(Ohio) – It’s easy to get so used to your gutters working properly that it can be easy to forget they need a little TLC from time to time.

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Your gutters drain thousands of gallons of water from your roof every year. If they become clogged, you can end up with a flooded interior and damaged exterior! You can always hire a qualified provider who offers gutter cleaning services, but if you’re looking to do it yourself, here are a few tips.

It is important to keep in mind that cleaning your gutters can be dangerous. Newsymom is not recommending you take this approach, but rather is offering options and resources.

1. Make sure you have a good, sturdy, extendable ladder. Climbing a latter is always a dangerous task, so be sure to keep an eye out for landscaping rocks below that can shift. It’s a good approach to have someone help you so they can stay on the ground and keep the latter steady for you.

2. Dress for the job. Wear a long-sleeved shirt, work pants, and rubber gloves. Cleaning gutters is a dirty job.

3. To remove the gunk from the gutters, try using a small, plastic scoop. Gutter scoops are available at the hardware store, or a child’s sandbox shovel also works just fine. If you have an old plastic kitchen spatula, that works too, and it won’t damage the gutters.

4. Spread a tarp underneath your workspace to collect all the gutter gunk and protect your lawn and landscaping.

5. Once you’ve removed the debris from the gutters, use a garden hose to flush the gutters and downspouts and clear out any remaining debris. This will also show you if you have any leaks.

6. Once the gutters are clear, repair any sagging metal. You can do this by mounting a gutter hanger.