Snowbird return checklist for your home's glass

What six months away does

Sprinklers ran all summer and spotted the lower glass. Storm season left dirt and salt film. Pollen from spring may still be baked on if the house was empty since March. Slider tracks collected debris and possibly mildew. Lanai glass hazed from humidity. None of it is damage yet, but it's what you'll see the moment you walk in.

Before you arrive

Exterior window clean, done without you home, with photos texted. Have your caretaker or property manager arrange gate access. If the house had a pressure wash scheduled, do that first and the windows after.

The week after

Inside-and-out clean once you're settled and can let us in. Tracks vacuumed, sills detailed, blinds put back. Hard water treatment on any glass that spotted over the summer.

Next year

Keep an exterior schedule going while you're away: quarterly for most homes, every two months for oceanfront. Salt and minerals never get a full season to bond, and the return clean is lighter.

Beyond the glass

While you're scheduling, the same week is a good time for the pressure washer (before the windows), the AC service and the irrigation check. Ask the irrigation company to point heads away from the glass; it's the single cheapest way to keep your windows clean for the season.