A cleaning calendar built on Tacoma weather normals and local pollen charts: damp walls in winter, tree pollen as early as January, grass in early summer, a very dry August with possible smoke and a wet November.
Tacoma's year does not really follow the four season pattern most cleaning calendars assume. Winter is wet rather than snowy, tree pollen begins while it is still cold, and summer is so dry that the main concern becomes dust and smoke.
This calendar uses normals from the Tacoma No. 1 weather station, along with the Seattle area pollen chart and state agency advice. Adjust it for your own house.
December and January each get about 6 inches of rain, with about 13 wet days a month, and winter highs average 48.6 degrees. The station averages about 27 nights a year at or below freezing, so ice is occasional rather than constant. Hazelnut pollen starts in mid January on the Seattle area chart, and alder follows in late February.
Birch, cottonwood and poplar pollen run through March and April, and cedar and juniper from February through June. Wash bedding often if someone in your home reacts, dust with a damp cloth, and change filters as your system requires.
As the rain eases, spring work outside brings soil to the door. Ecology's healthy actions matter most when you are gardening, so keep garden shoes outside and wash up before coming in. This is also a good time to clean faucet aerators. Tacoma Water says grit from older pipes collects there and they should be cleaned now and then.
Grass pollen peaks from mid May to early July, and weed pollen runs from May through September. July normally gets just 0.55 inches of rain, with highs near 77. Hot days are rare, with fewer than one day a year reaching 90 degrees, so many houses air out naturally when pollen allows.
Use the dry weather. Wash baseboards, blinds and window tracks, or arrange a One-Time Deep Clean, which covers those details. See the deep cleaning guide. Tacoma Water also notes that groundwater supplies 4 to 11 percent of demand in a typical year, mostly in summer and fall, so do not be surprised if water looks a little different then. White or cloudy tap water is usually just trapped air and clears on its own.
August is dry too, at 0.83 inches. The Puget Sound Clean Air Agency says wildfires typically occur in warmer, drier months, and it expects more smoke to reach the region. Keep filters ready before you need them. A HEPA filter in an air cleaner or HVAC system can help keep indoor air clean. Afterward, damp dust and vacuum instead of sweeping so that fine particles do not go back in the air.
Late summer is also a good moment to look for damage on the outside of the house, while the weather still lets you get repairs done before the rain returns.
November is the wettest month, at 6.50 inches. Set up the entry before then, with a mat outside and another inside, plus a place for wet boots. Move furniture away from cold walls. If you are planning a big cleanout, Tacoma residential garbage customers get two Call-2-Haul pickups or self-hauls a year, and the Tacoma Recovery & Transfer Center on S. Mullen Street takes self-hauled items seven days a week.
Fall is also a sensible time to start a Recurring House Clean before the wet season takes hold. The recurring guide can help you decide how often makes sense.
The questions Tacoma homeowners ask most often about this topic, answered plainly.
TotalCare Cleaning will service Tacoma 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.
