Your spring outside-clean checklist

Spring is when winter's damp shows. Paths that stayed wet in the shade have gone green. South walls have black streaks. The deck has gone grey. Take ten minutes and walk round the outside with this list.

Paths and driveway. Look for green or dark patches, mostly in the shade. Test them with your shoe after rain. If they're slippery, clean them before the summer storms, not after someone falls.

Walls and eaves. Stand back and look at the south and east sides, which get the least sun. Green film, black spots and streaks under the eaves are mould or algae. They need a soft wash, not a blast.

The deck. Grey, rough or slippery timber needs a clean before you oil it. Spring is a good time, since you tend to get a run of dry days for the oil.

The roof and gutter faces. From the street, look for patchy green or grey on the tiles, and black streaks down the front of the gutters. Don't climb up to check. What you can see from the ground is enough.

Stains. Oil where the car parks, rust rings under pot plants, and brown leaf marks on paving. These need treating before they get washed, and the sooner the better.

What you can do yourself. Sweep leaves off paths often. Trim plants back from walls to let in sun and air. Move pot plants now and then to check for rust marks. None of this needs a machine.

What to leave to us. Anything on a roof. Anything painted or rendered. Any surface you're not sure about. Ring us or get a free quote, and a home specialist will talk it through.