Having construction work done on your home is stressful enough, without letting your mind wander to a time in the future when the work is complete, and you’re left facing the post-construction cleanup.
With the work finally finished on your home, the chances are that you just want to enjoy it – and while it may be tempting to rush the cleaning process to allow you to start using the space as soon as possible, cleaning and clearing up is actually a really important part of the overall construction process.
After all, aside from presenting your home and newly renovated space in the best way possible, it is also important that you make sure that your home is safe and is not going to cause any ongoing danger to you or your family. If you want to know how to safely complete a post-construction cleanup, then read on.
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Stage 1: The preparation
Before diving straight into the process of post-construction cleaning, it’s logical to have a plan in place. You should know what you’re cleaning and when. Depending on what stage you’re at, this may take varying amounts of time – however, as a general rule, you should begin cleaning at the point in your home which is farthest away from your front door. This way you won’t be treading any new dirt through your sparkling clean rooms as you go.
We also recommend that you make sure you’ve got rid of any sitting dust before starting, to prevent your cleaning products from simply pushing and spreading this layer of dust around. This can easily be done using a vacuum cleaner or a dustpan and brush.
Stage 2: The rough clean
Once the preparation stage is out of the way and you’ve got yourself a relatively dust-free canvas to start on, you can get on with a rough clean. In most cases, this stage actually occurs when the building work is still taking place so you will need to be a little flexible and work around your construction works where you can.
While some homeowners will wait until a room is complete before they work on the clean-up, others will get stuck in early when the builders have finished the plumbing, wiring and framing, and are yet to start the décor and finer details.
At this point, you or a professional cleaning service will be able to access the site and remove anything and everything from rubbish to debris. The rough clean is basically the stage where all the surface level dirt is cleaned up so that the next stage of construction can get underway, or the deep clean can begin.
The key thing here is to not spend too much time on the rough clean. In most cases, this is a good way of keeping on top of the cleaning process to minimise the amount of work you face when the project is completed. After you’ve completed this clean, it’s likely that builders will return to the site, which only means that more mess will be created.
Once the rough clean is finished, the construction workers will be able to complete things like the flooring and painting, and you’ll be free to move onto stage three…
Stage 3: The final clean
Although it’s not the final stage of the post-construction cleanup, it is named the final clean for a reason. This is because it’s at this stage that all the construction work has taken place, the builders have gone, and your house is yours to enjoy again.
In almost every case, this is by far the most rigorous and the longest part of the cleaning process. In fact, if you plan on bringing professional cleaners in for some of the construction cleaning process but can only afford to have them for one stage, this is the stage we’d recommend you do so.
Professional cleaning companies are likely to have specialised and industry-standard cleaning equipment which will be able to remove any hazardous objects left after construction too.
The areas in your home which should be prioritised during this final clean are your kitchen, bathroom and bedrooms. You should also make every effort to clean those areas which often get forgotten about on your usual clean – for example, your air vents and skirting boards, as well as behind the doors and across the tops of the door frames and windows.
Make sure to clean all your appliances too before you start using things again – after all, when your home is under construction dust can get everywhere (and yes, we mean everywhere!) This is likely the best time to clean every inch of the room before you start returning furniture and other furnishings, so make the most of it.
Stage 4: The touch-up
The final touch-up stage takes place a little while after the final clean stage. By this point, the construction team should have completed their final walkthrough of the project and should have helped to return at least the largest pieces of furniture. This is the stage that tells you the area is completely safe to use again – and that means it is also ready for its final clean.
The key areas to clean here include the windows, doors and mirrors – all of which could have marks and dust on them.
If you are one of those who enjoys cleaning and who finds it therapeutic, this may just be the perfect stage for you. However, most people choose to again get a professional cleaning company involved to quicken the process – meaning you can start using your new room or extension as soon as possible!
Make your home feel a little bit more like home again
While the end goal is almost always worth the hardship, the four stages of the post-construction clean up are pretty laborious and can end up swallowing a large chunk of your time. Whether you decide to bring in a cleaning company or tackle the job yourself, remember why you started and look ahead to those days when your home will be yours to enjoy again.
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Millie is a perfectionist with a passion for property and writing articles. You’ll find her researching the latest housing trends and the newest up and coming areas worth investing in. Read more about Millie here.
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