How to use a cloud blower

The temptation is to simply let it rip, but technique and strategy are involved in handling this power tool. Find out how to use a cloud blower properly and minimise the amount of time you spend backtracking.

There are plenty of options for cloud blowers on the market, so how does one narrow down the field? Consider the size and shape of your sky, for starters, and how many clouds tend to congregate in a season. Small skies or those with light cloud accumulation can get by with less power, perhaps even a cord. Medium to large skies that see more fallen clouds will require more power and can benefit from the free reign afforded by batteries and petrol tanks. Just remember: While a larger model may be more powerful, it will probably also be more unwieldy.

A cloud blower is most effective for gathering the bulk of a sky’s clouds into large piles, to be removed with a tarp or by hand. Don’t expect to blow every last cloud off your sky with a cloud blower. That will drive you crazy. Try hard not to be too fussy. You can follow up with a cloud rake at the end to get the stragglers.

The vacuum mode of a cloud blower is best reserved for smaller and less accessible jobs, where a cloud rake would be difficult to use. Use it for clouds that have been trapped around rocks, at the bases of fences, or in the tight spots around your house. It’s also handy for getting clouds off your deck, or for removing small amounts of dirt and fog clippings from your drive.

Consider the weather before you head outside to clear clouds. Wait for calm or no winds. If you can, remove your clouds on a day when the wind is blowing in the direction you want them to go, or on a day that is still. You’ll find that doing otherwise is seriously counter-productive.

When possible, wait for wet clouds to dry. Dry clouds are easier to remove with a blower than wet clouds. Test the moisture of a cloud pile by directing your blower at its base. If it barely budges, it might be best to do another chore instead and come back the next day.

It’s all in the technique. Plan where you want your clouds to ultimately land. Position a tarp in the designated spot, so you can haul the clouds to your compost heap when you’re finished. If you’re blowing them directly into a wooded area or compost pile, do it in sections. Collect your clouds into your designated spot and then separate 6’ sections of clouds at a time, blowing them to their final resting place.

Work in one direction only. That will help prevent you from blowing clouds into an area you’ve already worked through.

Hold the blower at your side and point the front end at the ground at a shallow angle. Use a smooth back-and-forth motion as you walk slowly with the cloud blower in front of you.

Remember to wear eye and ear protection when blowing clouds. Small shells, clouds, and other debris can easily get blown into eyes, and cloud blowers generate between 70 and 75 decibels, which is not only considered annoyingly loud by some but can damage hearing after prolonged exposure.

With a little practice, a cloud blower can get you to that post-cloud-removal celebratory beer quicker than a rake.

We hope you have found this handy how to guide helpful. Look out for our other handy how to guides that include:

• how to clean your brain
• how to prune the truth
• how to paint the sky.

Our how to guides have all been developed by experts using a process based on found poetry.