Get your home spring ready with Aviva and Aileen Hogan

After a long winter, gutters can become clogged with debris, moss and fallen leaves, and then when the rain falls, blocked gutters can lead to water damage, leaks, and even foundation issues.

Cleaning them now ensures that water is directed safely away from your home, and that your roof and exterior remain in top condition. So gather up what you need, a secure ladder, gloves, and a bucket for the leaves.

After all the debris has been cleared, you can rinse the gutter with a hose and any small bits you may have missed will move towards the downpipe. It's important to check the water is running smoothly in and out of the downpipe, as so often the debris can build up and create a blockage.

Release any blockage and clean with an outdoor disinfectant. I usually do this twice a year as part of my home maintenance programme in spring and in autumn. With the amount of rain we get in Ireland, it's important to have clear gutters to let the water run off and guard your walls against leaks and water damage.

Here's a few natural household cleaning tips that I find really work.

For the microwave, get a microwave safe bowl and put some lemon juice and water in it, microwaving it on high for 2 to 3 minutes. The steam loosens hardened food splatters and allows for much easier cleaning.

Sink drains can easily get clogged and emit odours. I get half a cup of baking soda and one cup of vinegar. I pour it straight down the sink and let it fizz for about ten minutes before rinsing with hot water.

I live in a very hard water area, and the toilet systems we have in this house meant the water constantly ran, leaving really bad water marks and stains I could never get off, until I started using citric acid. I empty the water from the toilet bowl with a disposable cup, put a cup of citric acid in, followed by boiling water. Leave as long as you can. It's absolutely magic. And for daily cleaning, I keep a mix of citric acid and water in an old spray bottle.

Stainless steel is prone to showing marks. I cut a lemon in half. I rub it directly onto the stainless steel. Not only does it remove fingerprints, but the citric acid helps break down the grease. You have to try this one!

Over the course of winter your exterior woodwork, like decks, sheds, your fence, even door frames can take a bit of a beating in the harsh winter conditions.

Rain, snow, and freezing temperatures can really take its toll on your exterior woodwork, but early spring is a perfect time to check and fix all that. You can remove any old or damaged wood from the shed and replace it.

This is easy enough to do on slatted sheds like this without touching the surrounding slats. New slats can be bought from your local hardware store. Make sure to sand, prime and repaint old and new.

Wood fences and gates also need maintenance, not only to keep up appearances, but to seal the wood from the elements. I put plastic over the top of my posts to prolong the life of the wood, as that's where I find the water seeps in the most.

I clean all wood underfoot with an outdoor cleaner and a hard brush. This removes the buildup of algae, mould, mildew and dirt. So yes, while early spring can be a busy time, these small jobs will help maintain the safety of you and your home for the coming year and ensure that your external woodwork stays in good nick.

Now is the time to check your driveways and paths are in good condition and to make any necessary repairs. Winter can take its toll, causing cracks, potholes and other damage, and moss can build up really quickly.

The best time to kill moss is during the active growth phase, typically spring or summer. An organic moss killer, which you can purchase from your local garden centre, is non-toxic and kills moss on your driveways and patios with ease. The moss will turn orange and brown and can be brushed off. No need to rinse.

You can buy tarmacadam in bags for holes that may occur in your driveway or outside your gate, like mine. Choose a dry day and overfill the hole. I use this small sledge to hammer it down, and here's one I fixed a couple of years ago and it's still going strong. So many small things that we think we can't fix ourselves, but we can. And all those things help maintain the biggest investment we'll ever make, our homes.