I've had similar experiences with those plastic scoops—they never seem to last more than one season for me either. Ended up using an old kitchen spatula once in a pinch, and surprisingly, it worked pretty well. Metal definitely seems the way to go.
About timing, I've always waited until late fall myself, but last year we had an early freeze and I regretted not getting to it sooner. Had to deal with frozen leaves and ice chunks—not fun at all. Do you find weather forecasts helpful when deciding exactly when to clean, or do you just wing it based on how things look?
I've always leaned heavily on weather forecasts myself. I used to just eyeball it, but after a couple of surprise cold snaps left me scraping frozen muck out of the gutters, I learned my lesson. Now, I usually check the 10-day forecast starting around mid-October, just to get a feel for what's coming. If it looks like temps are dropping soon or there's heavy rain on the horizon, I jump on it early—even if it means doing it twice in one season.
And yeah, the plastic scoops are pretty useless long-term. I've been using a cheap metal garden trowel from the dollar store for a few seasons now. It's narrow enough to fit the gutters easily and sturdy enough to handle wet, heavy leaves without bending. Can't beat that for a buck, right?
I've found mid-to-late October works best as a general rule, but it really depends on your local climate and tree coverage. If you've got a lot of trees nearby dropping leaves constantly, you might have to do it twice—once after the first big leaf fall, and again right before winter sets in. I agree that watching the forecast can save you a headache later, especially if you're prone to sudden freezes or heavy rain.
Interesting point about the metal garden trowel. I've tried plastic scoops, and you're right, they're pretty flimsy when tackling soaked, heavy debris. Personally, though, I prefer a small metal scoop with higher sides (like a feed scoop from the farm store). It holds more debris at once, so fewer trips up and down the ladder. But, hey, if you've got a good system going with the dollar-store trowel, no reason to switch it up now.
Mid-to-late October sounds about right, but honestly, I've learned the hard way not to trust the calendar too much. Last year, I thought I'd nailed it by cleaning out the gutters around Halloween, only to have a massive windstorm dump half the neighborhood's leaves into my gutters two days later. Had to climb back up there in freezing drizzle—definitely not fun.
As for scoops, I've tried the feed scoop thing too, and yeah, it holds more debris, but I found it awkward to maneuver in tighter spots. Ended up going back to a smaller metal trowel myself. Plastic scoops are a joke though, agreed. Snapped one clean in half trying to pry out some wet leaves last fall. Lesson learned: cheap plastic and heavy gutter sludge don't mix.
Mid-to-late October can work, but honestly, I think waiting until most of the leaves have dropped is usually smarter. I've seen plenty of folks jump the gun and end up doing double duty—just like your Halloween experience. Around here, that's usually mid-November or even later if it's a mild fall.
About the scoops though...I get your frustration with plastic, but metal trowels aren't always ideal either. I've seen homeowners accidentally scrape or puncture their gutters with metal tools, especially if they're older aluminum ones. Personally, I recommend a sturdy plastic scoop specifically designed for gutters—they're thicker and more flexible than those cheap feed scoops. Sure, they might not last forever, but they're gentler on your gutters and easier to handle in tight corners.
Also, if you're tired of climbing ladders in freezing drizzle (been there myself...), gutter guards might be worth considering. They're not perfect, but they'll save you from multiple cleanings each season. Just something to think about before next year's leaf battle rolls around.
