Opening a lake house in spring: a cleaning plan for the first weekend

Before you start: open it up and look

Open every door and window you can and let the house air out for at least 30 minutes before you start cleaning. CDC's rodent guidance singles out cabins and seasonal homes, because droppings collect over months while a house is closed and the first person to sweep stirs up the most dust.

Walk through with a flashlight before touching anything. Look for droppings in kitchen drawers, under sinks, in closets and along baseboards, shredded paper or insulation, chewed packaging, water stains on ceilings and any musty patches. That walk tells you what kind of day it is going to be.

Dealing with mice first

If you find droppings, deal with them before any general cleaning. Spray them with a 1 to 10 bleach solution or a disinfectant until wet, leave them for 5 minutes, wipe them up with paper towels, bag them and disinfect the area. Do not sweep or vacuum dry droppings, and wear gloves throughout.

Food left in cabinets, paper goods and fabric that mice reached usually goes in the trash. Nesting in mattresses, cushions or insulation is a bigger job. Pest control should seal entry points, ideally before the house is closed again in the fall.

Musty smells and mildew

A musty smell means moisture has been sitting somewhere: a damp basement, a closet against an outside wall, cushions stored in a shed, or a mattress in a closed room. EPA's guidance on mold is that moisture control is the key: dry wet areas within 24 to 48 hours, and keep indoor humidity below 60%, ideally between 30 and 50%.

Clean mildew off hard surfaces with detergent and water and dry them completely. Run a dehumidifier in the basement and any closed rooms for the first few days. Large areas of mold, or mold growing on drywall, are a remediation job rather than a cleaning job.

The cleaning order that saves time

1. Dust ceilings, fans, light fixtures and the tops of cabinets first.
2. Clean and disinfect the kitchen: inside cabinets, the refrigerator, counters and sink.
3. Clean and disinfect the bathrooms.
4. Wipe windowsills and window tracks, where dead insects collect over the winter.
5. Wash all bedding and towels that were left out, and air or vacuum the mattresses.
6. Vacuum upholstery and rugs, then clean the floors last.

Get the water turned back on and the water heater restarted the way your plumber or the house manual describes before you start, and flush the faucets before using the water for cleaning or drinking.

Porches, decks and outdoor furniture

Porch furniture, cushions, grills and the dock collect pollen, bird and wildlife droppings and mildew over the winter. Wash outdoor furniture with soapy water and let it dry in the sun, check stored cushions for mildew and droppings before bringing them out, and clean the grill before the first cookout. Boats and campers that wintered nearby need the same attention to droppings and mildew inside.

If the house is a rental

Around Candlewood Lake, the largest lake in Connecticut, many homes are second homes, and plenty are rented out for summer weekends. If yours is, the opening clean is the deepest of the year and sets the standard for every turnover after it. Book it before the first guest arrives, and plan a matching closing clean in the fall so the house is never sealed up dirty for the winter.

Sources

1. CDC: How to clean up after rodents
2. EPA Mold Course, Chapter 9: Prevention
3. EPA: Mold and moisture resource directory
4. Wikipedia: Candlewood Lake