Tucson's cleaning calendar turns on the monsoon, not on snow. Here is what to do and when, from the mild winter through June's heat, the haboobs of July and the first cool days of fall.
Spring cleaning traditions came from places with cold, muddy winters. Tucson has neither, so this calendar is built around the local year instead: a pleasant winter and spring, a very hot dry stretch, then a monsoon that can undo a week's work in a few minutes.
The dates here come from the National Weather Service and local climate summaries. Use them as a guide to the order of the work, and shift things a little for your own home. Homes at the base of the Catalinas or out near farm fields will see their own variations.
Tucson averages 10.61 inches of precipitation a year, and 5.69 inches of that is monsoon rain. About 158 days reach 90 degrees or above, and summer daily highs average 98 to 102. The record high is 117 degrees, set on June 27, 1990.
The monsoon officially begins June 15, the first storms come around July 3 on average, and activity usually lasts through August and often into September. Winter brings highs of 65 to 70 and lows of 40 to 44, with about three hard freezes and an average of 0.1 inch of snow at the airport.
Daytime highs of 65 to 70 make this the most comfortable time of year for big jobs. Air out the house, wash curtains, and go through closets and storage. Many winter residents are in town, and guests tend to follow, so keep the guest bathroom ready. With only about three hard freezes a winter, there is little to worry about at the door.
If you burned a fireplace on cool nights, wipe nearby shelves and mantels. It is also a good time to clear out old paint and solvents, which Brush and Bulky does not take, so they can go to the proper hazardous waste channel.
This is pleasant, windows-up weather, though Pima County lists pollen, mold and spores among coarse PM10 particles along with wind-blown dust. Close up when it issues Dust Action Days. Wipe sills and tracks more often, and wash window screens, which catch much of what would otherwise come in.
Snowbirds preparing to leave should empty the refrigerator, clear the pantry and have a look around for insects before closing up. A One-Time Deep Clean in late spring is also a good reset before the heat, when you will not want to do much yourself.
Summer daily highs average 98 to 102, and the monsoon officially starts on June 15. Wipe vents and change HVAC filters, since the air will be running for months. Check weatherstripping and door sweeps now, before the first dust storm tests them. Bark scorpions can get through a gap about 1/16 of an inch wide, so sealing helps with them too.
The first storms come around July 3 on average. Haboobs are more common early in the season and can cut visibility to near zero in seconds, with gusts of 40 to 60 mph likely. They usually last a few minutes and up to an hour at most. Shut windows when you see one forming, then wipe sills and tracks with a damp cloth once it passes.
Humidity rises to 41.6 percent in July and 46.6 percent in August, so bathrooms dry a bit more slowly than usual. Any water that gets in during a storm needs fixing by a contractor before any cleaning takes place. The dust guide has more on the aftermath.
Temperatures above 100 are possible into early October, then the weather finally turns. With the monsoon over, this is the other good moment for a deep clean, since a summer of storm grit is sitting in tracks and sills. Air the house out, and clean fan blades that have run all summer.
Winter residents return during this stretch, and a house that has been closed since spring needs one good visit. Tucson's Brush and Bulky collection comes through each service area twice a year, and special pickups can be requested any time. Glass goes to drop-off sites, not to the blue bin.
The questions Tucson homeowners ask most often about this topic, answered plainly.
TotalCare Cleaning will service Tucson 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.
