How hard is post construction cleaning?
This question cannot really be answered with a simple yes or no. A lot of factors contribute to the answer.
Post construction cleaning is pretty similar to regular cleaning but with a couple of extra steps that require more skill. If you are the type of person that loves cleaning and is good at it, this project won't be too much to handle for you. On the other hand, if you tend to turn to cleaning services when you need a deep clean of your house, you should also look into post construction cleaning services as well.
The work that needs to be done for deep post construction clean requires a lot of special tools like wet and dry vacuum, commercial floor polishers, steam cleaner, and shop vac. Most of these can be rented from a local hardware store, but if you are not sure that you can figure out how to use these tools, you should look into hiring cleaning professionals.
Read below a list that will help you decide if you should do construction cleaning yourself or hire someone to clean the construction mess.
Should you hire a construction cleaning crew?
Many homeowners tend to overlook hiring professional help since post construction cleanup cost can be pretty high. But if you add up all the materials you will need to get in order to clean everything yourself, the cost of professionals can either equal to the equipment cost or cost less. Just search up how much construction cleaning for residential services cost in your area, and compare how much the final cost is to rent the equipment.
When you do that, checkout these reasons that show why calling the pros might be beneficial for you:
Safety issues
Professional construction cleaning crew know the hazards that come with cleaning after a big construction project. From glass shards to stray nails, the pros know what to look for to minimize mess and do an amazing job.
Skills
Anyone can clean well, but cleaning pros know more about the cleaning procedures after a construction job. They have been taught the best methods and equipment that should be used to clean surfaces and any types of stain. In addition, pro cleaners know the places that many people tend to overlook.
Equipment
Cost of renting proper equipment for post construction rough cleaning can be rocket high. In addition, it might be hard for you to figure out to use it right away. This is where paying for post construction cleaning services can be more efficient since they already come with the necessary equipment and they know how to use it.
Why you should do post construction cleaning yourself
We have listed a bunch of reasons why you should hire a professional to clean up after a construction process, but there are also some points that are in favor of doing the job yourself.
First of all, you know your use better than any outside person does. You know the small crooks and crevices all around your home that over people might neglect. In addition, everyone knows that no one cleans your house better than yourself since this is where you live. You will make sure that everything is absolutely spotless since this is the your dafe place where you spend majority of your time.
Also, if you find the right bargain for renting the equipment necessary for post construction site cleanup, it will cost you much less than hiring someone professional. This process needs a lot of time and patience, but it can be fairly easy to figure out how to cleanup all the dust and leftover materials once you get the hang of it.
Post construction cleaning checklist
Post construction cleaning supplies
- Broom
- Stiff-bristled brush
- Handheld brush and dustpan
- Mop and bucket
- Cleaning rags
- Microfibers
- Dusters
- Sponges
- Plastic sheets
- Masking tape
- Putty knife
- All-purpose cleaner
- White vinegar
- Hydrogen peroxide
- Glass cleaner solution
- Trash bags
Post construction cleaning tools
These are the equipment that can be necessary for certain jobs that need to be done for general cleaning post construction. You should walk through your property and see which machinery is absolutely necessary in order to save money.
- High powered vacuum cleaner (shop vac)
- Wet/dry vacuum (best if it is a high efficiency particulate air filter)
- Carpet cleaner
- Floor waxing and polisher
- Power washer
- Steam cleaner
Personal Protective Equipment
In addition to all the equipment and supplies we have listed for post construction cleaning, you need to get safety equipment that is crucial when cleaning a construction site.
The contractors may have left broken glass, nails, and other dangerous materials that can hurt you in the process of cleaning. Therefore, you should always wear closed-toe, rubber soled shoes when you are walking into a post renovation cleaning process. You should also wear a dust mask that will protect you lungs from harmful debris and dust, and eye protection that will prevent any irritations you might get in your eyes.
- Rubber soled shoes
- Rubber gloves
- Dust mask
- Goggles (or any other eye protection)
Post construction cleaning process - Post construction cleaning steps
After you have gathered all the necessary supplies, equipment, and protective gear, it is time to start the lengthy process. First part of the whole construction cleanup consists of preparation for the actual ordeal. You need to focus on removing dust and debris that has been left from the construction phase.
Pre-post construction cleaning
Step 1: Seal off with plastic
Before vacuuming the dust, grab a plastic sheet and masking tape and seal off any rooms that aren't affected. Put the plastic around the walls and doors as well as vents and any other openings to protect your HVAC system.
Step 2: Sweep
Start the light clean up with sweeping. Use a soft-bristled broom to sweep each affected area with fine dust as much as you can. You should also sweep the ceiling, ceiling fans, and walls to remove debris.
You should always sweep from the farthest point from the front door and work your way to the outside.
Rough clean
Once most of the large debris is removed, you should move on to the rough cleaning part of the post construction cleaning. This is the second stage of the whole process where you focus on collecting and removing larger pieces of the exterior work.
Step 3: Light clean
Start by removing debris from construction. It could be things like nails, glass, and remaining dust.
Step 4: Stains removal
Use a sponge or a microfiber with your preferred cleaner to remove stains, paint splashes, and adhesive residue from walls and floors.
Step 5: Windows cleaning
Use a dry cloth with a window cleaner to start washing windows. Make sure to clean the window frames, glass doors, interior windows and partitions in this step as well.
Step 6: Vacuum
Grab your we/dry vacuum and begin picking up all the remaining dust that you didn't get while sweeping.
Deep clean
In this phase of the construction cleanup, you need to take care of more detailed parts of the process. This includes detailing the floor, walls, air ducts, and other detailed spots.
Step 7: Kitchen and bathroom
Grab an all-purpose cleaner and focus on the kitchen and bathroom areas. Make sure to clean inside cabinets and other small crevices that might be in those rooms.
Step 8: Floors
Start by cleaning the floors with a damp towel or a mop. Make sure to start at the farthest point of each room and move to the door.
If you notice any scuff marks, use a sponge damped with mixture of vinegar and water to gently scrub them off.
Learn more how to clean hardwood floors in our full guide.
Step 9: Walls and light fixtures
Use a damp cloth to wipe down the walls from any dust and other particles. While you are at it, take care of the light fixtures, doors, baseboards, and all the cabinets.
Step 10: Final cleaning
For the final step, take care of any carpeting you have in your home. Vacuum it and deep clean it by spreading some baking soda on it for a couple of hours. Then, vacuum it up.
Touch up cleaning post construction
After a couple of days of deep post construction cleaning you might notice that more dust has appeared ob flat surfaces and such. Smudges and fingerprints might also come out after the construction cleanup. This is when you need to complete the very last phase of the whole process.
Step 11: Finish up
Use a damp microfiber to go over last signs of construction. It could be things like finger prints, more dust, and unnoticed pain splatters.
Cleaning tips
- Construction work can be hard on your new flooring. This is why it is important to use non-toxic cleaning solution as to not damage it even more.
- Check the ingredients of the floor cleaning solution and make sure you are using a floor cleaner that is particularly make for your type of flooring.
- Larger projects, like a house, require much more time and effort to conduct a construction cleanup. If you are working on such projects, look into getting a steam cleaner. A stem cleaner will speed up the whole process and leave you with beautiful results.
- One of the best cleaners on the market is the Fortador Volt Mini . If you are interested in learning more about this machine, check out out website for more information.