How Often Should You Clean Your Gutters? Here’s the Real Answer

How often should you clean your gutters. We get this question all the time — and it makes sense. No one wants their gutters overflowing and wrecking their foundation. But how often do you really need to clean them?

Let’s break it down.

Take a look at your trees

The biggest factor in how often you should clean your gutters? Trees.

• Got big, leafy trees hanging over your roof?
  You’re looking at 2 to 4 cleanings a year. Think twice in spring and twice in fall to stay ahead of the mess.
• Some trees nearby, but not hanging over the house?
  Twice a year is a safe bet.
• No trees within 100 feet?
  You might barely need to clean them at all. Seriously.
  

What we've found in Gutters

After working on hundreds of roofs, we’ve seen it all. Here are just a few of the things we’ve pulled out of gutters:

• Bushes (yes, actual bushes)
• Trees growing straight out of the gutter
• Shingle grit
• Old plastic bags (possibly someone’s lunch…)
• Tennis balls, golf balls
• Leaves, sticks, dirt — all the usual suspects

Point is: gutters can fill up with just about anything. Even if you just cleaned them, you could be dealing with new debris before you know it.

Tired of climbing a ladder?

If the thought of hauling out the ladder again makes your back hurt, you might want to consider gutter guards. They don’t eliminate the need to clean — but they can seriously cut it down.

Just something to think about.

The Best Way to clean your Gutters (From People who actually Do it)

Forget the fancy tools and telescoping poles. They look cool, but they don’t work all that well — you never really know what you’re leaving behind.

Here’s what we use (and recommend):

• Ladder (yep, there’s no shortcut here)
• Bucket or trash bag with a handle
• Gloves
• Scoop (a pet-store pooper scooper works perfectly, not even kidding)

We used to do this all day, every day — and this setup works.

Bonus Tip : Don't forget your downspouts

Ever cleaned your gutters and still noticed water overflowing? That’s probably a clogged downspout.

Here’s how to check:

1. Stick a garden hose in the downspout.
2. Let it run.
3. If the water backs up. You’ve got a clog.

Sometimes you’ll need to take the downspout apart section by section to find where the blockage is hiding.

So... How often should you clean them?

Here’s the quick recap:

No trees nearby? You might never need to clean them.

Some trees? Twice a year should do it.

Heavy tree coverage? Plan on cleaning them 3–4 times a year.

And if you’re done dealing with all of this? Gutter guards can make a big difference.

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