When to wash your house in northern Michigan: the pollen, algae and winter calendar

Exterior cleaning up north is seasonal — there's no washing a frozen house in January. Within the April-to-November window, though, timing matters.

Spring: clear the winter and the pollen

Late spring is the most popular time to wash, and for good reason. Winter leaves salt film on concrete and lower siding, and the heavy pine and tree pollen that coats everything in May settles into a film that a wash lifts cleanly. A spring wash resets the house for the season.

Summer: knock back the algae

Algae and mildew grow fastest in warm, humid stretches — especially on north- and lake-facing walls that never fully dry. A mid-season wash keeps growth from getting established and keeps a lake house guest-ready.

Fall: before it closes up

A fall wash clears leaf tannins and the season's grime, and it's the smart move before a second home is closed up for winter, so it's not sitting dirty for six months.

The winter gap

December through March there's simply no exterior work up here — which is exactly why our Protection Plan bills April through November and never in winter. You're never paying for months with no service.