Florida Hurricane Home Guide: Prep, Supplies & the Cleanup After
Hurricane season runs June 1 through November 30 in Northeast Florida, and the peak lands August–October. Here’s the homeowner’s playbook — what to do before the storm, what to have on hand, and how to bring your home back after — from your neighbors at Maid Cleanup in Fernandina Beach.
Before the storm
Prep your home while the sky is still blue
- Bring in patio furniture, potted plants, and trash cans — anything the wind can throw.
- Clear gutters, downspouts, and yard drains so the water has somewhere to go.
- Photograph your home, roof, and yard — clear pictures make insurance claims dramatically easier.
- Fuel the vehicles and get some cash; pumps and card readers go down with the power.
- Turn the fridge and freezer to their coldest settings and freeze jugs of water — they buy you a day.
- Charge every phone and battery pack; locate flashlights before you need them.
- Seal important documents in zip bags and store them up high.
- Fill the bathtub — that water flushes toilets and washes hands if service stops.
- Run the laundry and the dishwasher now: if power or water goes, you'll be glad everything is clean.
Stock up
The supplies worth having every season
The generator note is life-or-death: carbon monoxide from a generator run indoors or near windows kills quietly. Outdoors only, always.
After the storm
The cleanup, in the right order
Treat every downed line as live, skip standing water, and keep the generator outdoors. Nothing on this list matters more.
Walk the property and shoot wide + close-up photos of all damage. Your insurance adjuster needs the "before cleanup" story.
Mold gets moving in 24–48 hours. Open windows, run fans and the AC or a dehumidifier, and pull up anything soaked.
An unopened fridge holds safe temps about 4 hours without power; a full freezer about 48. When in doubt, throw it out.
Every towel, curtain, and cushion cover that took on moisture goes through the wash. Surfaces that met flood water get cleaned, then disinfected.
Flood water in the walls, spreading mold, or biohazards are for licensed restoration specialists — that's damage repair, not house cleaning.
Once the home is dry and safe, everything wears a film of storm dust and stress. A professional Detail clean resets the whole house — see what that costs — so your family gets "normal" back faster.
Take it with you
The fridge-door version
Pop in your email and the print-ready checklist is yours right now — stick it on the fridge before the next storm watch.
Hit the button below and use your browser's print dialog — print it or save it as a PDF.
Storm questions, answered
When is hurricane season in Florida?
June 1 through November 30, with the most active stretch typically August through October. In Northeast Florida the smart move is having supplies stocked by early June. New to the area? Our new-resident guides for Fernandina Beach and Jacksonville cover the rest of settling in — hurricane prep included.
How fast does mold grow after a storm?
Mold can establish within 24–48 hours of water intrusion, which is why drying the home out is the very first cleanup priority after safety and insurance photos.
Should I clean my house before a hurricane?
It genuinely helps: clean laundry and dishes before landfall mean you’re not stuck with piles if power or water service stops, and a tidy home is faster to secure, faster to photograph for insurance, and faster to reset afterward.
Who handles the deep cleaning after a storm?
Damage — flooding, mold, debris — belongs to licensed restoration specialists. The everyday recovery is where a house cleaner shines: once your home is dry and safe, an independent cleaning professional can do a top-to-bottom Detail clean to clear the storm dust and give you your normal home back.
When the storm passes, get your normal back
Once your home is dry and safe, see your flat-rate price and book a reset clean online in about 60 seconds — backed by our 48-hour re-clean satisfaction guarantee.
Questions? Call or text (904) 206-8436