Essential hire tools for clearing leaves and autumn site clean-ups

As the leaves start to fall, it’s time to tackle outdoor clean-up! From handheld blowers to road sweepers, here are the must-hire tools from Smiths Hire.

As the nights draw in and the air turns crisp, Autumn brings its fair share of challenges outdoors. The falling leaves that look so beautiful at first soon become a slippery, soggy hazard, clogging drains, covering paths, and creating safety risks around homes, gardens, and work sites. Whether you’re a homeowner, groundskeeper or trade professional, clearing up efficiently now saves time, money, and a lot of bother when Winter weather really sets in.

At Smiths Hire, we offer a wide variety of outdoor cleaning tools to help you tackle your Autumn maintenance. Here’s how to manage the seasonal mess and keep all your surfaces clear and safe.

  1. Petrol handheld garden blower

When leaves start piling up faster than you can rake them up, it’s easy to fall behind. Colourful Autumn leaves may look beautiful as they fall, but once they hit the ground and get wet, they can quickly make your property look untidy, and even become a slip hazard on driveways, paths, and decking. They also smother grass and plants, trapping moisture and eventually causing rot if left too long.

That’s where a handheld garden blower comes in. It’s a quick, efficient way to move large volumes of leaves and debris without hours of manual labour. This model is lightweight yet powerful, making it ideal for both domestic gardens and commercial sites. Simply blow leaves into piles for easy collection or fit the optional vacuum adaptor kit to suck them straight up.

A few minutes with a blower can clear what would take hours by hand, and it’s far more thorough than a rake on uneven ground. It’s the simplest way to get your outdoor spaces back under control before Winter rain makes the job much harder.

STIHL BG 56 C-E

  1. Pressure washers and powered weed brushes

Even after the leaves are gone, Autumn often leaves its mark. Damp weather and decaying debris can leave behind a slick film of dirt, algae, and moss on patios, paths, and driveways. It makes surfaces look tired, and can also be dangerously slippery, especially as temperatures drop and frost sets in!

A pressure washer is the perfect solution for restoring hard surfaces to a safe, clean condition. High-pressure water jets blast away grime, moss, and build-up in minutes. For more stubborn areas, a hot water pressure washer delivers extra cleaning power, while a powered weed brush can quickly remove moss and weeds along kerbs, edges, and paving joints.

At Smiths Hire, we offer a range of outdoor cleaning equipment to suit every scale, from smaller electric washers for patios to 125L Mini Bowser Pressure Washers for larger sites without a direct water supply to help make your space look better and prevent long-term damage from trapped moisture and plant growth.

  1. Road sweeper hire

If you’re responsible for a larger area like a car park, yard, or site road, Autumn debris can quickly become overwhelming. Wet leaves, mud, and dust build up fast, and before long, they can block drains, reduce traction, and make the whole area look unprofessional. Manual cleaning just isn’t practical when there are hundreds of square metres to cover.

This is where you need a road sweeper. Designed for large-scale outdoor maintenance, these machines collect and remove leaves, dirt, and debris efficiently, leaving surfaces spotless in a fraction of the time. At Smiths Hire, we have both operated and self-driven sweepers, so you can choose what best suits your requirements and schedule.

It’s a smart way to invest in safety and presentation, keeping car parks clear, reducing slip risks, and making sure your site is ready for whatever the season throws at it.

For over 50 years, at Smiths Hire, we’ve been helping homeowners, landscapers, and trade professionals across the North West and Yorkshire stay on top of seasonal maintenance. With 18 tool hire depots and same-day delivery available, we make it easy to get the right tools when you need them most!

If you’re planning an Autumn clean-up and want expert advice or quality equipment to get the job done, our friendly team is always happy to help.

Give us a call on 0333 323 2100 or visit our website to find everything you need to keep your site clean, safe, and ready for Winter!