When you renovate your home, you expect a messy and chaotic scene of building materials and contractors. What you possibly don’t expect is to need to perform thorough cleaning once the renovation is complete.
You might have a new kitchen, bathroom, or another area of your home, but it can be hard to remove the remnants of the now-removed old building materials. As overwhelming as it can be to get cleaning underway, it’s not as challenging as you might think. Here’s a helpful cleaning guide to make your clean-up project as straightforward and stress-free as possible.
Rent a Dump Bin
Having a pile of old building materials and debris is one of the most frustrating aspects of any home renovation project. You know you can expect a beautifully renovated house at the end of the project, but you’re left to deal with a massive amount of mess leading up to that point.
Rather than taking countless trips to a landfill facility, which can often require you to rent a trailer and pay costly dump facility fees, rent a dump bin instead. Some of the best bin rental companies in Newmarket and beyond, like Express Bins, offer driveway-safe bin delivery directly to your property.
Once you’ve filled the bin with all your construction waste and trash, your chosen company can pick it up and get rid of the waste for you. When you already have so many other tasks on your to-do list, having someone else take care of waste removal can be a weight off your mind.
Buy Cleaning Supplies
Most homeowners already have a collection of cleaning supplies to keep their homes in tip-top shape. However, if you’re starting from scratch in a newly renovated home, stock up at your local cleaning supplies store to ensure you have everything you need. The following items can be among the most important to include on your shopping list:
- PPE to protect yourself, such as eye protection, rubber gloves, dust masks, and coveralls to keep your clothing clean and dust-free
- A vacuum cleaner, wet and dry preferable
- Garbage bags to collect waste to throw in your rented bin
- Dusters
- Detergents
- Mop and bucket
- Brush and dustpan
- A stepladder to reach door frames, light fixtures, and ceilings
- Magic erasers for stubborn scuffs, marks, and stains
- Microfiber wipes for all surfaces
- Gentle cleaning liquids such as vinegar and hydrogen peroxide
Perform a Standard Clean-Up
After a complete renovation, you might find that most surfaces in your home are covered in dust. Before moving your furniture back in, perform a standard clean-up, with dust removal as your ultimate goal.
A standard clean-up can involve cloths, gentle cleaning products like multipurpose sprays, and a vacuum cleaner with a HEPA filter and excellent suction. You might also consider investing in a wet and dry vacuum to clean up both wet and dry messes.
Start from the top and work your way down to avoid having to clean areas twice. Interior and exterior walls can be your first task, followed by fans and light fixtures on the ceiling.
Don’t forget to wipe windows, doors, trims, and frames before vacuuming and mopping floors as the last task on your list. When you’ve cleaned the entire home of dust, you can dispose of the resultant debris in your bin before your bin rental company collects it.
Thoroughly Clean Kitchens and Bathrooms
Kitchens and bathrooms are among the most-used parts of any home. As a result, they can require your entire arsenal of cleaning supplies when you’re putting your house back together after a renovation project.
Start by vacuuming, dusting, and wiping down shelves, both open shelving and those contained within vanity units. You can then clean the cabinet doors and the tops of cabinets that aren’t typically seen on a regular basis.
Using a cleansing product and a scourer, deep-clean the backsplashes around your kitchen appliances and any countertops in both kitchens and bathrooms. Don’t forget to wipe around faucets and sinks to remove dust and debris that can settle during appliance installation. Finally, clean all appliances inside and out, as well as mirrors and toilets.
Clean Entry and Exit Points
Your home’s internal and external entry points will likely be some of the dirtiest after a home renovation or construction. These areas see the most traffic from people coming and going with building materials, so there’s likely plenty of dust and debris that requires your attention.
Wipe the dust from all surfaces with a damp cloth and cleaning solution, and vacuum the flooring. You can then move outside your home and focus on external elements like pathways, your door, fences and gates, and exterior lights. Wipe away debris, clean walkways and driveways with a water blaster or hose, and brush debris from gates, fences, and external lights.
Clean the Air
We can be so busy focusing on dust on surfaces that we forget how much of that dust is likely in the air. Cleaning the dust from the air can be as pivotal as removing it from surfaces. Once the last of the debris has been put in your waste management bin and you’ve wiped down all surfaces in your home, put your HEPA vacuum to work.
HEPA vacuums remove more particles than traditional vacuums and have removable and washable filters. You can also purchase or rent a HEPA air purifier to clean the air or open the windows to get the air circulating.
Consider Renovation Clean-Up Services
Cleaning a home after a major renovation can be a significant task, and you might already be exhausted if you played a part in the renovation. Rather than commit to yet another arduous task, consider enlisting the services of a cleaning company specializing in renovation clean-up services.
Experts can perform a thorough deep clean for you, taking care of a range of cleaning tasks you might not even have the equipment or skills to do yourself, such as:
- Upholstery vacuuming and cleaning
- Disinfecting and sanitizing
- Grate, vent, and duct cleaning
- Hardware, handles, and shelf cleaning
Reaching the final stages of a house renovation can be a cause for celebration, but cleaning is the last task you need to tick off your list. Rent a dump bin from Express Bins to take care of trash and debris and perform a thorough, deep clean to enjoy your fresh, new home in earnest.