When it comes to major home repairs and renovations, you can expect a big mess upon completion of the work. Even if you cover the floors and furniture with plastic or paper, you can bet that white dust will find its way underneath. Whether you have done a partial refurbishment of a single room, you have touched up the whole place, it is important to know how to tackle cleaning afterwards. Few tips can greatly help you in that regard:
Know where to start from – before you do anything else, you need to open up the windows to ventilate the place. There might be a lingering smell of glue, wood, plaster or any other building material. Next, it is time to remove the larger objects like tiles, cement bags and other leftover materials. As you begin to clean, always start from the top and move towards the bottom. Since the walls have likely accumulated some dust, you can wipe them with a damp cloth.
Cleaning in the bathroom – if you have replaced the sink in the bathroom or done some other renovation work there, you must first clean the sanitary ware and remove the debris left after renovation. Always start with the largest item in the room and finish with the smallest one. It is best to clean in phases. First, use a dry microfibre cloth and then a wet one. That way you can deal with the dust on the tiles effectively.
Cleaning windows – if you notice some glue or silicone residue on the windows, you need to remove it with a scraper. Be very gentle not to scratch the material. If there are paint drops around the edge of the window frame, you can use a cotton pad with nail polish remover to clear it. Next on your list is to wipe the area from dust. Use a wet cloth and lukewarm for this task.
Cleaning spots – if you find a spot in the area that is tough to clean, you will need something a little more potent than just water. According to experts, ammonia works well for individual spots. Dilute it with water and apply it with a cloth and scrub.
Fight unpleasant odour – in many cases smell from paint or some other building material is left to linger in the area. Since that is rather unpleasant, you can employ baking soda to help you out. Fill a bowl with baking soda and place in the room overnight. It will absorb the unpleasant odour and refresh the place.
Cleaning the floor – one of the final tasks you need to address is cleaning the floor. It is recommended that you leave this task for last since that is where the dust will settle. Before you go on and use detergent on the area, go over with a damp cloth to tackle the dirt and dust. Once you are done, it is time to use a specialised product to address the type of surface, i.e. hardwood, tile or anything else really. Once you are done, clean the skirting boards. If you have no other solution, use a litre of water and 2-3 tbsp. lemon juice for the task.
Consider getting help – after-builders cleaning services are quite common and are an excellent way to tackle the task. Instead of you bothering with the cleaning process, you can let professionals handle every single aspect of it. They will come with the gear and solutions they need to deal with the job to the highest standard.
Now that you know how to tackle after builders cleaning, you can rest easy and enjoy your home after renovations quicker.
