How hail, spring rain and winter ice leave their mark on a Tulsa home, what you can clean up yourself and where ordinary cleaning stops and restoration begins.
Tulsa has a long memory for weather. The 1984 flood changed how the city handles stormwater, and the 2007 ice storm is still a reference point in northeast Oklahoma. Most years bring nothing like that, but they do bring hail, soaking May rain and mud at the back door.
This guide covers the everyday mess of storm weather. It also marks the line clearly: cleaners handle grit, film and tracked-in dirt, while water damage, mold and debris belong to other trades.
The National Weather Service says any spot in the Tulsa metro can expect hail two or three times a year on average, with the peak from mid April to mid May. That is not rare weather. It is part of the routine, like the annual precipitation of about 41 inches, with May the wettest month at 5.73.
The worst flood on record for many residents came on May 26 and 27, 1984, when 6 to 15 inches of rain fell on the city. Fourteen people died and more than 5,500 buildings were damaged or destroyed. Tulsa responded by relocating 300 flooded homes, creating a Department of Stormwater Management in 1985 and adding a stormwater utility fee in 1986.
Winter has its own record. The ice storm of December 9 and 10, 2007 left more than 200,000 northeast Oklahoma homes without power for several days and caused severe tree damage. Jenks, on the banks of the Arkansas River, has had a levee since 1948, a reminder of how much of the area's planning revolves around water.
Most of the cleanup after a storm comes from what got tracked in, and most of that can be reduced ahead of time. In March, before the hail months begin, take a few minutes to prepare the entries and the storage areas that get wet first.
First check for what cleaning cannot fix: wet ceilings, damp carpet or a musty smell. If you find any of those, stop and find the cause. The Tulsa Health Department says most household mold can be cleaned off once the moisture source has been fixed, and it does not test homes, so the fix comes before the mop and any serious problem goes to a roofer or restoration company.
If the home is dry, the job is simple. Sweep porches, shake the mats and vacuum entries before wet grit gets ground into carpet. Wipe sills and door tracks, where wind-driven rain leaves a muddy line. Dry wood floors quickly. Once the worst of the mess is gone, a recurring visit can take care of the rest.
An ice storm leaves different work. Fallen limbs and shingle grit collect at the doors, and a home without power can pile up problems in the kitchen. When the power is back, empty anything spoiled from the refrigerator and freezer, wash the shelves and let them air out before you restock. Damp entry mats and wet boots should be dried at once.
Tree damage is yard work rather than house cleaning, and cleaners do not haul limbs or debris. Tulsa's bulky pickup needs scheduling at least three days ahead and is not designed for contractor debris, so check the city's rules before you put anything at the curb.
When TotalCare Cleaning comes to Tulsa, a visit will take care of what weather leaves behind on finished surfaces: floors, sills, tracks, baseboards and bathrooms. A One-Time Deep Clean is a sensible reset once the home has dried and any repairs are done.
It will not extract water, remove wet drywall or address mold, and it will not remove storm debris or construction waste. Those jobs need specialists. Waiting until they finish also means their own dust gets cleaned up in the same visit, so it saves doing the work twice.
The questions Tulsa homeowners ask most often about this topic, answered plainly.
TotalCare Cleaning will service Tulsa 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.
