A month by month plan for keeping a Lakeland home clean, built from the city's NWS climate normals, the Florida pollen peak, the two lovebug swarms and the June to November hurricane season.
Spring cleaning in Lakeland does not look like spring cleaning up north. There is no snow to recover from and no road salt on the floors. Instead the city has a cool, dry stretch that is ideal for big projects, a pollen peak that coats everything, and a long wet, hot summer with storm season on top of it.
This calendar follows the local numbers: the National Weather Service 1991 to 2020 normals for Lakeland, the UF/IFAS pollen and lovebug notes, and the NOAA hurricane season. Use it to plan big jobs for the months when they will last.
January is Lakeland's coolest month, with normal highs near 73 to 75 degrees and lows near 50 to 51. December is dry too, at about 2.6 inches of rain. Windows, screens and porch areas dry fast in this weather, so it is the easiest time of year to wash window tracks, wipe porch ceilings and fans, and turn the mattresses.
It is also the right moment to put the home back together after hurricane season ends on November 30. Put away storm supplies, check the closets and pantry for anything that got damp during the wet months, and book a One-Time Deep Clean if the home has gone through summer and fall without one.
UF/IFAS says Florida's pollen season peaks from January to June, with oaks producing heavy pollen in February and the height of the season in March and April. February is also one of Lakeland's driest months at about 2.3 inches of rain, so pollen stays airborne instead of washing out.
Keep windows shut on heavy days, wipe sills and outdoor furniture weekly, and vacuum entry rugs more often. UF/IFAS suggests showering and changing clothes after coming home and drying laundry indoors during heavy pollen. Wait until the end of April to schedule the big spring deep clean; cleaning in early March means the fans and sills will need it again in a few weeks.
May brings the first of Florida's two yearly lovebug swarms, according to UF/IFAS. Screens, porch lights, garage doors and the front of the car collect them, and UF/IFAS warns that leaving them on car paint too long can damage it permanently. Rinse screens and wipe door frames and porch lights during the swarm.
May is also the last month before the wet season. It is a good time for a deep clean after the pollen peak, for washing blinds and fans, and for checking bathroom exhaust fans before the humid months.
These four months each average about 7.6 to 9.1 inches of rain in Lakeland, together more than half the yearly total of about 56.8 inches. Normal highs reach 92 to 93 degrees in July and August, and lows stay near 74. Bathrooms dry slowly, entry floors collect wet sand, and towels and mats sour quickly.
The Florida Department of Health recommends indoor humidity below 50 percent to control mold and dust mites. Run bathroom fans after every shower, keep the air conditioning running steadily, wash bath mats weekly, and clean grout and shower corners on every visit. September also brings the second lovebug swarm, so screens and entries need another round of attention.
NOAA's National Hurricane Center puts most Atlantic hurricane activity between mid-August and mid-October, with the peak around September 10. Hurricane Milton showed what that can mean in Lakeland: nearly 90,000 Lakeland Electric customers lost power, and the city estimated 200,000 to 250,000 cubic yards of storm debris.
Before a storm, clear the porch and patio, bring in anything loose and keep curbside piles off the street; ahead of Milton the city asked residents not to put extra yard waste or junk at the curb. After the storm and once the power is on, empty and wipe the refrigerator if it warmed up, air out closed rooms and book a cleaning only after any water damage has been handled by specialists. The storm season guide has the full checklist.
November is the driest month of the Lakeland year at about 1.9 inches of rain, and hurricane season closes at the end of it. It is a natural time for the fall deep clean: wash windows and tracks, clean porch screens of the September lovebugs, and get the guest rooms ready for the holidays.
The questions Lakeland homeowners ask most often about this topic, answered plainly.
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