When to clean what in a Richmond home, from the January snow and March warm-up to pollen peaks, August rain and the mid-October lady beetle wave.
Richmond gets a true four seasons, which makes a seasonal plan genuinely useful. The dates here come from NOAA's normals at Richmond International Airport and from what Virginia Cooperative Extension and the Asthma and Allergy Foundation report.
Use the order as a guide, and shift a job by a few weeks when the weather says so.
Richmond has a humid subtropical climate. Normal precipitation is 45.50 inches, with August the wettest month at 4.90 inches. Snow totals 8.8 inches in a normal season, and January is the snowiest month at 3.7. There are about 74 nights at or below freezing and about 45 days at or above 90 degrees.
The normal daily high climbs from 59.6 degrees in March to 77.8 in May, and July averages a high of 89.5 and a low of 69.2. Grass pollen showed large peaks in spring 2025 with another in June, and ragweed season typically runs from around August until the first frost.
January is the snowiest month, so keep boot trays and absorbent mats by every door. Wipe registers and vents, dust ceiling fans that have been idle and go through closets while there is little else competing for your time.
A heated, closed home holds on to dust, so regular dusting pays off. If you burn wood, expect a little more on nearby shelves and sills.
The normal high starts at 59.6 degrees in March and climbs fast. Extension says lady beetles make a second appearance in late March as they try to leave the house, so check the sunny windows and vacuum them up. Do not crush them.
Wash windows and sills early, because pollen will soon undo the work if you wait. Wash curtains, and rotate bedding. Check bath fans and clear pink residue from the corners of the shower before humid weather starts.
The 2026 Allergy Capitals report shows large grass pollen peaks in spring 2025, another peak in June and several days rated high or very high after that. Keep windows closed on those days, dust with a damp cloth, and vacuum soft furniture more often. The allergy guide goes into more detail.
Once the peak passes, a One-Time Deep Clean is a good way to clear what settled in tracks, fans and blinds.
July averages a high of 89.5 degrees. Bathrooms dry slowly and pink residue comes back quickly, so keep fans running and wipe surfaces dry. August is the wettest month at 4.90 inches. Hurricanes and tropical storms have caused most of Richmond's summer and early fall flooding, and Gaston dropped 12.60 inches on the West End in August 2004, flooding Shockoe Bottom up to 10 feet deep.
Take photos of each room for your records, and lift what is stored on a basement floor. Anyone moving in around VCU during this stretch should get a Moving Clean scheduled before the boxes come in, if possible.
Ragweed peaks in mid September in most of the United States, according to the AAFA report. Keep up the pollen habits until the first frost. Extension says lady beetles begin entering houses in early fall and peak around October 15. Check window frames and light fixtures, vacuum what you find and discard the bag, because crushed beetles can leave orange stains on carpets, drapes and walls.
Richmond Public Works collects up to six bags of leaves weekly on trash day each fall, and offers curbside leaf vacuuming by RVA311 request for a fee, so keep leaves from piling up by the door. Plan your last detailed clean before family arrives. Kitchens take the most wear this time of year, so degrease cabinet fronts and soak stovetop grates early. After the holidays, bulk items can go out on the city's every-other-week collection.
The questions Richmond homeowners ask most often about this topic, answered plainly.
TotalCare Cleaning will service Richmond 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.
