Gutter and box gutter cleaning
A blocked gutter or box gutter overflows every time it rains and the water ends up running down the facade. Toiture Wash empties and rinses gutters and box gutters, then fits downpipe strainers and gutter mesh if you wish. This cleaning is included in every roof moss removal; for gutters only, with no minimum, it costs €10 per metre excl. VAT.
Updated on 20 October 2026
Box gutter or gutter: not quite the same thing
In Belgium, the corniche often means the box gutter built into the edge of the roof, within the cornice of the facade, common on townhouses in Brussels and Wallonia. The hanging gutter is the half-tube fixed under the edge of the roof. Both collect the water and carry it to the downpipes, the vertical pipes that take it to the sewer or the rainwater tank.
The difference matters for cleaning: a built-in box gutter is wider and harder to reach, a hanging gutter is more fragile. Both tend to block in the same place: where the water enters the downpipe.
Signs of a blocked gutter
- water runs over the gutter when it rains, instead of flowing into the downpipe;
- plants or moss grow in the gutter;
- a damp or green mark appears on the facade, under the edge of the roof;
- you no longer hear water running down the downpipe in heavy rain, or it overflows at the bottom;
- water stands in the gutter after the rain.
What to do in the meantime, and when to call a professional: Blocked gutter or box gutter: what to do?
What we do
Empty
the gutters and box gutters: leaves, needles, moss, soil, debris.
Rinse
to see whether the water flows towards the downpipe.
Flush the downpipes with pressure
while we are at it, though we cannot promise that a downpipe will be unblocked.
Protect
, if you wish, with a downpipe strainer at the entrance of each downpipe or gutter mesh over the gutter.
Downpipe strainers and gutter mesh: useful, not miraculous
The downpipe strainer (also called an outlet guard) is a domed grille fitted at the entrance of the downpipe: it stops the leaves before they block the pipe. The gutter mesh covers the gutter along its length. Both reduce blockages, especially near trees; they do not replace cleaning, because debris builds up on top and has to be removed. Supplied and fitted, a downpipe strainer costs €25 each and gutter mesh €25 per metre, excl. VAT.
When should you clean your gutters?
After the leaves have fallen, and more often if the house is surrounded by trees. Our customers know this: requests for gutter cleaning peak in October, whereas the roof itself is better dealt with at the end of winter. Wienerberger, a tile manufacturer, advises cleaning the gutters at least twice a year, in spring and in autumn.
Are you having the moss removed from your roof? Gutter cleaning is included in the moss removal: part of the moss taken off the roof ends up in them.
Gutter and box gutter cleaning prices
| Service | Unit | Price excl. VAT |
|---|---|---|
| Cleaning of gutters and box gutters on their own | per metre | €10 |
| Downpipe strainer supplied and fitted | per piece | €25 |
| Gutter mesh supplied and fitted | per metre | €25 |
With a roof moss removal, gutter cleaning is included in the price per m²: there is nothing extra to pay. For gutters or box gutters on their own, the price is calculated per metre, and it is fixed: €10 per metre excl. VAT. For gutters only, there is no minimum. For work under €1,000 excl. VAT, travel and set-up costs are added, and your quote itemises them; from €1,000 excl. VAT, they are not charged.
Your quote states the VAT rate, a single one for all the work.
To compare two quotes, ask for a price per metre, including VAT, and for what it covers.
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No obligation. Estimate shown excl. VAT.
Our gutter jobs
- Wavre, November 2021: cleaning the gutters of a business customer. See the job
- Ixelles, November 2021: gutter cleaning. See the job
- Many other published projects also include gutter cleaning, done during the same job as the roof.
Frequently asked questions
What does it cost to clean a box gutter?
€10 per metre excl. VAT at Toiture Wash for gutters or box gutters only, no minimum; travel and set-up costs are added as long as the work comes to less than €1,000 excl. VAT. With a roof moss removal, this cleaning is included.
How do I clean a box gutter myself?
By hand, wearing gloves, from a stable, secured ladder, never alone, then rinsing with a garden hose to check the flow. The danger is not the gutter, it is the ladder: above ground-floor height, call a professional.
My downpipe is blocked: what can I do?
Do not pour chemicals into it. Remove what blocks the entrance from the top; if the water still will not drain, the downpipe has to be unblocked along its whole length. During a gutter cleaning, we flush it with pressure, but cannot promise to unblock it. Blocked gutter or box gutter: what to do?
Do you clean gutters on their own?
Yes, anywhere in Belgium. For gutters only, there is no minimum. The price is €10 per metre excl. VAT; when the work comes to less than €1,000 excl. VAT, your quote adds travel and set-up costs.