Your leaf blower can do a lot more than you give it credit for. Don't banish it to a dusty corner of the garage until autumn leaves start falling. From blasting old cobwebs to cleaning your car, you might be surprised by how many ways this trusty device can make your life easier through all seasons.
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1. Clean Up a Dirty Mower
Your lawn looks neat after a cut, but now your mower is a mess. A leaf blower makes quick work of cleaning grass clippings off the wheels and cutting deck. Letting grass build up inside the mower can diminish its effectiveness, so blow it away at the end of every mow.
2. Quickly Banish Cobwebs
No one enjoys the feeling of brushing past cobwebs or active spider webs in a darkened basement or garage. Aim a leaf blower at the webs to break them away from your walls. This method is perfect for people who are afraid to get within 6 feet of spiders.
3. Clear Away Pollen
Allergy sufferers don't need to watch the calendar to know when winter is over. The layer of tree pollen that dusts every sidewalk and car, triggering a miserable combination of swollen eyes and sneezing, is a dead giveaway that spring has sprung. A leaf blower will kick up pollen and may temporarily worsen allergies, but if someone you love is sensitive to pollen, try blowing it off his car for him before he heads out to go somewhere.
4. Dry Outdoor Furniture
You never appreciate the sun more than after a rainstorm. Unfortunately, that's also when your outdoor furniture is too wet to sit on it and enjoy the clear skies. Use a leaf blower to quickly blow water droplets off tables and other hard surfaces. (This handy device may not be as effective for drying furniture with cushions.)
5. Blow Away Light Snow
After a light dusting of snow, grab your leaf blower and clear off your walkways or car in just seconds. It's quicker than using a snow brush or shovel as long as you're dealing with a thin layer of light snow. A leaf blower is no match for the aftermath of a blizzard (though you might go viral if someone gets video of you trying it).
6. Clean Dusty, Dirty Filters
Most homes have several pieces of equipment that use air filters, including your air conditioning units and vacuums. If you have washable filters that have been neglected for too long, take them outside and blast them with the leaf blower. This should dislodge a lot of the dust and particles, making it easier to clean the filter with water.
7. Clear Gutters
If it works to blow away leaves on the ground, why shouldn't it work on leaves stuck in gutters? Pick up a leaf blower attachment kit, which includes enough tubing to deliver blowing air up to a standard first-story gutter while you keep your feet on the ground. Your leaf blower may not be powerful enough to unclog a blocked gutter, but it can be useful for preventing blockages when used for routine maintenance.
8. Blow Debris Out of Your Car
Maybe the trunk is a mess after you brought home a load of firewood, or the kids spilled dry cereal all over the backseat (again). It's a lot easier to grab your leaf blower than it is to haul a vacuum outdoors and dig into every nook and cranny. Just open all the doors and blow out all the loose debris.
9. Move Insects Without Touching Them
Listen, we all know that insects serve an important role in our ecosystem, and we shouldn't harm them if we can help it … but that's hard to remember when there's a huge, freaky-looking bug on your car or front door. If you're ever facing down an insect that you need to move but really don't want to touch, a blast of air from the leaf blower should do the trick.
10. Disperse Standing Water
Jumping in a puddle can be a blast when you're wearing rain boots but not so much when you're just trying to get to work. When deep puddles form on your walkways or standing water accumulates on your deck after a heavy rainstorm, you may want to help speed the drying process by using a leaf blower to spread around the water. It will make things wetter at first, but the water should evaporate quicker as it spreads out.
