Spring cleaning checklist for your home's exterior

Winter is hard on Middle Tennessee homes. Between freeze-thaw cycles, pollen, and leftover mildew from last fall, spring is the perfect reset. Here's the checklist I run through on my own house every March.

Even without a full wash, a garden-hose rinse in early April knocks off the worst of the yellow dust before it bonds. Do it on an overcast day so it doesn't dry with water spots.

Winter dumps small twigs and shingle grit into gutters. Ten minutes with a scoop now prevents an overflow during the first big spring thunderstorm.

Around windows, doors, and trim. Look for cracks or gaps — a $6 tube of caulk now saves siding rot later.

If you plan to stain or seal your deck this year, wash it in March or early April so it has weeks of dry weather to cure before stain goes on.

Pollen + last fall's mildew + a wet spring = green film by May. Getting ahead of it in March means your house stays clean through July.

Winter salt (yes, even the small amount we use here) and general grime lift off easily now. Same trip: front porch, garage floor, back patio.

Turn them on — any drip or spray from a hose bib means a freeze crack. Fix now before you're pressure washing on a $200 water bill.

Realistically, most of this is a Saturday's work. The washing part is what most homeowners skip — that's where I come in. A full spring wash from me runs about half a day and hits siding, driveway, walkways, and porch in one visit.