Autumn leaves look so pretty when they fall, but left in your gutters they can so wreak havoc on your home’s overall maintenance. Clogged gutters can misdirect the flow of the water around your house and lead to leaks, or worse, a cracked foundation. From the folks at Repair.com, four simple steps to clean gutters.

Step 1. Set up your ladder about an arm’s length from your home’s corner downspout—never against a gutter. Make sure it’s positioned in a steady place, allowing you to comfortably reach a section of your home’s gutters. Put on gloves and stuff a few plastic bags in an easily accessible pocket. Plastic bags are a better option than a bucket as you can easily drop them to the ground when full.

Step 2. Holding your scoop, trowel or other gutter-cleaning tool, carefully climb the ladder until you’re at a comfortable level with the gutter. Never place tools or other sharp-pointed objects in your pockets when using a ladder, as you could injure yourself should you lose footing.

Step 3. Remove one plastic bag from your pocket and, with your tool or gloved hand, carefully scoop leaves and debris from the gutters. Scoop away from the downspout; accidentally pushing the content into the spout could cause a clog. Begin filling the bag, making sure to only take one scoop at a time. Drop bags to the ground as they fill.

Step 4. Use a garden hose to gently rinse the gutters. A medium stream is sufficient; you don’t want to power blast the gutters with water. Make sure the downspouts are clear. Rinsing the gutters is a clear way to tell if there are any leaks in the system.

For more great home improvement ideas, visit Repair.com.