Cleaning up after construction can seem overwhelming, especially after a major project. There’s so much to think about—from collecting dust and debris, to removing safety hazards—it’s hard to decide where to begin. Fortunately, with the help of this quick list, post-construction house cleaning will be a breeze—we guarantee it!

Tools Needed: Cleaning Up After Construction

To start things off, let’s take a look at what tools you’ll want to have on hand:

• Gloves
• Goggles
• Brooms
• Sponges
• Caulking
• Dust Rags
• Dust Bins
• Trash Bags
• Vacuum
• Additional air filters
• Rental dumpster
• Cleaning Supplies (i.e.: Windex, Lysol, Clorox wipes, etc.)

Before Starting, Consider the Area

When it’s time for house cleaning, people don’t want to waste their time. The quicker it’s over with, the more time you have for the fun stuff, right? When you’re cleaning up an area after construction though, it’s important to take additional time and consideration.

For example, let’s say you just finished painting the interior of your home, and then installed a new ceiling fan in a bedroom. The paint is fresh and looks beautiful, but re-wiring the new fixture stirred up debris in the ceiling.

Usually, you might just grab a wet rag and wipe things down, right? In this situation, that probably isn’t the best idea. After all, you don’t know how fresh paint is going to react with a damp rag.

Instead of risking paint removal, grab a dust rag and lightly go over the affected areas.

Focus on the Big Stuff First

To start, focus on the most visible problem areas.

Put on a pair of durable, heavy duty gloves, and start picking up the remaining pieces of plywood, screws, nails, squares of sand paper, and whatever other items the construction contractors left behind. Sometimes this even includes pieces of glass, or electrical components.

Your first sweep helps ensure all major health and safety hazards are removed from your living area.  If you have children, something as minor as a bolt or nut can lead to a choking hazard.

Vents, Light Fixtures, Carpets

During the completion of a construction project, dust, paint, insulation, and countless other substances leave remnants of their presence behind. Frequently, these particles end up inside your HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning) system, or get rubbed into your carpeting.

To ensure you have all of your bases covered, make sure you do the following things when house cleaning after construction:

• Wipe down all door frames, hinges, and doors themselves
• Wipe down fan blades
• Remove all light bulbs from their fixtures, dust, and re-install
• Dust lampshades
• Wipe down and dust counters, book shelves, and knick-knacks
• Unscrew and remove vents, soak in warm water
• Replace air filters
• Spray down and wash windows and window frames
• Vacuum the carpets
• Vacuum all furniture and upholstery
• Re-caulk window frames, around the bathtub, and by baseboards

Do One Last Review

Once you have completed these various house cleaning tasks, your newly remodeled area should look brand new. That being said, it never hurts to do a final review to ensure you haven’t missed anything from the construction.

Take one last walk around your home, trying to spot any pieces of glass, small objects (i.e.: nails, screws, etc.) or metal shavings that might cause an accident later on. Run the vacuum thoroughly one final time, and wipe down any areas that host tile or linoleum.

Looks great…doesn’t it? Do you think we missed anything when it comes to a post construction clean-up? If so, we’d love to hear your thoughts!