From Fourth and Gill's Queen Anne houses to Oak Ridge's wartime cemesto homes, Knoxville's older housing needs gentle methods. Here is what to use, what to avoid and why.
Knoxville has been building houses since White's Fort went up in 1786 near where First and Second Creeks meet the Tennessee River. The biggest wave of what still stands came at the turn of the last century, when more than 5,000 homes were built in the ten years from 1895 to 1904. Half a century later, Oak Ridge rose almost overnight for the Manhattan Project with its own unusual houses.
Old homes reward a different kind of cleaning: slower, gentler and more careful about what is underneath the surface. This guide covers the main types of older housing in the area and how to care for each.
The Fourth and Gill Historic District was published on the National Register of Historic Places in 1985, recognizing Late Victorian, Bungalow and Craftsman architecture from 1875 to 1949. Knoxville-Knox County Planning counts more than 280 residential structures in its historic overlay, mostly frame houses with large porches and complex rooflines, the majority Queen Anne and Craftsman.
Houses like these share features that matter for cleaning: original wood floors, painted wood trim, old window glass and porches that channel foot traffic straight into the front rooms. None of these respond well to strong chemicals or aggressive tools.
Oak Ridge was created after General Leslie Groves came to East Tennessee in September 1942, and its population reached 75,000 by the summer of 1945. Many of its first family homes were cemesto houses, made of panels that combine cement and asbestos.
Intact panels with sound paint are generally left alone, and ordinary surface cleaning, a damp cloth and a soft brush, does not disturb them. What must be avoided is anything that wears into the panel: sanding, scraping, drilling, wire brushes, pressure washers or abrasive pads. If you own a cemesto house, tell any cleaner or contractor before work starts.
Any home built before 1978 may have lead-based paint under newer coats, and that includes nearly every house from Knoxville's turn of the century building boom. Intact paint is not the hazard; dust and chips from damaged paint are. Clean painted trim and window sills with a damp cloth, never dry sanding or scraping, and wipe up any paint chips with a wet paper towel.
Do not use steel wool or abrasive powders on old painted woodwork. If paint is flaking, leave it for a painter trained in lead-safe work. A cleaner should point out loose paint, not try to remove it.
Wood floors. Sweep or vacuum with a soft brush head, then damp mop with a wood-safe cleaner and very little water. Old floors have gaps between boards where standing water can soak in. Never steam mop them.
Old window glass. Wavy original glass can be thin and loose in its glazing. Clean it with a soft cloth and light pressure, and skip scrapers or razor blades on the panes.
Trim and doors. Dust with a damp microfiber cloth. Many Knoxville Victorians have deep, detailed moldings, and a soft paintbrush pulls dust out of carved grooves without wearing the finish.
Porches. Large porches are part of the character of Fourth and Gill. A sturdy mat at the top of the steps and another inside the door keep most porch grit off the original floors.
Old houses breathe more than new ones, so the climate gets inside. Summer dew points near 68 degrees in July make plaster and wood swell slightly and closets smell musty, while tree pollen that now begins in February sifts in around old window sashes. A steady routine matters more in these homes than intensive scrubbing.
A One-Time Deep Clean suits an older house well: baseboards are washed by hand, blinds wet-wiped, and ceiling fans, light fixtures and vents wiped in place. For a full plan, see the deep cleaning guide and the humidity and mildew guide.
The questions Knoxville homeowners ask most often about this topic, answered plainly.
TotalCare Cleaning will service Knoxville 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.
