About 58 percent of homes in the city of Birmingham were built before 1970, and about 18 percent before 1940. Older houses here need a gentle hand and a few firm limits.
Birmingham was founded in 1871 at the crossing of two rail lines, on deposits of iron ore, coal and limestone, and much of its housing is decades old. The median year built in the city is 1965, which puts more than half of its homes in the range where paint, plaster and old floors need thought.
This guide explains how to keep those houses clean without harming them, and what TotalCare Cleaning will leave to other trades when it comes to the Birmingham area.
About 58 percent of homes in the city of Birmingham were built before 1970, and about 18 percent before 1940. The median home has 5.2 rooms, and about 55 percent of occupied homes are rented, so a lot of old houses here are being looked after by tenants as well as owners.
The nearby cities vary. About 62 percent of Mountain Brook housing units and about 54 percent of Homewood homes were built before 1970. Hoover is the exception, with only about 13 percent from before then and a median year built of 1994.
The EPA says homes built before 1978 are more likely to have lead-based paint, and that settled lead dust can re-enter the air when a home is vacuumed or swept. That is the most important fact in this guide. Sound paint is fine to dust and to wipe with a damp cloth, while flaking paint is a different problem.
Do not sand, scrape or dry sweep peeling or chipping paint. Call a qualified contractor, and keep children and pets away until the work is finished. Tell your cleaner about any trouble spots before a visit, so the area can be left alone. Damp wiping is generally preferable to dry dusting in these homes.
Old floors should be damp mopped at most, with a well wrung mop, since standing water can raise the grain. Vacuum or sweep first with care, so that grit does not scratch the finish. Plaster can be dusted and lightly wiped, though scrubbing leaves marks. Old tile can usually stand more, but abrasive pads can dull its glaze.
Give your cleaner a short list of anything original, and of anything you maintain yourself, such as a brass fixture or a wood mantel. Interior windows are an add-on, so wavy old glass is only touched if you ask. Stained glass is usually better left to the owner.
Normal dew points at the Birmingham airport average about 70 degrees in July, 69 in August and 67 in June, and older houses often have weak ventilation. The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America reports that outdoor and indoor mold concentrations tend to be highest in the Southeast because of its warm, humid climate.
The Jefferson County Department of Health advises fixing leaks, using exhaust fans and keeping indoor humidity below 50 percent. Cleaners can keep surfaces clean, but visible mold is a matter for a specialist. The humidity guide covers this room by room.
Older houses have more gaps. The Jefferson County Department of Health tells residents to seal cracks and remove moisture to deter cockroaches, and to empty standing water to stop mosquito breeding. Cleaning helps by removing crumbs and grease, but sealing cracks is what really addresses the cause.
A One-Time Deep Clean is a good first step, with hand washed baseboards, wet-wiped blinds, window tracks and degreased cabinet fronts. After that, a monthly or bi-weekly Recurring House Clean can keep things under control.
Birmingham Water Works reported total hardness from 52 to 148 milligrams per liter in its 2022 testing, so what shows up on an old faucet may differ from one part of the system to the next. Old chrome and brass can be scratched by abrasive pads, so a soft cloth and a mild product are the place to start. If a fixture is loose or dripping, that is a plumbing repair, and it is worth fixing because leaks feed the damp problems described above.
The questions Birmingham homeowners ask most often about this topic, answered plainly.
TotalCare Cleaning will service Birmingham and surrounding areas with background-checked cleaners and is insured up to $1 million. Re-clean guarantee: if we missed something, tell us by the end of the next day and we come back to fix it. Beyond Clean. TotalCare.
