Spring cleaning in Metro Atlanta: where to start
Spring cleaning in Georgia has a specific problem that spring cleaning elsewhere does not: pollen. From roughly March the yellow film gets into everything, and cleaning before the peak passes usually means cleaning twice.
Time it around the pollen, not the calendar
Do the outdoor-adjacent work, windows, screens, porches and entry matting, after the heaviest tree pollen has dropped rather than before. Indoors, the work that pays off during the peak is the work that stops pollen circulating once it is inside.
Air first
- Replace or wash HVAC filters and note the date on the frame
- Vacuum supply and return vent covers, then wipe them
- Wash or replace entry mats at every external door
- Vacuum with a machine that holds fine dust rather than redistributing it
Then the soft surfaces
Curtains, rugs, upholstery and bedding hold more airborne dust than any hard surface in the house. Launder what is washable, vacuum what is not, and do it before you clean the floors.
Windows, screens and thresholds
- Take screens out, wash them flat and let them dry before refitting
- Clean the glass on both sides once the screens are out
- Vacuum the tracks, then wipe them
- Sweep and wash porches, steps and the immediate approach to each door
Humidity is the other half of the job
Georgia summers are humid, and moisture is what turns settled dust into something that sticks. Check the seals around baths and showers, look at the grout in any room without good ventilation, and keep extractor fans clear so they actually move air.
Finish where the house meets outside
Entry points do the most work. Matting inside and out, a clear threshold and a habit of leaving shoes at the door cut what comes in far more than any single deep clean does.
