A month by month cleaning calendar for Wilmington, tied to local weather and insects: nor'easters and snow, a humid summer, lanternflies from July, stink bugs in autumn and leaf pickup.
Wilmington has four true seasons and rain in all of them, which makes it easier to plan around what changes rather than what stays the same. This calendar follows the local climate, along with the insects and storms that shape each part of the year.
You do not need to do all of this. Pick the jobs that fit your home, and use the rest to decide what to ask of a cleaner.
Winters are cool to cold, and average seasonal snowfall is about 20 inches, though totals vary widely from year to year. The Delaware State Climatologist reports the state's coolest mean annual temperature, 54.0 degrees, in northern New Castle County, so homes around Hockessin and the north of the county may see more of the cold.
Nor'easters can bring heavy snow or rain through winter and into spring, and salt and grit come in on boots afterward. Keep a boot tray and two mats at each door, and sweep or vacuum before mopping so grit does not scratch old wood floors. Stink bugs that got in during autumn may wake up on warm days, so vacuum them from sills as they appear. Late winter is also a good time to wipe down the tops of door casings and picture rails.
Precipitation is spread fairly evenly through the year, so spring is not unusually wet, but mud and yard work make it feel that way. Clean the window tracks and blinds at this point, and take down and wash curtains if you can. Spring nor'easters can still bring heavy rain, so check basement corners afterward.
This is a sensible stretch for a One-Time Deep Clean if your home has been shut for months, particularly a rowhouse with a lot of old trim. In Newark, the University of Delaware school year ends in May, and the UDon't Need It program helps students and landlords drop off items instead of trashing them. If you own a rental near campus, plan your turnover around that.
This is the humid part of the year. About 21 days a year reach 90 degrees or hotter. Bathrooms are slow to dry, so run the fan after each shower and keep up on grout and shower corners. Change air filters, and wipe the vents and return grilles that have been working hardest.
Adult spotted lanternflies appear as early as July, and they release sticky honeydew that draws wasps and ants and grows black sooty mold. Rinse porch rails, outdoor furniture and steps, and shake out door mats. Keep doors shut when you can, since they tend to hitch a ride. Storm systems matter here as well: the remnants of Hurricane Ida flooded areas along Brandywine Creek in September 2021, and more than 200 people in Wilmington were rescued. Keep important papers and electronics up off basement floors.
Stink bugs try to get indoors as autumn evenings turn cold. Clear window tracks and sills, and vacuum any that turn up. Lanternflies keep going for a while, with most dying off by the end of December. Autumn tropical systems are among the seasonal severe weather the state climatologist lists, so check gutters and basement corners after a big rain.
Leaves track in with every trip, and the City of Newark collects them from the second Monday of October through December. Change your furnace filter and vacuum registers before heavy use. And if you plan to host, the weeks before the holidays are a natural time for a deep clean of baseboards, blinds and shower glass, so that guests see the house at its best.
Here is the short version of the Wilmington year, for anyone who wants a simple list.
The questions Wilmington homeowners ask most often about this topic, answered plainly.
TotalCare Cleaning will service Wilmington 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.
