Tips For Post Construction Cleaning Projects
So here you are, the construction contractors have moved out, and it’s time to clean. Dust, dirt, chunks of drywall and dirty window seals mount a mighty offensive against your team of cleaners. What can help you take down this task in a safe, professional and efficient way? Here are three tips for post construction cleaning services to help make your project a success!
Safety First
Post construction cleanings are different from other types of cleaning in many ways. One of the biggest differences is they can have hazards not found at a typical client site. For example, power tools, carts, ladders, and lifts may be found on site. You may even have active construction nearby. It’s not hard to imagine how some of these can become a hazard to an unsuspecting cleaner. Thus, just like the construction project, the cleaning job must be completed in a safe manner.
It’s vital to become acquainted with the site before you bring in the entire cleaning crew. Inform your cleaning team about objects and equipment that may have been left behind. Instruct how to deal with them. Feel free to talk to any other contractors you may run into on-site. Chances are they can tell you about specifics you need to look out for.
Supplies and Equipment
Do you have standard vacuums you use at typical office cleaning settings? Well, don’t bring them here! Post construction cleanings can be taxing on equipment. If you bring your office vacuum to a construction cleaning site, it may become hundreds of dollars worth of broken parts and plastic. It’s important to invest in industrial-grade equipment. Large and powerful shop vacs handle chunks of drywall and obnoxious amounts of dust much better than standard equipment. Furthermore, utilize an auto-scrub machine for large floor areas. It can greatly increase productivity.
Use a Phased Approach
In our tips for post construction cleaning discussion – let’s dig into the details of a phased approach. When it comes to phased approach cleaning – what does this really mean? A phased approach is a method of cleaning that takes larger tasks and breaks them down into smaller manageable chunks. Furthermore, no matter how well you clean during the first phases at a construction site, dust will settle, and this dust must be removed for the space to be business-ready. Thus, the only option is to allow time to pass to allow this dust to settle and then be cleaned between phases.
POST CONSTRUCTION CLEANING TIPS
Construction work can be a messy job and the last thing you want to do is to leave your newly completed space looking like it’s still a work in progress. A thorough post construction cleanup is the finishing touch you need to wrap up your project and give it that clean, brand new feeling. But what exactly does post construction cleaning entail? The truth is, cleaning up after any sort of building project or construction work is entirely different from your regular everyday cleaning. Whether you’re dealing with renovated apartment spaces or a newly built commercial office building, post construction cleaning requires certain tools and specific techniques that can be tough to tackle. If you find yourself stressing over all the dust and debris goes hand-in-hand with cleaning after construction, here are some post-construction cleaning tips and tricks to get you started!
Make All Your Surfaces Sparkle
Take a look around any freshly completed construction space and chances are that there’s dust and debris particles over most, if not all, of the surfaces. Countertops, desks, mantles, windowsills and even baseboards all are going to need a full wipe down after any sort of construction project. When you’re ready to actually start cleaning, ditch the old rag and paper towels. Microfiber cloths can’t be beat when it comes to cleaning these messy construction site surfaces because they are designed to attract dust particles. Wipe down all of the surfaces in your site to get rid of dust, and then consider cleaning them again with a disinfectant to make sure your new space is as clean as possible. One last tip before you get to making your construction site surfaces shine: don’t forget about smaller surfaces and other places that collect dust like between blinds, above cupboards and high shelves, and the tops of door frames!
Don’t Forget About Your Floors
All of your construction site floors are going to need a thorough clean before your space is officially ready for business. Dust, dirt and all kinds of messy particles tend to settle and collect on the floor. All hard flooring will need to be swept and all carpeting will need to be vacuumed slowly and maybe even repeatedly to ensure a deep and complete clean. Be sure to use the right techniques and tools, you don’t want to make a bigger mess by moving dust to hard to reach areas or by creating any dust clouds. Go through with a mop after sweeping on hard floors for an added shine, and remember that your floors might need to be cleaned repeatedly if dust continues to settle.
Remember the Small Details
It might be tempting to call your post construction cleaning a wrap once you’ve cleaned all of your surfaces and floors, but there are some other easy-to-forget areas that need to be dealt with first. Take a look at your air vents, they might need to be dusted and vacuumed out to prevent dust from recirculating back into your cleaned space or clogging up your A/C system. Also, take a look at any new features like windows and inside any spaces like cabinets and drawers. They may have collected dust, but also they may have some labels or stubborn adhesives that still need to be removed. Lastly, don’t forget about your electric outlet covers. They can collect dust and need to be carefully wiped down to prevent becoming a safety hazard. Paying attention to these small details might seem like no big deal but it’s a big part of construction cleaning and remembering to handle all of them will make a huge difference in the safety and sparkling appearance of your new space!
Post Construction Cleaning: What to Clean After the Dirty Work is Done
Once a big construction or renovation project is complete, there’s always just as big a mess leftover. Besides the basic cleanup involved of removing large debris and returning tools and equipment, a critical part of post construction cleaning is removing all the dust that was produced. Construction projects generate an immense amount of dust from what lays on the surrounding surfaces to what’s floating in the air. These particulates will embed themselves in all corners of the new building and will make the space appear dull and dingy, as well as negatively affect its indoor air quality.
Wipe Down All Surfaces
This is the first and most obvious part of cleaning after construction. Dust will settle on top of any surface, including the walls. It is best to dry dust to prevent damaging the lacquer or paint of the surface, but a damp cloth can be used if you test a small spot before proceeding. Make sure to check the tops of cabinets, the baseboards by the floor, interior shelves and inside drawers
Vacuum or Clean Carpets and Upholstery
If you conducted a renovation project to an existing building instead of something entirely new, it’s possible that dust or debris crept into other areas of the building. Dust can easily become embedded in the fibers of the carpets and upholstery nearby including furniture, curtains, couch cushions or other fabrics. Vacuum all carpeting or upholstered items thoroughly and as deeply as possible. You may want to consider hiring a professional carpet cleaner to steam clean the carpets to prevent further damage to the fibers if they experienced a large amount of dust accumulation. Having the upholstery professionally cleaned may also be a good option if it was heavily affected by dirt and debris from the project.
Replace Air Filters
It is more than likely that all the dust and debris floating in the air made its way into the air vents. Replace any air filters exposed to the dust with new ones and clean out the vents with soap and water. This is a very important step as breathing unfiltered air after construction can lead to respiratory problems for the building’s occupants.
Outdoor Pressure Washing
If your construction project involved a brand new building or an outdoor extension to an existing one, you may want to consider pressure washing the exterior walls and sidewalks. This will keep the outside appearance of the building bright and welcoming after its completion.
Post Construction Cleaning Up: Tools, Supplies, and Equipment
Providing post construction clean up services can be demanding and challenging, even for the seasoned cleaning veteran. But providing this type of service can also be rewarding. Construction companies, for the most part, won’t score many points when it comes to cleanliness. That’s why businesses that have undergone new construction or remodeling seek professional cleaning companies to prepare their facilities for occupancy.
Tools, Supplies and Equipment needed
Post construction clean up services requires the appropriate cleaning tools, supplies and equipment in order to provide the customer with the best quality outcome.
This type of cleaning can be tough and exhausting, to say the least. It usually involves long hard hours of demanding physical activity and heavy lifting, all of which require paying close attention to the details. That’s why experience, know how, and a broad selection of the correct tools, supplies and equipment is vital to get the job done as quickly and efficiently as possible
The post construction cleaning process and completion times can range from a single day to several months, depending on the scope of work. You have probably heard the phrase; “the right tool for the right job”, it’s true when it comes to production and providing quality cleaning.
Following is a list of some of the tools, supplies, and equipment that may be required to perform post construction cleaning efficiently and effectively:
heavy duty trash bags
brooms (preferably both corn broom and push broom)
dust pans
shop vacuum, heavy duty vacuum cleaner and/or back pack vacuum
upholstery cleaning tools
mop bucket and wringer
mop heads
buckets
hoses
scrub brushes and scrub pads
rubber gloves
protective eyewear
dust masks
hard hats
safety signs
microfiber cloths
putty knives
window washing equipment (window bucket, golden glove or strip washer, squeegee, extra rubber blades, scrapers or razor blades, #0000 steel wool, extension poles)
step ladders
extension ladders
ladder bumpers
brute
tilt truck/utility duty cart (5/8 cubic yard capacity)
industrial garbage bins
cleaning chemicals (neutral cleaners, stainless steel cleaner, all-purpose cleaner, wood, metal, stone, window cleaner)
hard floor and carpet maintenance supplies (floor stripper, floor finish, carpet pre-spray’s, detergents, spotters, protectors, rinses, deodorizers)
A Guide For Choosing The Right Construction Cleaning Company
Post construction cleaning is a must when it comes to property development, home renovations or even smaller jobs such as kitchen and bathroom renovations. Though a lot of construction companies try to clean up after they are finished with a project, they are not able to do it to the highest standards mainly because their employees are not qualified to offer cleaning services.
Hiring a construction cleaning service is a necessity for the sake of your home’s aesthetics as well as for the safety of you and your family. Choosing a construction cleaning company however can be a difficult task because of their high number in the market. You should not rush into choosing a construction cleaning company since you could end up making the wrong choice. To help you make the right choice, this article seeks to look at some of the factors that you ought to consider when hiring a construction cleaning company.
Firstly, ensure that you look at the reputation of a company. The right construction cleaning company will be spoken of highly by the people you now as well as by those that give reviews online. Before you settle on a company, ask your friends and family to give you recommendations for the best companies since they cannot lie to you. You can also visit different companies’ websites and look at their previous customers’ reviews so as to know whether or not they offer quality services. If your friends, family and customer reviews concur that a certain company provides high quality services, then you should consider hiring it since chances are high that you will get quality cleaning services.
The second factor that you ought to consider is whether a company is insured or not. Companies that have taken up insurance covers for their employees are the best to work with because the workers are usually in danger of getting hurt when cleaning because of the debris that is left around after construction. Working with an uninsured company may mean that you have to shoulder the medical bills pf all employees who are hurt while cleaning your property. If you want to have peace of mind during the cleaning process, it is best to work with insured workers.
Ask about the services offered by a construction cleaning company before contracting its services. This is so as to avoid hiring companies that only clean interiors if you want something more. Be sure to ask for clarifications where you do not understand a company’s terms so as to avoid paying for services you do not really want. If a company does not offer what you are looking for, you can ask them to customize their service options and if they are not willing to do so, then you can look elsewhere.