How to Clean Roof Gutters Full of Holiday Decorations?

Once the holidays end, most homeowners deal with the usual cleanup—packing ornaments, taking down lights, storing inflatables that somehow deflated into sad little pancakes.
But there’s one place almost everyone forgets:

Your roof gutters.

If you decorated your house like a festive gingerbread wonderland, chances are your gutters collected decor debris you didn’t even know existed. Light clips, pine needles from garlands, tiny plastic bits, maybe even a stray ornament hook… they all end up sitting exactly where you don’t want them.

Let’s walk through how to clean gutters safely, quickly, and without turning it into a post-holiday home-repair project.

Why Holiday Decorations Clog Gutters More Than You Think?

During December, gutters become the accidental storage shelf for every tiny thing that falls from your roofline decorations:

• Broken or leftover light clips
• Garland fluff or little bits of faux greenery
• Zip ties
• Pine needles
• Glitter (because glitter goes everywhere)
• Maybe a candy cane someone dropped from the roof… happens

All of this decor debris traps water, encourages mold, and causes gutter block that leads to winter overflow.
If you’ve ever seen water spill over the edge during a light rain—yep, that’s probably why.

Step-by-Step: How to Clean Gutters After Taking Down Decorations

1. Start with homeowner safety—no shortcuts here

This is the part you don’t rush.

• Use a stable, extendable ladder
• Wear gloves (holiday debris is surprisingly pokey)
• Avoid metal ladders near string light wires you forgot to unplug
• Don’t climb on icy or wet shingles
• Tell someone you’re cleaning the gutters—no solo rooftop adventures

Homeowner safety first, always.

2. Remove leftover holiday hardware

Before grabbing the leaves, get rid of:

• Light clips still stuck on the gutter edge
• Pieces of plastic hooks or garland ties
• Twisted wire that once held decorations

It’s shocking how much of this stuff is hiding up there.

3. Scoop out leaves, needles, and decor debris

Use your hands or a gutter scoop.
Anything that’s:

• Damp
• Stringy
• Glittery
• Red-and-green themed

…just pull it all out.

Mixing holiday debris with regular leaves creates a soggy mess that guarantees gutter block once the next rain hits.

4. Flush the gutters with water

A quick rinse tells you two things:

1. Whether the downspout is clear
2. Whether you missed anything

If water pools instead of flowing, there’s still a clog farther down.
Run the hose until the gutter drains smoothly.

5. Check the downspouts for leftover decor

It happens more than you’d expect: tiny clips and garland fragments slide into the downspout and get stuck halfway.

If your downspout doesn’t drain well:

• Use a downspout brush
• Or spray upward with a hose nozzle to dislodge debris
• Worst case, detach the elbow joint and shake it out

Simple, quick, and satisfying.

How to Prevent Gutter Block Next Holiday Season?

A little planning saves you a lot of rooftop time later.

• Use shingle clips instead of gutter clips
• Keep light strands above the gutter lip
• Avoid placing garlands directly on gutters
• Skip glitter-coated outdoor decor (it never ends well)
• Clean gutters once before decorating

Your January self will thank you.

Final Thoughts

Holiday decorating is fun—holiday gutter repairs are not.
A quick clean after removing your lights ensures your roof stays healthy, your drainage works properly, and your home avoids surprise winter problems.

Clear out the decor debris, prevent gutter block, and stay safe while you’re up there.
Your gutters will be ready for the next storm and the next holiday season.