AIDS
Never leave leaves in the gutter again – here’s how
Updated 11/24/2025 – 09:08Reading time: 3 minutes
You should clean your gutters of leaves and other things at least once a year. Cleaning with buckets and ladders is tiring, time consuming and dangerous.
Special leaf guards prevent fallen leaves from collecting in gutters and blocking rainwater drainage. These leaf protectors are available in a variety of materials and from various manufacturers. With this tool you can prevent large dirt particles such as leaves and twigs from ending up in the gutter.
Protective grilles made of plastic are very easy to install. They are sold in hardware stores in rolls that are usually two meters long and can be easily cut to the required size. The grating is then clamped between the gutter and the bottom row of roof tiles. It is held without additional fastening with screws or clamps. On the one hand, this makes assembly easier.
Most importantly, the plastic grille can be removed again without any effort. An important advantage if you want to clear your gutters of dirt, deposits and small plant parts that are so fine they slip through the rough grates. Leaf guards only prevent coarse dirt and leaves from entering the gutter. You still have to clean it, although less frequently.
There are various tools available on the market for cleaning the gutters themselves. For example, there are telescopic poles that can be extended so you don’t have to keep going up and down stairs. Depending on the version, there is a rubber lip at the end that can be used to clean the drain at the same time without having to use a ladder.
Or equipped with a garden hose holder so you can flush the gutters from below. Extensions are usually inexpensive. Depending on the version and manufacturer, you will usually have to spend between five and 20 euros to buy it. There are also special high-pressure cleaners that can be used to remove leaves and debris from gutters. It is priced up to 60 euros.
Gutter cleaning robots have a much bigger impact. They are inserted at one end and then move independently through the channel. Rotor blades and brushes mounted on the front of the robot then clean the gutters of coarse dirt and deposits in one step. Automatic cleaning assistance costs around 300 euros.
