Lexington has kept its old neighborhoods in use since 1958. Here is how to look after the historic houses and mid-century ranches that came with them, without harming the finishes.
About 45 percent of the homes in Fayette County were built before 1980, and about 18 percent before 1960. In a city that limited outward growth as early as 1958, older homes have stayed in steady use. They tend to clean up well if you respect what they are made of, and this guide covers how.
In 1958 Lexington enacted the nation's first urban growth boundary, limiting new development to an urban service area and protecting the surrounding horse farms. Limited room for sprawl tends to keep attention on what already exists.
The Gratz Park Historic District, just north of downtown, went onto the National Register of Historic Places in 1973 and features Greek Revival and Gothic architecture. Further out, neighborhoods such as Chevy Chase, bounded by Cooper Drive, Tates Creek Road, Fontaine Road and Chinoe Road, show later eras of building.
Any paint from before 1978 may contain lead. Dusting and wiping are fine, as long as the surface is sound. Sanding, scraping and aggressive scrubbing are not, because they can release lead dust. If paint is flaking onto a sill or window track, do not vacuum or scrub it. Have it evaluated by a qualified professional first.
Lexington accepts lead paint only at Household Hazardous Waste collection events, and household hazardous products may not go in the trash cart. A basement full of old cans is common in a house of this age, so check the event calendar and clear them out.
Most trouble in older homes comes from water and harsh products, so go easy on both.
Older houses tend to breathe more, for better and worse. When July dew points reach about 66 degrees, damp air gets into basements and closets, and a house without modern ventilation may take longer to dry out. A dehumidifier in the lower level helps, as does running a fan after showers.
In winter, the opposite happens. With January dew points near 26 degrees and the furnace running, dry air can shrink wood and open gaps that catch fine dust. That dust settles along baseboards and in floor seams, so regular soft vacuuming is worth more than the occasional hard scrub.
Normal annual precipitation of 49.84 inches can also test an old basement. Anything more than a little dampness, or signs of water damage or mold, is a job for a repair or remediation specialist rather than a cleaner.
When TotalCare Cleaning comes to Lexington, the visit can start with a quick walkthrough of anything delicate. Tell your cleaner about original finishes, what you have used in the past, and which rooms are off limits. A One-Time Deep Clean makes a good starting point, since hand washed baseboards, wet-wiped blinds and window tracks are exactly where older homes hold their dust.
If you have just bought one of these houses, the move-out and move-in guide explains the Moving Clean, which adds the inside of the oven, refrigerator and cabinets while the house is still empty.
The questions Lexington homeowners ask most often about this topic, answered plainly.
TotalCare Cleaning will service Lexington 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.
