Step 1: Pick the right day

• Choose a dry, calm day. Never climb in rain, wind or ice, or right after a storm when the roof and ground are wet.
• Start early, while you're fresh, and take breaks.
• Have a helper on the ground, or at least someone home who knows you're on a ladder.

Step 2: Gear up

• Work gloves with a rubber-coated grip. Gutter debris hides sharp metal edges and screws.
• Safety glasses, since you'll be scooping and spraying at face height.
• Shoes with a good tread, long pants and long sleeves.
• Keep your phone in your pocket, not on the roof.

Shop this step: Work gloves · Safety glasses

Step 3: Inspect your ladder

• Look for bent, cracked or loose rungs, and test every lock and hinge.
• Check the duty rating on the label. It must cover your weight plus your tools.
• Clean mud off the feet. If anything is damaged, replace the ladder rather than risk it.
• If there are power lines anywhere near your roofline, use a fiberglass ladder. Aluminum conducts electricity.

Shop this step: Extension ladders

Step 4: Set the ladder up right

• Set the feet on firm, level ground. Never on boxes, buckets or soft dirt.
• Use the 4-to-1 rule: for every 4 feet of height to where the ladder rests, set the base 1 foot out from the wall.
• Extend the ladder at least 3 feet above the edge of the roof.
• Use a ladder stabilizer (standoff) so the ladder rests on the wall or roof, not on the gutter. Leaning on the gutter can crush it and lets the ladder slide.
• Keep three points of contact while climbing, and keep your belt buckle between the rails. If you have to stretch, climb down and move the ladder.
• Stay at least 10 feet away from overhead power lines with your body, ladder and tools.

Shop this step: Ladder stabilizers

Step 5: Gather your tools

• Gutter scoop or small plastic trowel
• Bucket with a ladder hook
• Garden hose with a spray nozzle
• Tarp or drop cloth
• Stiff brush or whisk broom
• Plastic scraper
• Drain snake (for clogged downspouts)
• Optional: gutter wand for cleaning from the ground

Tip: A bucket on a hook keeps both hands free for the ladder. Don't climb holding anything.

Shop this step: Gutter scoops · Hose nozzles · Tarps

Step 6: Prepare the area below

• Move vehicles, patio furniture and grills away from the house.
• Lay a tarp under your work area to catch debris and protect plants.
• If you have heat cable or holiday lights on the gutters, unplug them before you start.
• Keep kids and pets clear of the ladder.

Step 7: Clear the downspout opening first

• Set up at the downspout and pull any strainer or debris out of the opening by hand.
• Then work away from the downspout, scooping debris out toward you. That way you never push a clump of leaves down the spout.

Step 8: Scoop out the debris

• Scoop leaves, twigs and muck into your bucket or onto the tarp.
• Work 3 to 4 feet at a time, then move the ladder. Don't overreach.
• Empty the bucket often. Wet debris gets heavy fast.
• Watch for nests, wasps and other surprises.

Step 9: Brush out the fine buildup

• Brush and scrape the sludge left in the bottom, especially at corners and seams.
• Use a plastic scraper. Metal tools scratch the finish and start rust.
• If stuck debris won't budge, wet it and let it soak a few minutes.

Watch for granules: A little sandy grit from shingles is normal. A heavy layer of it means your roof is wearing out, and it's worth having it looked at.

Step 10: Flush with water

• Start at the far end and spray toward the downspout with moderate pressure.
• Watch the water. It should run steadily toward the downspout without pooling.
• Note any spot where water sits or drips through a seam. You'll deal with it in Stage 5.

Step 11: Test the flow

• Run the hose into the gutter and check the bottom of the downspout.
• A strong, steady stream means it's clear. A trickle, or water backing up at the top, means a clog.
• Make sure the water lands well away from the house. Most guidance calls for discharging it at least 4 to 6 feet from the foundation.

Step 12: Clear a clog

• Push the hose down from the top first. If that fails, feed it up from the bottom.
• For a stubborn clog, use a drain snake, or take the lower elbow off and clear it by hand.
• Skip the pressure washer. It can split seams and bend thin downspouts.

Shop this step: Drain snakes · Downspouts and elbows

Step 13: Look for damage

• Leaky seams or end caps
• Sagging sections or gutters pulling away from the fascia
• Loose or missing hangers
• Holes, cracks or rust
• Soft or rotted fascia board behind the gutter

Tip: Snap a photo of each problem spot from the ladder. Bring the photos to either store and we'll help you find the right parts.

Step 14: Check the slope

• Gutters should drop gradually toward each downspout. A common target is about ¼ in. for every 10 ft of run.
• If water sat in one spot during your flush, that section is sagging or pitched wrong.

Step 15: Make the common fixes

• Drip at a seam or end cap: clean and dry it, then seal with gutter sealant.
• Sag or loose section: add or replace hangers so the gutter holds its slope.
• Water dumping at the foundation: add a downspout extension or splash block.

Do repairs from a properly set ladder with both hands free, or come back to them another day. Don't try to wrestle a gutter section into place while balancing.

Shop this step: Gutter sealant · Gutter hangers · Downspout extensions · Splash blocks

Step 16: Consider gutter guards

• Screens, mesh and foam inserts keep out leaves and cut down on how often you need to climb.
• They don't end cleaning. Fine debris still gets through, and the tops need brushing off.
• Install them right after a cleaning, so you're not trapping old debris under them.

Shop this step: Gutter guards

Step 17: Trim overhanging branches

• Cut back limbs that hang over the roof. Less leaf drop means fewer clogs, and less storm damage.
• Leave high or heavy limbs, and anything near a power line, to a tree service.

Shop this step: Pruning saws

Step 18: Clean up and put it on the calendar

• Bag or compost the debris and hose off anything that landed on the siding or walks.
• Note your problem spots and when you cleaned, so next time is faster.

Late fall: the one not to skip

• Clean after most of the leaves are down but before the first hard freeze.
• Leaves left in the gutter hold water, freeze solid, and can help ice dams back water up under your shingles.
• Make sure every downspout drains away from the house before the ground freezes.

Spring: check the winter damage

• Look for hangers loosened by ice and snow, and seams opened by freeze and thaw.
• Clear out seed pods, blossoms and nests before the heavy spring rains.