How to Sweep Your Porch Without Sweeping Your Porch

by Gwen Jul 12

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Ever tried sweeping a pebbled porch?

Not so much fun, is it? You sweep and sweep and sweep and sweep and move the grass and dirt a measly inch and a half across the pebbly way.

Well… I’ve got my porches number and I’m sweeping it NO MORE!

That’s right… there are NO brooms involved.

I finally realized that using a broom was like getting on a broken down ferris wheel that gets stuck in the on position. Round and round and round you go, and you never get anywhere!

When that realization hit, I ran to the garage and grabbed my little blower.

Not much to speak of but it does a GREAT job.

I start in the back corner and blow it out first.

And I blow off the little critters that have found homes in the siding while I’m at it.

Methinks I need to blow off the blower, too, but oh wellz.

When I’m finished in that corner, I blow everything directly across the porch to the other side.

Then I get behind the dirt and blow it out to the yard where it belongs.

I do make a couple of passes and get up under the furniture to make sure it’s very, very clean.

And it goes from this nastiness…

To this:

So that’s how you sweep your porch without sweeping your porch… In less than half the time it takes to sweep using a broom.

It’s not being lazy… it’s being smart.

And I’m thirty kinds of blue raspberries over being smart.

Smarter not harder, right?

If you thought this tip was the elephant’s trunk, check out:

What the BOLD ones say:

Gael says

Sep 13 at 3:42 am

Yep! That’s how I’ve done it for years! My porch is concrete, but it’s an extension of the house just like my deck, so any outside area gets the leaf blower. I’m glad you got your porch’s number and are giving your broom a rest. I “sweep” my garage with the leaf blower, too.
- Gwen says
  
  Sep 13 at 7:34 am
  
  Haha, Gael! That porch is my slave, now!
  
  I do it in the garage, too. Great minds think alike!
Susan Hunter says

Oct 5 at 9:16 pm

This is really good idea for clearing leaves off shade mesh outdoor roof too! Just blower up from underside starting at house or wherever and working toward yard or garden whatever 🙂
- Gwen Whitfield says
  
  Oct 6 at 4:54 pm
  
  Those are great ideas, Susan! I love using the blower!
AQOTW EOTLI says

Dec 4 at 1:46 pm

…..when you vacume your house…..open the door and vacume the porch….its way easier!
DebiT says

Apr 14 at 8:14 am

We also use the blower for light snows on porch, sidewalk & paths!
- Gwen Whitfield says
  
  Apr 14 at 1:55 pm
  
  Oh, yes! That’s a great idea, too, Debi! 🙂
wg miller says

Jun 25 at 9:47 pm

I actually enjoy sweeping my porch. I can wave at neighbors & take in the neighborhood sights & sounds. I’d much rather have the ‘shoop, shoop’ sound of the broom than the blasting of a blower.
- Gwen says
  
  Jun 26 at 7:09 am
  
  I can understand that, Wendy! There are times when slowing down is nice, and there are times when things just need to get done. But there’s something about hearing a blower in the neighborhood that makes me feel happy, too!
  
  Have a great weekend!
betty says

Jun 27 at 8:12 pm

Do the small blowers come in the cordless variety I wonder.
- Gwen says
  
  Jun 28 at 7:51 pm
  
  I’m not sure, Betty, but that would be totally awesome if they did, wouldn’t it?
Alley says

Jun 30 at 7:35 pm

Can you recommend a small blower? I keep finding larger ones that I don’t want to wrangle!

Thanks!

Alley
- Gwen says
  
  Jul 1 at 3:08 pm
  
  I’m sorry, Alley! I don’t have a small one that I can recommend. Check with your local hardware store and see if they have any ideas.
  
  Gwen
Melanie says

Jul 9 at 11:23 am

I knew it before I read it! I treated this like a riddle and quickly thought up a solution. My first thought was the garden hose with a heavy duty sprayer. Then I thought, “Too messy!” My next thought was “Blower!” Clever and definitely smarter not harder! Love your writing style! I truly laughed out loud. 😉
- Gwen says
  
  Jul 10 at 7:43 pm
  
  Ha! You’re fabulous, Melanie!
  
  Thanks so much!
  
  Gwen
Tex says

Jul 17 at 8:42 pm

I use mine to sweep the garage. I live in town so I have to remember to make sure none of the neighbors have laundry hung out. I also try to do it when it’s raining so the dust doesn’t travel too far.
- Gwen says
  
  Aug 13 at 8:07 pm
  
  Great tips, Tex! Thanks so much!
Margarita says

Nov 16 at 4:02 pm

I have a corless blower
Karen says

Mar 4 at 11:08 am

Way faster. I once blew away a little tree frog that got between some spacing. Surprised the heck out of both of us. He survived the tumble, and I survived the shock. I apologized and we went on our merry ways.
- Gwen says
  
  Mar 12 at 6:59 am
  
  Oh, no! I’m glad he was OK!!! I blew a few spiders away yesterday. I’m sure they will come right back. EEK!
  
  xoxo
  
  Gwen
Katie says

Mar 9 at 8:40 pm

Ha! I use my blow dryer to “sweep” the dog hair and other things into a corner of my bathroom, then use a small brush and dustpan to finish the job.
- Gwen says
  
  Mar 12 at 6:55 am
  
  Now that’s smart, Katie! Thanks for the tip!
  
  xoxo
  
  Gwen
Betty Bollinger says

May 28 at 12:35 pm

I have been doing this all spring. My porch has cracks and it’s hard to get all that out with a broom. when I got me a good blower lightweight I used it wow how easy and efficient. Everyone should try this.

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