How to Clean a Home Following Construction Work
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Post-construction cleanup is messy. Dust gets into places you didn't even know existed, and debris seems to multiply overnight. Whether you just wrapped up a kitchen remodel or added a new bathroom, the aftermath looks like a tornado hit your house. Some people handle it themselves, but plenty call in top-rated cleaning services because, honestly, construction dust is a different beast than regular dirt. Here's how to tackle it room by room without losing your mind.
Preparing the Cleaning Area
First things first – get rid of the big stuff. Grab those leftover wood scraps, drywall chunks, and random pieces of trim that contractors left behind. Sweep everything into piles so you're not tripping over nails and debris while you clean.
Check the corners and along the baseboards too. That's where the small stuff hides. You want a clear workspace before you start the actual cleaning; otherwise, you're just moving junk from one spot to another. Takes maybe 20 minutes, but saves you from doing double work later.
Removing Debris and Dust
Construction dust is ridiculous. It's finer than regular dust and gets everywhere – inside cabinets, on top of ceiling fans, even inside closed drawers somehow. Get yourself a vacuum with a HEPA filter. Regular vacuums just blow the fine particles back into the air.
Hit the obvious spots first: floors, counters, windowsills. Then check air vents, light fixtures, and the tops of door frames. Most people forget about these and wonder why their house still feels dusty weeks later. After vacuuming, wipe everything down with damp microfiber cloths. The moisture traps dust instead of sending it flying around the room again. Yeah, it's tedious, but dry dusting just makes things worse.
Cleaning Surfaces and Fixtures
Now you can actually clean things properly. Wipe down countertops, cabinets, and shelves with whatever cleaner works for that material. Door handles, light switches, cabinet pulls – these need disinfecting since construction crews touched them constantly.
For glass and mirrors, use a streak-free cleaner and microfiber cloths. Metal fixtures usually need something specific to make them shine without leaving water spots. Floors should get vacuumed again (trust me, more dust appeared) and then mopped with the right cleaner for your flooring type. Wood needs different stuff than tile or vinyl.
Addressing Paint and Stains
There's always paint somewhere it shouldn't be. Check walls, floors, windows – anywhere a brush or roller could've splattered. Fresh paint comes off easily with warm, soapy water. Dried paint needs a plastic scraper, but go slow so you don't scratch the surface underneath.
Water-based paint usually responds to dish soap and water. Oil-based paint is stubborn and might need paint thinner or a solvent cleaner. Test anything strong on a hidden spot first, though. The last thing you need is a bleached spot on your wall because you used the wrong product. Sometimes a stain needs a second coat of paint after cleaning – just how it goes.
Final Touches and Inspection
Walk through everything one more time. Look at corners, check windowsills, run your hand along surfaces to feel for grit. Mirrors and glass get smudges even after you just cleaned them, so give those another pass if needed.
Walls pick up scuffs and marks during construction, so scan those carefully. Light fixtures and vents collect dust while you're cleaning other areas, so hit them again. Basically, assume you missed something because you probably did. Construction cleanup isn't a one-and-done thing – it takes a few passes to catch everything.
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