Opening and Closing a Maine Camp or Cottage: A Cleaning Checklist

In Maine, a camp is not a summer program; it is the cottage on the lake. Many Maine families own one, and many more people rent cottages along the coast every summer. Each one opens in spring after months closed up and closes in fall before the freeze. This guide walks through the cleaning side of opening and closing a camp or cottage, with checklists for owners and hosts.

Opening day: what to expect

A building closed from October to May collects its own kind of mess: dust, cobwebs, dead flies on every sill, a musty smell in mattresses and cushions, and sometimes signs that mice spent the winter inside. Pipes may have been drained, the fridge propped open, and the dock and furniture stored. Before any cleaning, make sure the water is back on safely, the electrics and gas are checked, and anything that froze is inspected.

If mice moved in

Mouse droppings are common in camps and should not be swept or vacuumed dry, which stirs dust into the air. Public health guidance is to open windows and air the building for at least 30 minutes, wear gloves, spray droppings and nesting material with a disinfectant or a bleach solution, wait several minutes, then wipe up with paper towels and bag it. Then disinfect the surfaces and wash any bedding or fabrics that were touched. For heavy infestations, a pest control professional should come first.

The opening checklist

• Open every window and air the building
• Flush taps and run water until it is clear; if the camp is on a well, consider testing the water at the start of each season
• Dust top to bottom: ceilings and cobwebs, beams, light fixtures, shelves, then sills
• Vacuum dead insects from sills, tracks and light covers
• Clean the fridge, freezer and oven inside, and wipe every cabinet before putting food away
• Scrub bathrooms and descale fixtures; iron stains from well water need a rust cleaner, not bleach
• Wash all bedding, towels and curtains, and air or clean mattresses and cushions
• Sweep porches and decks, and wash outdoor furniture once it is out of storage

Pine pollen timing

Maine is the Pine Tree State, and from late May into June pine pollen coats everything outside in yellow and drifts in through open windows. If you open the camp in mid-May, you may want a quick second wipe of sills, screens, decks and outdoor furniture once the pollen has fallen. Leave pressure washing until then too, or you will do it twice.

Through the season

For families, a light clean every week or two keeps sand, lake grit and pine needles under control. For rentals, turnovers between guests reset the cottage: linens changed, bathrooms and kitchen cleaned, floors swept and mopped, trash out and supplies restocked, with a photo report for the host. Coastal cottages fight salt film on windows and mildew in damp bathrooms; run exhaust fans and dehumidifiers, and wipe windows on a calm, dry day.

Notes for hosts

Maine taxes short-term stays under its lodging tax, and towns set their own rules; Portland, for example, requires short-term rentals to be registered every year, and South Portland restricts non-owner-occupied rentals in residential zones. Check your town’s rules before listing. For the cleaning side, keep a locked owner’s closet with spare linens and supplies, a printed checklist on the inside of the door, and a standing turnover schedule for the busy weeks.

Closing day

Closing a camp well is what makes next spring’s opening easy. The aim is to leave nothing that attracts mice or grows mold over the winter.

• Remove all food, including sealed packages and spices; mice chew through cardboard and plastic
• Empty, clean and dry the fridge and freezer, then prop the doors open
• Clean the oven, stovetop and every cabinet and drawer, and leave cabinet doors ajar
• Wash and dry all bedding and towels; store them in sealed plastic bins, not cardboard
• Clean bathrooms, then follow your plumber’s advice on draining pipes and protecting traps
• Vacuum and mop floors, and sweep porches and decks
• Take out every bag of trash and recycling; nothing should stay over the winter
• Close the woodstove damper once the stove is cold and ash is removed to a metal container outside

Keeping a closed cottage fresh

A closed building can grow mold if moisture gets in. Before you leave, check for roof leaks and gaps around windows and doors, and consider moisture absorbers in closets and bathrooms. Leave interior doors open so air can move. If someone checks the property over the winter, ask them to look for leaks and signs of animals.

Woodstoves and fireplaces

Many camps have a woodstove or fireplace for cool spring and fall evenings. Have the chimney inspected and swept as recommended before the first fire of the season. Remove cold ash into a metal container with a lid and keep it outside, away from the building, until it is completely cold; ash can hold heat for days. Wipe the hearth, glass and nearby walls with a damp cloth after vacuuming loose ash, so it is lifted rather than smeared.

Water, wells and septic

Most camps rely on a private well or lake water system and a septic system. At opening, run taps until the water is clear and follow your plumber’s or water specialist’s advice on testing and treatment; Maine’s public health agency recommends regular testing of private wells. Use septic-safe cleaning products and avoid pouring grease, wipes or large amounts of bleach down the drains, which can upset the system. Iron stains in sinks and toilets come off with a rust cleaner, not bleach.

A camp cleaning kit to leave on site

Keep a sealed bin at the camp with gloves, paper towels, a disinfectant, an all-purpose cleaner, a rust stain remover, microfiber cloths, a broom, dustpan, mop and bucket, a vacuum with attachments, trash bags and a few moisture absorbers. Restock it at closing so opening day starts with everything to hand.

Decks, docks and outdoor furniture

Decks and docks collect pollen, bird droppings, algae and mildew. Sweep first, then wash with a deck cleaner and a soft brush, and rinse away from the water’s edge so soapy runoff stays out of the lake. Soft-wash painted or stained wood rather than blasting it. Wash cushions and covers, and let them dry fully in the sun before storing them in fall.

A camp and cottage calendar

Cleaning through the year at a Maine camp or cottage

When	What to do
Early to mid May	Opening deep clean, linens washed, water flushed
Late May to June	Pine pollen wipe-down, pressure washing once pollen has fallen
July and August	Weekly cleans or guest turnovers
September to October	Closing clean, food out, fridge open, linens sealed

What it costs

An opening clean is usually priced as a deep clean, which starts at $200; turnovers between guests start at $90; carpet and upholstery cleaning starts at $45 a room; and pressure washing of decks and porches starts at $150. Your exact price depends on size, condition and extras and is confirmed in writing before you book.

What to do next

Get a free quote with your opening or closing date, or see rental turnovers in Maine, including Naples, Bridgton, Ogunquit and Old Orchard Beach, and deep cleaning in Maine.