Painting your house: Part 1 - Cleaning

As we leave the cold, wet winter months behind us in preparation for the highly anticipated Aussie summer, it might be the perfect time to give your home a fresh new look.

Weather can have a damaging effect on the paintwork of your house that can leave it looking rundown and tired.

It's amazing what a pot of paint can do, so for a fresh new look this spring, why not tackle the exterior of your home with a DIY painting job?

There's no denying that painting a house is a big task, so you might be better to tackle this one in stages. You may also find that the entire dwelling doesn't need to be painted, it could just be the most weathered side of the house that requires some TLC, or you wish want to focus on the veranda or window trims.

Visiting your local Kennards Hire store will ensure you are equipped with the right tools for the job - hiring a cherry picker or scissor lift is particularly helpful when working at elevated heights.

The most important preparation step to keep in mind is working with a clean surface. Any surface you intend to paint will need a thorough clean - you may find using a pressure water blaster helpful to remove stubborn dirt and grime.

If you don't have access to a pressure blaster, use a scrubbing brush with warm, soapy water and lots of elbow grease! Cleaning is an important part of preparing your home for its new coat of paint - by not doing this important step, the whole job will be compromised.