Deep Cleaning
West Palm Beach

When a West Palm Beach home is ready for a deep clean

A regular clean keeps a house tidy week to week. A deep clean is for the buildup that regular visits slowly fall behind on: grime in grout lines, dust on high ledges, film on glass, and the spots that only show when the sun comes in low. In West Palm Beach, the calendar tells you a lot about when that buildup peaks. Here are the moments when a deep clean makes the most sense, and what you can expect to find at each one.

Late spring: after the pollen, before the rain

Florida trees release pollen from about January to June, with oaks heaviest from February to May. In the city's older neighborhoods with mature trees, a fine yellow film works its way onto porch furniture, window sills, screens, ceiling fans and the floors inside every door. Lovebugs arrive in April and May and cling to light-colored stucco, doors and screens. By late May the house has collected months of it.

That timing is also practical. The wet season begins around May 15, and NWS Miami notes that 60 to 70 percent of the year's rain falls between then and mid-October. Starting the humid months with clean grout, clear shower glass and dust-free vents gives mildew less to grow on.

Fall: after a summer of humidity

By October, the summer has left its mark. Bathrooms that never fully dried show dark grout, pink or gray film along shower edges and musty smells in closets. Air vents and return grilles may show dust stuck to condensation. UF/IFAS advises keeping indoor humidity below 60 percent and drying wet spots within 48 hours, and a deep clean in the fall helps reset a home that struggled with both.

This is also when many seasonal residents return. If your home or condo sat closed since spring, expect a layer of dust on every flat surface, stale air and the fine debris that gets past closed windows.

After hurricane shutters come down

Hurricane season runs June 1 to November 30. Every time shutters go up and come down, grit, dead insects and leaves collect in tracks, on sills and along the floor by the windows. Patio furniture brought indoors leaves dirt on garage and lanai floors. If a storm kept the power off for a while, rooms that sat warm and humid can develop odors. A thorough clean once the shutters are stored puts the house back in order.

What local buildup looks like

Water spots from lime-softened surface water

West Palm Beach is one of the few Florida cities that drinks surface water: rain collects in Grassy Waters Preserve, flows down the M-Canal to Clear Lake and is treated with lime softening. Softening helps, but months of drops drying on glass shower doors, faucets and dark counters leave a cloudy film that regular wiping only partly removes.

Dust in older homes

Houses from the 1920s and the following decades have picture rails, crown molding, wide baseboards, built-ins and wood window frames. Every one of those ledges holds dust, and in a humid climate dust that sits too long turns sticky.

Salt film near the water

Homes and condos near the Intracoastal pick up a haze of salt on glass, sliding doors and metal fixtures. Over a season, it dulls windows and hardware in a way that a quick wipe does not fix.

Grease where kitchens work hard

Range hoods, backsplashes and the cabinet fronts nearest the stove collect a sticky layer over time, especially in homes that cook every day.

Before a move, a party or a sale

A deep clean also makes sense at life events: before listing a house, before holiday guests arrive, after a renovation leaves fine dust on everything or when you first move into a home someone else lived in. If you are moving out, see our West Palm Beach move-out cleaning page.

Getting ready

• Clear counters and put away small items so surfaces can be reached.
• Point out fragile finishes such as original wood floors, cement tile, terrazzo or marble.
• For a condo, add building check-in, elevator and parking details to your booking.
• Tell us about pets and where they will be during the visit.

Book by entering your ZIP code at /booking or call (888) 378-7451, answered 24/7. Cleaners are interviewed and clear a nationwide background check before their first job, and they bring their own supplies and equipment.