No More Scaling Ladders: Get Your Gutter Guards Clean With An Easy-To-Use Home Depot Tool

We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.

Plenty of people have installed gutter guards and covers because they dread scaling a ladder every spring and fall to clean handfuls of muck out of the gutters. But even though they do help, gutter guards don't eliminate maintenance — they just reduce it. You still need to clean your gutters regularly, and with the Gutterglove Gutter Guard Brush from Home Depot, you can do it from the ground.

When you have guards or covers, it doesn't take as much to keep your gutters clean, but you could still end up on a ladder more often than you'd like. Pine needles, twigs, and leaves can cover your gutter guards and prevent rainwater from getting through, so your gutters don't perform as well as they should. The Gutterglove brush is priced at $11.98 at the time of writing, and with bristles on five sides, it cleans in every direction you need. It fits on any standard extension pole to clean gutter guards on one and two story homes.

On Home Depot, this brush has earned 4.4 stars out of 5 with over 400 ratings. It was designed by Robert Lenney, the co-founder of Gutterglove, a manufacturer of steel mesh gutter covers, but it works on all types of gutter guards. It can even be used for other chores, like cleaning cobwebs from underneath a tall deck.

Even though most people don't love roof maintenance, neglecting to clean your gutters does more harm than you might think. Safety considerations are first when working with tools above your head, even if you aren't getting on a ladder, so start by wearing protective headwear and safety glasses. To use the gutter guard brush, pick a dry day so the debris isn't wet and mucky. After screwing it into any standard extension pole tall enough for you to reach the eave of your house from the ground, use the brush to sweep the debris off the edge. Avoid damaging roofing materials or painted surfaces with the stiff bristles, especially when brushing the debris that collects along the front edge of reverse-curve gutter guards, or when you're using it to remove debris, cobwebs, or nesting materials from soffits, exterior lights, or window trim.

Where you live and the kind of trees in your yard can affect how much debris you have, and the type of gutter guards on your home helps determine how often you need to brush them off. Since insects and small debris can still get through, part of the regular maintenance should include cleaning the troughs of the gutters when they need it. Also keep an your eye on your downspouts, since they're another overlooked exterior feature that requires regular maintenance.