House Cleaning
Jupiter, FL

Cleaning homes between the river, the inlet and the ocean

Jupiter sits where the Loxahatchee River meets the Atlantic. The red brick lighthouse that has stood over the inlet since 1860 is the town's landmark, and the water shapes almost everything about life here: boats in driveways, kayaks in garages, sand in the car and a dog that has just come back from the beach. A cleaning plan for a Jupiter home has to account for what comes in from outside as much as what happens inside.

The kinds of homes you find in Jupiter

Beach and inlet condos

Along the ocean and near the inlet, many residents live in condo buildings with balconies that face the water. Salt spray leaves a cloudy film on sliders and glass rails, and sand works into the tracks and the corners of tile floors. Inside, these units are mostly hard surfaces: porcelain or stone tile, quartz counters, stainless appliances and mirrored closet doors. Each of these looks clean only when it is wiped and dried, because water spots and smears show in the bright light that pours in off the ocean.

Abacoa and the newer planned neighborhoods

Abacoa, begun in 1997 west of I-95, was designed on New Urbanist ideas: walkable streets, a town center, and houses with garages reached from rear alleys so the fronts face the sidewalk. The homes are concrete block with tile, metal or shingle roofs, and the mix runs from single family houses to townhouses and apartments. For cleaning, the alley-loaded layout matters: most daily traffic comes in through the garage at the back, so the laundry room and kitchen entry take the brunt of the dirt. Townhouses add stairs, and stairs add dust on every tread and spindle.

Riverfront and waterfront single family homes

Homes along the Loxahatchee and the waterways near it often have docks, covered patios, outdoor showers and large sliding doors to the water. Humidity near the river stays high, and these houses tend to show mildew first in the places air does not move: closets, under bathroom sinks and in the caulk around tubs. Big windows and screened pool cages bring in natural light and a lot of pollen in the spring.

Jupiter Farms and the western edge

West of town lies Jupiter Farms, an unincorporated part of Palm Beach County served by Jupiter's fire station. Homes there have their own patterns of dirt and wear, and we cover the area on its own Jupiter Farms page.

What the water does

Jupiter's utility treats its water with membrane technology. Nanofiltration handles fresh water from the shallow aquifer, and reverse osmosis handles brackish water from the deep Floridan Aquifer; the reverse osmosis program, started in 1990, can supply over 70 percent of the town's average daily demand. Membrane treated water tends to be gentle on fixtures, but spots still appear wherever drops dry on glass and chrome, and a home on a private well can have very different water. If you see orange or brown staining in tubs or toilets, mention it when you book.

The Jupiter calendar

• Winter and spring. The dry season runs roughly November through April, and in late winter spring training brings the Cardinals and Marlins to Roger Dean Stadium in Abacoa, and many households host visitors. Guest rooms and guest baths get used more, and so do kitchens.
• Pollen season. From late winter into spring, oak and other tree pollen coats lanais, cars and window screens.
• Summer. May through October is hot and wet, with brief afternoon storms. Wet towels, muddy paws and humid closets are the main concerns.
• Turtle season. From March 1 to October 31, sea turtles nest on Jupiter's beaches, and homes in view of the sand keep outdoor lights off or shielded. Plan for darker walkways at oceanfront buildings in the evening.
• Hurricane season. June through November brings the possibility of shutters, stored furniture and a cleanup afterward.

Dogs and the beach

Jupiter has a 2.5 mile dog friendly stretch of beach between Marcinski Road and Carlin Park, and plenty of residents use it. That is great for the dog and hard on the floor. Sand in the fur ends up in the car, on the rug by the door and on the dog bed. If your dog is a beach regular, ask for attention to entry floors, baseboards and the areas where your dog sleeps, and keep a towel by the door.

Booking

Enter your ZIP code at /booking to see your price and open dates, or call (888) 378-7451, answered 24/7. TotalCare Cleaning serves Jupiter with cleaners who are interviewed and clear a nationwide background check before their first job. Professionals bring their own supplies and equipment, and the company carries general liability insurance up to $1 million. If a checklist area is missed, report it with a photo in the customer portal or by email by the end of the day after the clean, and a professional returns to re-clean that area at no charge.