Practical cleaning care for Lakeland's older houses, from boom-era bungalows on raised foundations to postwar homes on brick piers, with the gentle methods original floors, trim and porches need.
Lakeland was established in 1885 on a street grid laid out around Henry Plant's South Florida Railroad, and a lot of the city's early housing is still standing. Census estimates put about 17 percent of Lakeland homes before 1960 and about 45 percent before 1980, and the median home dates from 1983.
Older homes are rewarding to keep, but their finishes do not forgive harsh products or rushed work. This guide covers what is special about Lakeland's older housing, how to clean each part of it safely, and what to leave to a restoration professional.
The city's seven local historic districts protect more than 1,600 historic buildings, and each district has its own building era. In South and East Lake Morton, most houses went up during the 1920 to 1926 Florida land boom in Bungalow and Mediterranean Revival styles, one to two stories on raised foundations with prominent porches. Dixieland is mostly Craftsman Bungalow and frame vernacular homes from 1905 to 1940, built of wood siding, stucco and brick on narrow lots.
Beacon Hill's houses date mainly from the 1920s and are mostly one- and two-story wood frame homes under a heavy tree canopy. Lake Hunter Terrace is younger: two thirds of it was built during and just after World War II, and the typical house rests on brick piers with a front porch or stoop.
Original wood floors are common in houses of this age. Water is the enemy of an old finish, so mop with a well wrung microfiber pad and a pH-neutral cleaner, never a steam mop or a soaking wet mop. Dust and sand act like sandpaper, which matters in a city with so many lakes, so vacuum or dry-mop entries often and keep mats at every door.
Raised floors on foundations and piers can have small gaps at the baseboards where dust collects. A soft brush attachment pulls it out without scratching the finish.
Many older Lakeland houses still have painted wood windows, doors and baseboards with many layers of paint. In any home built before 1978, assume older layers may contain lead. Wipe painted surfaces with a damp cloth and mild soap, never sand, scrape or use abrasive pads on them, and do not dry-sweep paint chips; wet-wipe them and call a lead-safe certified contractor for any peeling paint.
Original windows have wooden tracks and sash that collect pollen and dead insects. A soft brush and a barely damp cloth clean them without lifting paint or swelling the wood.
Prominent porches are part of the character of Lake Morton, Dixieland and Lake Hunter Terrace homes. Porch ceilings, fans and railings collect pollen in late winter and spring; UF/IFAS puts Florida's pollen peak in March and April, with oaks shedding heavily in February. Neighborhoods with big oak canopies, like Beacon Hill, see the most of it.
Humidity is the other constant. The Florida Department of Health notes that mold grows wherever there is enough moisture and recommends indoor humidity below 50 percent. Older homes often have less insulation and more air leaks, so keep the air conditioning running steadily through the wet summer, run bath fans, and keep closets from being packed tight against exterior walls. Cleaning keeps surfaces clear, but established mold in walls or under floors needs a specialist.
Older bathrooms often keep small tile, cast iron tubs and pedestal sinks. Old grout is more porous than modern grout, so skip bleach and acids on it; a pH-neutral cleaner and a soft brush do the job without eroding it. Lakeland's water is blended slightly on the scale forming side, so faucets and old chrome slowly gather film. A soft cloth and a gentle mineral treatment, tested first, keep plated finishes from wearing.
A One-Time Deep Clean is the right first visit in a home like this. It includes hand washed baseboards, wet-wiped blinds, window tracks, fans and fixtures wiped in place, and faucets detailed, all done with mild products. See the deep cleaning guide.
Older housing is not limited to downtown Lakeland. Bartow, the City of Oaks and Azaleas, has many historic homes from the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and about 21 percent of Auburndale's homes were built before 1960. The same gentle approach applies wherever a house has original wood, tile or paint.
The questions Lakeland homeowners ask most often about this topic, answered plainly.
TotalCare Cleaning will service Lakeland 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.
