By Tom, TMF Exterior Cleaning · 30 September 2026

Gutters are one of those things nobody thinks about until water is pouring over the edge. But they do an important job: moving hundreds of litres of rainwater away from your walls and foundations every time it rains. When they block up, that water goes where it shouldn't.

The short answer: at least once a year

For a typical home, a gutter clean once a year is enough to keep things flowing. The best time is late autumn, once the leaves have fallen but before the heavy winter rain arrives.

You'll want to clean them twice a year (spring and autumn) if:

You have trees overhanging or close to the house
Your roof has moss on it, which washes into the gutters as it breaks up
You're in a rural spot where birds nest under the eaves
Your roof has valleys or a conservatory that channels water into one spot

Warning signs your gutters are blocked

Overflowing water during rain, often at the corners or midway along a run.
Plants growing out of the gutter — a sure sign there's plenty of silt in there.
Green or dark streaks running down brickwork or render below the gutter.
Damp patches on internal walls or ceilings near the eaves.
Sagging gutters pulling away from the fascia under the weight of wet debris.

What happens if you leave it?

Water spilling down the face of a wall soaks the brickwork and mortar. Over time that can lead to damp inside, spalled bricks after frost, stained render and rotting timber fascias on older homes. Water pooling at the base of a wall isn't good for foundations either. Compared to those repairs, an annual gutter clean is very inexpensive.

Is it a DIY job?

On a bungalow with safe, level access, some homeowners clear their own gutters. But working at height on ladders is one of the most common causes of DIY injuries, and it's hard to check downpipes and joints properly from the ground. A professional gutter clean also includes checking for leaks, unblocking downpipes and spotting problems early.

Don't forget the outside

Clearing the inside keeps water flowing, but the outside of white uPVC gutters slowly turns grey and green. Washing the gutters, soffits and fascias at the same time makes a big difference to how the house looks — see the before and after on our gutter cleaning page.

Related services

Gutter Cleaning & Repairs

Gutters cleared with a high-power vacuum and by hand, downpipes flushed, leaking gutters replaced and the outside washed back to white.

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Soffit, Fascia & uPVC Cleaning

Green algae and black streaks washed off soffits, fascias, gutters, window frames and doors — bringing white uPVC back to white.