The Complete Spring Cleaning Checklist for Birmingham, MI Homeowners

Spring in Birmingham Means Exterior Cleaning Season

Every spring, Birmingham homeowners face the same reality: the house has been through a Michigan winter and it shows. Salt haze on windows, debris-packed gutters, algae-stained siding, and a driveway coated in months of grit. The question isn't whether to tackle exterior spring cleaning — it's how to do it efficiently and in the right order.

This checklist walks through every major exterior element that needs attention after a Southeast Michigan winter, what to prioritize, what can wait, and how ClearView Exterior Services handles the whole package so you're not coordinating four different contractors across six weeks.

The Complete Exterior Spring Checklist

1. Windows (High Priority — Do First)

Windows are the highest-impact item on the spring exterior checklist for two reasons: they affect how the house looks from the street, and they affect how the house feels from inside. After a Michigan winter, windows carry salt haze, mineral deposits from snowmelt, and condensation staining that mutes natural light throughout the home.

Window cleaning should happen before gutter cleaning and power washing — not after. If gutters are cleaned first, debris and water that runs down the exterior will re-contaminate windows that have just been cleaned.

What it includes: Full interior and exterior cleaning, sill and track cleaning, screen cleaning or reinstallation.

2. Gutters (High Priority — Do Second)

Winter debris accumulation in gutters — decomposed leaves, maple helicopters, granules from aging shingles, sediment — needs to be cleared before spring rains arrive. Clogged gutters allow water to back up against fascia and eventually infiltrate the roofline. In Birmingham's spring rain season, backed-up gutters can cause fascia rot, soffit damage, and basement water intrusion within a single wet month.

Do gutters after windows but before power washing so that any debris flushed out during gutter cleaning gets addressed by the power wash pass.

What it includes: Full gutter clearing, downspout flushing, and inspection for damage.

3. Exterior Power Washing (Do Third)

Driveways, walkways, and paved surfaces accumulate a full winter's worth of road salt residue, tracked-in grit, and organic growth. Power washing removes all of it and is best done after gutters are cleared so that any runoff from gutter work gets swept away in the wash pass.

Birmingham homes with concrete driveways benefit particularly from an annual power wash — salt residue left through spring accelerates surface spalling and deterioration in the concrete.

What it includes: Driveway, walkways, front stoop, patio surfaces, and any hardscape areas.

4. Siding (Do Third or Fourth, Concurrently with Power Wash)

Vinyl and fiber cement siding in Southeast Michigan accumulates algae, mold, and general grime through the winter and early spring. The north-facing sides of homes are particularly prone to green algae growth in shaded areas. Soft washing (low-pressure application of cleaning solution) is the appropriate method for most siding — high-pressure washing can drive water behind siding panels and cause issues.

ClearView handles siding soft wash as part of the full exterior package, treating for algae and mold growth and restoring original siding color.

5. Deck and Patio (Can Wait Until Late April or May)

Decks and patios don't need to be done the first warm week — they can wait until temperatures are consistently above 50 degrees and you're ready to start using outdoor spaces. Deck cleaning (power washing plus optional brightener treatment for wood decks) is best done a week or two before you intend to seal or stain, if that's on the plan for this year.

Composite decks need less intensive treatment but still benefit from a spring cleaning to remove algae and pollen buildup in the board channels.

What to Tackle First vs. What Can Wait

• Do immediately (March-April): Windows, gutters
• Do in April: Power washing of hardscape, siding soft wash
• Can wait until May: Deck cleaning, outdoor furniture setup
• Ongoing through summer: Window spot cleaning after pollen season, gutter check after heavy leaf fall

The ClearView Complete Spring Refresh Package

ClearView Exterior Services offers a complete spring package for Birmingham homeowners that bundles windows, gutters, power washing, and siding into a single scheduled visit — one call, one crew, one day. No coordinating multiple vendors, no gaps in scheduling where one task is done and another sits for three weeks.

Package benefits include:

• Correct sequencing of tasks (windows before gutters before power wash)
• One-day completion for most Birmingham homes
• Bundled pricing versus booking each service separately
• Single point of contact and scheduling

Book Your Spring Package Before April Fills Up

Spring is our busiest season. Birmingham homeowners who want their full spring exterior handled in April need to book in March. May appointments are available but come with no guarantees on preferred dates.

Call (248) 252-8909 or visit birminghamwindowwashing.com to get on the spring schedule and lock in your preferred week.