Opening and closing a seasonal home in Southwest Florida
On Longboat Key, about half of all homes are kept for seasonal use, and in Bradenton Beach it's about four in ten (U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024). A home that sits closed through a Florida summer needs different care than one that's lived in all year.
Before leaving for the season
- Empty the fridge and clean it. Anything left behind has months to go bad. A full fridge clean takes out the shelves and drawers, washes them and puts them back.
- Run the dishwasher and empty it. Leftover water and food sit for months otherwise.
- Take out all trash, including bathroom bins.
- Wash bedding and towels and store them dry.
- Clean the bathrooms. Tubs, showers and tile go into the summer clean instead of dirty.
- Wipe down the kitchen, including the counters, sink, backsplash and the outside of the cabinets and appliances.
- Keep humidity under control. Mold does best above 60 percent relative humidity, and bathrooms and kitchens are where it shows up first (UF/IFAS Extension). Setting the AC or a dehumidifier to hold humidity down matters more than any cleaning you do.
A deep clean covers the kitchen, bathrooms, floors and the details in one visit, which is why many owners book one for the week they leave.
While the home is closed
A closed house still collects dust, and the AC continues moving air through the vents. Some owners schedule a cleaning during the summer so the home doesn't sit with that buildup for months.
Before you return
- A deep clean before you arrive. Fans, vents, blinds, baseboards, sills, bathrooms and the kitchen.
- Lanai and sliding glass door. The package covers the lanai furniture, rugs and fans, the outdoor kitchen, and the sliding door inside and outside.
- Floors. Carpets vacuumed, hard floors vacuumed and damp mopped. Add carpet washing if a room needs more.
Then switch to regular visits while you're here, weekly, every two weeks or monthly.
See the results
About mold
We clean bathroom tile, tubs and showers on every visit. Mold that goes beyond a surface clean needs a licensed mold remediator in Florida, and we don't offer that service.
Service area
We clean seasonal homes and condos on Longboat Key, in Bradenton Beach, in Sarasota and across Manatee County.