About 41.9 percent of Bentonville's homes were built in 2010 or later. Here is what a newer house collects, how to protect new finishes and when it is worth bringing in help.
Bentonville's median home was built in 2007, and about 41.9 percent of its 24,917 housing units date from 2010 or later. Rogers has about 1,577 units from 2020 or later. New homes do not have the problems of old ones, but they have problems of their own, and few people talk about them. This guide does.
Bentonville grew 53.4 percent between 2010 and 2020, reaching 54,164 residents. Walmart is building a new 350-acre headquarters campus in the city, and Crystal Bridges opened within walking distance of downtown in 2011. The housing numbers show how much was built in those years.
So have bigger floor plans. About 32.7 percent of Bentonville units have four or more bedrooms, and about 25.1 percent of those in Rogers do. In a home like that, the question is how to keep up with all the space. Age is not yet the issue.
Builder dust. Fine dust from drywall and sanding settles in vents, on top of door frames and inside cabinets for a good while after you move in. Change your furnace filter earlier than the label suggests for the first several months, and vacuum vent covers.
Stickers and residue. Labels on appliances and glass leave adhesive behind. Use a mild adhesive remover and a soft cloth. Do not scrape glass or stainless with a razor unless the manufacturer says that is safe.
New floors. Read what the builder or manufacturer recommends before you use anything on them. Hard floors usually want a microfiber mop and a mild cleaner, and some warranties are specific about products.
Stone and tile. Ask whether your countertops and grout have been sealed. If you do not know, avoid vinegar and other acids until you find out.
Cleaners do not remove construction waste, so make sure the builder has cleared any leftover materials before you schedule a visit.
New subdivisions often have young lawns and exposed soil for a season or two. May alone brings a normal 5.92 inches of rain at Northwest Arkansas Regional Airport, and April 4.98, so in spring the ground can turn to mud that gets carried straight indoors.
Put a coarse mat outside each door and a washable one inside, and keep a tray in the garage entry. Grit scratches new finishes more than most people think, so sweep before you mop. A pet towel by the back door saves a lot of work.
Newer homes often have large frameless showers. Beaver Water District reports a 2023 average hardness of 74 parts per million, which it classifies as moderately hard, so mineral spots come on slowly but do come. A squeegee after each shower keeps new glass clear for years.
Open kitchens show grease on nearby surfaces, including cabinet fronts, range hoods and the sides of appliances. Running the hood when you cook helps a good deal. Dew points near 68 degrees in July slow the drying of any bathroom, so make sure the fans vent well and that you run them long enough.
Tall ceilings and fans deserve a mention too. A two story entry may be out of reach, and that is often where dust first shows. Ceiling fans and vents wiped in place are part of a One-Time Deep Clean.
Before you move in, a Moving Clean deals with everything including the inside of the oven, refrigerator and cabinets, and that is a good way to clear away the last of the builder's dust. It is not a construction cleanup, and it does not cover hauling or debris.
After that, a Recurring House Clean on a bi-weekly rhythm keeps a large home steady without much effort on your part. Then, after a few years, a One-Time Deep Clean catches the fans, tracks and vents that regular visits do not cover in full.
The questions Bentonville homeowners ask most often about this topic, answered plainly.
TotalCare Cleaning will service Bentonville 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.
