Introduction: When Cedar Fever Follows You Indoors
If you live in Austin, you probably know the feeling: you step outside in January, see a yellow film on your car, and your eyes start itching before you even get to the driveway. That’s cedar fever. And during peak season, it doesn’t just stay outside — it rides in on your clothes, pets, shoes, and even the air from leaky windows and doors.
For allergy sufferers, a regular cleaning routine often isn’t enough during cedar season. The good news: a few focused cedar fever cleaning tips can dramatically cut how much pollen lingers in your home so you can breathe easier. Drawing on more than 22 years of helping Austin homeowners manage allergies, The Boardwalk Cleaning Co. has refined a practical, room-by-room approach that works in real homes, not just in theory.
In this guide, you’ll learn:
- Why cedar fever is such a big issue in Austin homes
- Simple daily and weekly cleaning routines to reduce pollen indoors
- Common cedar-fever cleaning mistakes that make symptoms worse
- How a professional cleaning team can support allergy sufferers when DIY isn’t enough
Why Cedar Fever Cleaning Matters So Much in Austin
Cedar fever hits Central Texas hard because of mountain cedar trees (Ashe juniper) that surround Austin and the Hill Country. On windy days, clouds of pollen drift across neighborhoods from Cedar Park and Leander to West Lake Hills, Lakeway, and Round Rock. That pollen settles on:
- Window sills and frames
- Blinds and ceiling fans
- Floors and baseboards
- Upholstery, bedding, and pet beds
Even if you keep windows closed, pollen finds its way inside through:
- HVAC systems and air leaks
- Opening doors for deliveries, kids, and pets
- Clothing, backpacks, and hair
During cedar season, indoor cleaning does more than make your home look nice — it’s part of your allergy management plan. Health authorities emphasize that reducing indoor allergens through routine cleaning can support allergy control alongside medical treatment.
If you want a broader view of how cleaning impacts allergies beyond cedar season, you can dive deeper into Boardwalk’s Austin allergy cleaning guide for a full, year-round strategy.
Internal link (Pillar): Learn more in the Austin allergy cleaning guide.
Step-by-Step Cedar Fever Cleaning Tips for Austin Homes
This routine is designed for Austin’s cedar season (roughly December through February). Adjust up or down depending on how sensitive your household is.
Daily Cedar Fever Cleaning Routine (10–20 minutes)
- Prioritize entry points
- Place a washable mat inside every main entry.
- Ask the family to remove shoes at the door.
- Keep a laundry basket by the entry for coats/hoodies used outside.
- Place a washable mat inside every main entry.
- Quick floor control in high-traffic areas
- Use a vacuum with a HEPA filter on entry rugs and main walkways each day.
- For hard floors, use a microfiber dust mop rather than a dry broom (brooms just push pollen around).
- Use a vacuum with a HEPA filter on entry rugs and main walkways each day.
- Spot clean visible pollen
- Wipe window sills, sliding door tracks, and railings you can see dust on.
- Use a slightly damp microfiber cloth and rinse it often so you’re removing dust, not smearing it.
- Wipe window sills, sliding door tracks, and railings you can see dust on.
- Bedroom basics for allergy relief
- Keep bedroom doors closed during the day as much as possible.
- Change clothes after being outside for a while and keep “outdoor clothes” out of the bedroom when you can.
- Keep bedroom doors closed during the day as much as possible.
Safety tip: Stick to gentle, fragrance-free cleaners if you’re sensitive. Never mix bleach with ammonia or vinegar, and always vent rooms well when using any chemical cleaner.
Weekly Cedar Fever Routine (30–90 minutes, depending on home size)
- Dust top-to-bottom, not the other way around
- Start with:
- Ceiling fans (very important in Austin ranch and two-story homes)
- Light fixtures
- Tops of door frames and cabinets
- Ceiling fans (very important in Austin ranch and two-story homes)
- Then move to:
- Blinds and window frames
- Furniture surfaces
- Baseboards
- Blinds and window frames
- Start with:
- Use a microfiber cloth or duster designed to trap dust (not just a feather duster that redistributes it).
- Deep vacuuming with the right tools
- Use a vacuum with a HEPA filter and sealed system if possible.
- Go slowly over:
- Carpets and rugs
- Upholstered furniture (especially in living rooms and home offices)
- Carpets and rugs
- Use crevice tools along baseboards and around vents where pollen collects.
- Use a vacuum with a HEPA filter and sealed system if possible.
- Bedding & soft fabrics
- Wash sheets and pillowcases weekly in hot water (check label first).
- Wash blankets and comforters more often during peak cedar if symptoms are bad.
- Consider using allergen-proof covers on pillows and mattresses if cedar fever is severe.
- Wash sheets and pillowcases weekly in hot water (check label first).
- Filter & HVAC checks
- Check HVAC filters often during cedar season and replace them on the short end of the manufacturer’s schedule.
- If your system allows, use filters rated to capture smaller particles (MERV rating within your HVAC tech’s recommendation).
- Check HVAC filters often during cedar season and replace them on the short end of the manufacturer’s schedule.
Health-focused organizations share that reducing indoor allergens with regular cleaning and filtration is a key part of managing respiratory symptoms, right alongside medical care.
Bathroom & Kitchen Cedar Fever Touchpoints
Even in rooms where you don’t think about pollen, it can still settle:
- Bathroom: Clean exhaust fan covers, top edges of shower doors, and window sills.
- Kitchen: Wipe cabinet tops (if exposed), refrigerator tops, and light fixtures — spots that stay dusty for months if ignored.
A simple all-purpose cleaner and microfiber cloth are usually enough here. Focus on dust and film you can see; that’s where pollen is hiding.
Austin Entryway “Pollen Trap” Setup
Create a small system at every main entry to cut how much cedar pollen makes it past the door:
At the door:
- A heavy-duty outdoor mat plus a washable indoor mat.
- A shoe basket or shelf.
Just inside:
- Hooks for coats, dog leashes, and backpacks.
- A small laundry hamper or basket labeled “cedar season outerwear.”
This simple setup, combined with regular cleaning, makes a big difference, especially for homes with kids, pets, or frequent visitors.
Common Cedar Fever Cleaning Mistakes in Austin Homes
Even well-intentioned cleaning can backfire during cedar season. Here are mistakes Boardwalk’s team sees most often:
- Dry dusting with old T-shirts or feather dusters
- These spread pollen into the air instead of trapping it.
- Fix: Use damp microfiber cloths or electrostatic dusters.
- These spread pollen into the air instead of trapping it.
- Skipping ceiling fans and high surfaces
- In many Austin homes with high ceilings and open floor plans, fans and ledges collect huge amounts of cedar pollen.
- Fix: Dust top surfaces first, then work your way down.
- In many Austin homes with high ceilings and open floor plans, fans and ledges collect huge amounts of cedar pollen.
- Vacuuming with a worn-out or low-quality vacuum
- Some vacuums leak fine particles right back out.
- Fix: Use a HEPA vacuum when possible and replace bags/filters on schedule.
- Some vacuums leak fine particles right back out.
- Letting pets sleep on unwashed fabrics
- Dogs that play in the yard bring cedar pollen back to beds and sofas.
- Fix: Wash pet beds, throw blankets, and slipcovers frequently during cedar season.
- Dogs that play in the yard bring cedar pollen back to beds and sofas.
- Not cleaning or replacing HVAC filters often enough
- Clogged filters can reduce airflow and leave more allergens floating around the home.
- Clogged filters can reduce airflow and leave more allergens floating around the home.
Professional Insight: What Boardwalk Technicians See in Austin Cedar Season
With more than two decades serving Austin neighborhoods from Pflugerville to Georgetown, Boardwalk’s teams have cleaned through a lot of cedar seasons. They’ve learned a few patterns that show up again and again:
- Bedrooms are often the worst allergy zone.
Homeowners keep doors open, let pets on the bed, and rarely dust headboards and nightstands. A focused bedroom cleaning often gives the biggest relief. - Two-story homes trap pollen on stair rails and upstairs landings.
These are high-traffic areas that are easy to forget in a quick clean. - Busy families underestimate how fast dust builds up.
When both adults work or kids have packed schedules, it’s hard to stick to the extra cedar-season cleaning on top of normal life.
Boardwalk’s standard maintenance clean can be adjusted to prioritize allergy hot spots like bedrooms, living rooms, and high-traffic hallways during cedar season, while still keeping kitchens and bathrooms in good shape.
If cedar fever hits you hard in winter but you also struggle with grass and ragweed in the summer, it can help to read about how to manage summer allergies in Austin as well — many of the same cleaning principles apply year-round.
Internal link (Cluster): Learn more about summer allergies in Austin.
When DIY Cedar Fever Cleaning Isn’t Enough
You can do a lot on your own with consistent routines. But there are times when bringing in a professional cleaning team makes sense:
- Your allergies are severe and you’re struggling to keep up.
- You’ve fallen behind on dusting, and there’s visible buildup on fans, blinds, and baseboards.
- You work long hours and don’t want to spend your limited free time dusting and vacuuming.
- You have young kids, pets, or both, and the house just never seems to stay clean.
A professional Austin cleaning service can:
- Deep-clean the areas you haven’t touched in months (or years).
- Follow a system that focuses on top-to-bottom dust removal.
- Maintain a consistent level of cleanliness so cedar pollen doesn’t build up.
If you’re ready to hand off the hardest parts, this is the point to consider booking standard house cleaning services in Austin with a trusted team that already understands local allergen patterns and how to work around your schedule.
Internal link (Conversion): Explore standard house cleaning services in Austin.
FAQ: Cedar Fever Cleaning in Austin
- How often should I clean my home during cedar fever season in Austin?
During peak cedar season, plan on quick daily touch-ups (entryways, floors, and visible pollen) plus a deeper weekly clean focused on dusting high-to-low and thorough vacuuming. Extremely sensitive allergy sufferers may benefit from adding a mid-week dusting in bedrooms and main living areas. - What’s the best way to reduce cedar pollen in Austin homes?
Combine several strategies: remove shoes at the door, use washable mats, dust with damp microfiber cloths, vacuum with a HEPA-filter vacuum, wash bedding weekly in hot water, and replace HVAC filters more frequently. Health organizations emphasize that reducing indoor allergens is an important part of managing respiratory symptoms, along with proper medical care. - Do air purifiers actually help with cedar fever?
Yes, a good-quality air purifier with a true HEPA filter can help reduce airborne pollen in bedrooms and main living areas. It works best in addition to regular cleaning, not instead of it. If you only buy a purifier but never dust or vacuum, pollen will still settle on surfaces and get stirred up again. - How do I know if cleaning is helping my cedar fever symptoms?
Most people notice that symptoms are a bit better on days after thorough cleaning: less congestion at night, fewer sneezing fits indoors, and less visible dust on surfaces. Track your cleaning routine and your symptoms for a couple of weeks; if they improve when you clean consistently, you’re on the right track. - When should I consider hiring a professional cleaning service for cedar fever season?
If you’ve tried doing it yourself and still feel miserable inside your home, or if your schedule simply doesn’t allow for extra cleaning during cedar season, it’s time to look for professional help. A trusted Austin cleaning company can do an initial deep refresh and then maintain your home on a recurring schedule so you’re not starting from zero every cedar season.
