Cleaning a Levittown Home: Slab Floors, Compact Kitchens and No Basement

In most houses, the basement holds the laundry, the furnace, extra storage and the things nobody wants to look at. In a Levittown home, all of that has to fit on the main floors, in a utility room, the attic, a shed or a converted carport or garage. The result is that clutter accumulates in living spaces faster.

Keeping storage under control is the first step to keeping the house clean. Use closed bins on closet shelves, keep the utility room floor clear so it can be swept, and go through one closet or cabinet a month. Less stuff on surfaces means faster dusting and vacuuming.

Because the homes sit on slabs, floors on the main level can feel cooler in winter, and older slabs may not have a vapor barrier underneath. Many owners have covered them with tile, vinyl plank, laminate or carpet over the years.

Each surface needs its own care. Tile and vinyl: vacuum or sweep first, then mop with a cleaner suited to the material. Laminate: never wet mop, since water swells the seams, so use a barely damp microfiber pad. Carpet over slab: vacuum often and blot spills quickly, and keep an eye on any musty smell near exterior walls, which can be a sign of moisture worth having checked.

With no basement, the water heater, furnace and laundry often share a small room on the main floor. Lint and dust collect quickly there and get carried into the rest of the house. Once a month, sweep or vacuum the floor, wipe the tops of the washer and dryer, clean the lint trap housing and dust around (not inside) the furnace and water heater. Replace the furnace filter on schedule.

Keep the area around the furnace and water heater clear of stored items, which is both cleaner and safer.

Kitchens in many Levittown homes are compact, and many have been remodeled or opened to the living room. In a compact kitchen, grease and crumbs concentrate on a few surfaces. Wipe the stovetop and backsplash after cooking, clean the microwave and sink weekly and mop the floor every week. Once a month, clean the range hood filter, the top of the refrigerator and cabinet fronts and handles.

Homes with a second floor or a finished attic often have bedrooms under a sloped ceiling. Dust collects on the angles and on top of closet doors. Use an extendable duster every few weeks, dust ceiling fans monthly and vacuum under beds, where dust from the whole floor tends to settle.

Spring: Levittown's mature street trees bring pollen in April and May. Wipe sills, wash screens and plan a deep cleaning after the worst passes.

Summer: humidity affects slab homes and bathrooms. Run bathroom fans, use a dehumidifier if rooms feel damp and scrub grout weekly.

Fall: leaves and mud come in through the front and back doors. Wash mats and sweep entries often, and clean vents before heating season.

Winter: road salt and closed windows. Mop entries weekly, use a boot tray and change furnace filters on schedule.

If your home still has a single main bathroom shared by the whole family, keep in mind that a bathroom shared by a whole family needs cleaning at least weekly: toilet inside and out, sink, mirror, tub and shower, grout and floor. Run the exhaust fan or open the window during and after showers to keep moisture down.

Older tile and grout respond best to a mild cleaner and a soft brush used often. Harsh bleach products used once in a while wear grout down and do not prevent mildew from coming back.

Many Levittown homes have a carport or a converted garage, and families often come and go through a side or back door. That entry takes the most dirt, so put a coarse mat outside and an absorbent mat inside, add a boot tray and a few hooks, and sweep the area every few days in wet weather.

A weekly cleaning that covers the kitchen, bathrooms, dusting, vacuuming and mopping, plus a monthly round of baseboards, ceiling fans, vents and the utility room, keeps a Levittown home in good shape. A deep cleaning in spring and before the holidays catches everything else.

S&A House Cleaning is based in Delran, New Jersey, a short drive across the Delaware River, and has more than four years of experience cleaning houses, apartments, condos and offices. We clean original and renovated Levitt homes alike. For details, see our house cleaning in Levittown page, or call or text (856) 258-0638 to request a quote.