How is it possible to do post-construction cleaning of the apartment on your own? Where to begin and how to remove dirt without damaging new finishing? You can find all the answers in this article.
Contents
Introduction
Chapter 1. Step-by-Step Work Plan
Chapter 2. Getting ready for post-construction cleaning
Chapter 3. Get rid of the garbage and unnecessary things
Chapter 4. Dust off all surfaces
5.1 Ceilings
5.2 Lamps, chandeliers, sockets, and other electrical appliances
5.3 Walls
5.4 Ceramic tiles
5.5 Furniture and plumbing
5.6 Windows, doors, and mirrors
5.7 Floors
5.8 Remove stains and specific contaminants
Introduction
Renovation is over, but it’s too early to relax. Beautiful new wallpapers, stylish tiles, and neat, fresh ceilings are hidden under a layer of dust. And if you look closely, you can find more stains of dirt, plaster, primer, or foam.
What to do with all this? How to effectively clean an apartment after renovation on your own?
If I decide to call professional cleaners to help me, what is included in post-construction cleaning services?
Read our post construction cleaning tips below, and you will find it out.
Chapter 1 Step-by-Step Work Plan
One of the secrets of professional cleaning is a technology map for each type of work. A clear step-by-step plan helps clean the room better, faster, and with less money.
It would help if you used a specific sequence when cleaning the apartment on your own after repair. Every construction cleanup service consists of the following stages:
- Preparation for cleaning, planning of cleaning works.
- Collection and removal of construction debris.
- Cleaning of dust from all surfaces.
- Wet cleaning and washing of surfaces.
- Polishing mirrors and glass surfaces.
- Cleaning and arranging furniture, carpets, curtains.
You may want to move away from the recommended sequence. This can complicate the work, but cleaning will still be done. The only rule that cannot be violated is to clean the dust and then wash the surfaces.
Chapter 2 Getting ready for post-construction cleaning
Never underestimate this stage! If you get prepared to do the post-construction cleaning right, the results will be brilliant.
There are some essential points:
- It would be best if you plan your actions.
- Don’t forget to gather everything you need to clean your apartment after renovation (tools, equipment, appliances)
- Protect yourself from dust and chemical detergents
Usually, we send a team of 2-4 people to clean the whole apartment after repair. These are specialists with experience who use professional tools and equipment. They take an entire shift to complete the task. Now evaluate your physical capabilities and post construction cleaning scope of work. It will not be possible to make such a volume alone in a day.
Therefore, first of all, it is better to involve assistants in cleaning. Divide responsibilities between them. Second, decide how you will divide the work into several days (by rooms or stages).
Then you need to assess the degree of contamination of the apartment after construction and make a list of necessary cleaning products.
Our post-construction cleaning calculator can help you with that.
Approximately you will need:
- Durable garbage bags;
- Powerful vacuum cleaner, preferably with a water filter. Note that household vacuum cleaners often break because of such complicated work. They are not designed for it.
- Mops or brushes (for floors, walls, ceilings, glass), 2-3 buckets of water, and cleaning solutions.
- An extensive set of microfiber wipes and sponges. Be ready that you will have to throw away all equipment after post-construction cleaning – rags and brushes will be full of dust.
- Detergents for different purposes. It is enough to buy universal detergent for floors and plumbing, spray for washing glass, and polish furniture.
- Chemicals and special tools for removing stains of building materials (grout, foam, primer, glue, paint)
- Ladder for “high-altitude work”
Tip! Be sure to use gloves, a respirator, and goggles (if there is a lot of dust). Wear clothes that will not be a pity to throw away after cleaning. Otherwise, the construction dust will end up in the washing machine and then settle on other clothes.
Chapter 3 Get rid of the garbage and unnecessary things.
It’s necessary to throw away everything that is left after construction that you don’t need anymore.
What can you find in the newly renovated rooms?
- Working tools.
- Remnants of building materials. Sort them. Decide what you can keep and what is better to throw away or give to someone.
- Large construction debris. Scraps of tiles, laminate, plastic, and metal profiles — all this must be collected in large bags. To prevent bulky garbage from interfering with post-construction cleaning, store it at the exit or, if possible, take it outside immediately.
- Minor construction and household waste – pieces of cardboard, paper, scotch tape – collect everything in bags and throw them away.
Tip! Get rid of dangerous debris first. These are glass wool scraps, paint cans, residues of solvents, antiseptics, impregnations. Take them out of the apartment right away or pack them in bags, tying them. So you don’t have to breathe harmful fumes.
Chapter 4. Dust off all surfaces
Remove dust during post-construction cleaning only with a vacuum cleaner and, if possible, a professional one. Do not wipe the dust with napkins. Clean with a broom, or collect with a brush. And especially don’t wet the surface.
When cleaning with a regular vacuum cleaner, use disposable bags and change them more often than usual.
Be sure to treat all surfaces in the room, starting with the ceiling. Dust can be invisible on wallpaper, vertical walls of furniture, doors, and window panes. But it is there, and it needs to be removed. Clean corners and cracks behind plinths very carefully.
Chapter 5. Wash and clean
If you have dealt with the dust left after the repair, the wet cleaning of the apartment will no longer be a problem.
Like dedusting, you should start wet cleaning from the top, namely the ceiling, and gradually move down.
Change the water or detergent solution in which you rinse the wipes and brushes frequently. It will help avoid stains.
If you are unsure whether the detergent is suitable for a particular coating, try its effect on a small area in an inconspicuous place. And only after making sure that there is no harm wash the entire region.
Now we are going to look closer at different surfaces in the apartment.
5.1 Ceilings
- The painted ceiling, if it is well vacuumed, does not need additional cleaning. The same applies to tensile fabric structures.
- If the ceiling coating is glossy, wipe it dry immediately to prevent stains with a mirror effect.
- You can also wipe tensile ceiling structures with a soft, damp cloth. Do not use detergents if there are no stains on the film. Wash off heavy soiling with a soap solution, and do not rub the ceiling with a stiff brush.
5.2 Lamps, chandeliers, sockets, and other electrical appliances
Be careful when cleaning electrical appliances! Make sure to turn off the electricity before cleaning. If possible, it is better to remove and wash the lampshades separately. Wipe the glass and chrome elements dry immediately. If necessary, you can use a spray for washing windows. Gently wipe sockets and switches with a clean damp (not wet!) cloth.
5.3 Walls
It is not good to wash painted walls, decorative plasters, liquid, vinyl, and paper wallpaper. Gently wipe where there is heavy dirt or stains. In other cases, vacuuming is enough.
5.4 Ceramic tiles
There are two problems here: grout residues and dust stains, even after the second or third wash. How to effectively wash the tile and remove all the dirt that is left after repair?
- Before washing, you should clean the tile from dust with a vacuum cleaner.
- Carefully remove large pieces of putty, cement, grout, tile adhesive with a spatula (preferably wooden or plastic, but not steel). Be careful. Although the glaze on the tile is intense, even metal and sand scratches may remain on it.
- If there are primer stains on the glazed surface, treat them with acetone. But first, be sure to try its effect on the tile in an inconspicuous place.
- Small grout residues can be gently removed with a spatula or wipe with a napkin. If there is a lot of grout and the facing area is extensive, buy a special foam for the tile. You can find it in particular cleaning stores.
- Wash the tile with acidified water (2 cups of vinegar per 1 bucket of water). Rinse the napkin often and change the water as it gets dirty.
5.5 Furniture and plumbing
- Remove furniture covers, protective films, and other covering materials.
- Thoroughly vacuum sofas, armchairs, upholstered chairs, cabinets, and sideboards inside and out. Just be sure to wash and dry the vacuum cleaner brush after construction dust before cleaning furniture upholstery.
- Wipe wood and steel items with a damp cloth and then with a dry one. Leave cabinets and bedside tables open to dry well.
- It is advisable to arrange dry cleaning for upholstered furniture. But it is more convenient to do it already after completion of cleaning. Now the main task is to clean it from dust and traces of building materials, if any. Rub the leather upholstery with protective wax.
5.6 Windows, doors, and mirrors
- If the only problem with your windows is dust and dirt, wash them with a solution of any all-purpose detergent and then with clean water. Wipe clean frames dry.
- Treat double-glazed windows with a microfiber cloth or rubber bandage using windshield washer fluid and then dry to prevent stains. There are no special tricks here. The main thing is to wash all the corners thoroughly because that’s where all the dirt accumulates.
- It’s worse if there are traces of cement, scotch tape, foam on the frames, window sills, and glass. You must remove them very carefully not to scratch the plastic and glass. Do not use harsh chemicals or abrasive tools. First, remove large contaminants with a wooden or plastic spatula. The remaining traces of building materials can be removed with acetone and glue from stickers with alcohol. But do it very carefully.
Tip! Rub the glass when the sun is not shining directly on it. The glass dries quickly under its rays, and stains are inevitable.
5.7 Floors
- Wash painted wooden floor with water with ammonia (1-2 tablespoons per bucket of water). If there is a lot of dirt, it will have to be washed several times, changing the water each time.
- Clean parquet and parquet board only using unique means according to the instructions.
- Use soap solution and clean water for cleaning laminate.
- Wash the linoleum with acidified water (a few tablespoons of vinegar per bucket of water).
Tip! In each room, start washing the floor from the far corner and move to the door. Be sure to wipe the baseboards.
5.8 Remove stains and specific contaminants
How can you remove building material residues from different surfaces on your own? Here are some tips for removing the most typical stains:
- Wipe drops of enamel paint and varnish off hard surfaces with solvent or alcohol.
- Remove cement, tile adhesive, foam with an abrasive sponge.
- Use white spirit for removing glue, scotch tape, and paint from plastered or painted walls.
- You can easily dissolve rust with a solution of copper sulfate.
- Oily stains from laminate and parquet are removed with turpentine or alcohol.
Chapter 6. The last stage of cleaning
Now you know what post-construction cleaning is and how to do it properly. When everything is clean, the only thing that remains is to ventilate the rooms well and arrange things in places.
And if the room still has smells of paint, varnish, or other chemicals, try to get rid using the following tips:
- Leave wet towels and sheets on the floor and other surfaces, leave them for a few hours, then remove them and wash them.
- Leave roasted coffee, coarse salt, or baking soda on wide plates for a day and then throw them away. These are great sorbents.
- To remove a powerful odor, you should use more robust sorbents like charcoal.
- To eliminate the smell of solvent (acetone, white spirit), light a few candles in the room. Solvent vapors will burn, and combustion products are easy to eliminate by ventilating the space well.
After eliminating the unpleasant odor, you can enjoy a comfortable life in a clean, renovated apartment. And if you do not have the desire and time to clean everything after construction on your own, call us for help. The specialists from Luxury cleaning know how to do Post-construction cleaning services professionally.
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