose, and test every downspout. Leave two-story gutters to a crew; NIOSH counts more than 500,000 ladder injuries treated a year.
Tools
- Extension ladder rated for your weight, with a standoff.
- Gloves, a plastic gutter scoop, and a bucket with a hook.
- Paper yard waste bags (not plastic).
- Garden hose with a spray nozzle; a plumber's snake for downspouts.
- A helper to hold the ladder.
Steps
- Start at the downspout end so you clear the outlet first.
- Scoop toward you; don't reach past your shoulders.
- Empty the bucket into paper bags; keep each under your town's weight limit (50 lb in Rockford).
- Flush each run from the far end and watch for low spots and drips.
- Test each downspout at full flow; clear elbows if needed.
- Reattach extensions pointing away from the house.
See ladder safety and unclogging a downspout.
Quick answers
What is the best way to clean gutters?
By hand from a properly set ladder, bagging the debris, then flushing and testing each downspout.
Rather have someone else do it?
Tell us the address, how tall the house is and what you need. A local crew calls back with a price before anything is booked.