There are several moving parts of post-construction cleaning. Due to how dirty everything can get during construction; a simple wipe down won’t cut it. There are actually 3 phases of post-construction cleaning to consider and a pre-clean that needs to be done beforehand. Any professional post-construction cleaning or builders’ cleaning service understands this and will quote appropriately.
It’s an unofficial standard to ensure that the parts of post-construction cleaning go beyond just a deep clean and really ensure that the construction portion can shine through these cleaning layers and regular cleaning of the space can resume.
That’s why it’s also essential to understand the various phases of construction cleaning, as they’ll really only need to happen pre-construction and post-construction.
The precleaning phase
This is about understanding exactly how big the post-construction cleaning or site cleaning will be. It’s the planning phase and will help to estimate the costs and resources needed for the different phases of post-construction cleaning.
In addition, this measure ensures the right amount of containers and equipment and the cleaning staff that are onboard to ensure a smooth cleaning process.
Rough Clean
With the planning out of the way, we can start with the first of 3 phases of post-construction cleaning phases. This rough cleaning is about eliminating all the leftover construction materials, the planks of wood, rebar, and construction materials such as nails and connectors and getting them all out of the way.
All stickers from the company on the new products (such as the windows) or the tape set around the borders for the final painting job are also all removed here.
Once everything is removed and properly disposed of, then you can do some vacuuming and sweeping. This is all about removing those visible pieces of debris and dirt out of the way to put the groundwork in place for the next set of phases. Don’t skip out on this phase and head right to the deep cleaning.
You want professionals who understand post-construction cleaning and have experience with it to handle this part because a lot of that debris you’re throwing away doesn’t always go into standard trash bins or standard recycle bins.
Instead, they may have to be hauled out by truck or other container and taken to specific locations that are simply inconvenient for you to handle.
Deep Cleaning or Real Cleaning
Here the actual cleaning begins. Sometimes this is also called a light clean, but this is the longest of all the phases of construction cleaning. First, floors are vacuumed, scrubbed down and mopped when applicable. Next, fixtures, sinks, toilets, cabinetry, desks, and tables are all scrubbed down, cleaned, and sanitized.
Here professional post-construction cleaning crews are doing a deep dive into every possible area to ensure that there’s no possible place for dirt to get trapped. After construction, everything is new or like new, and it should look that way as well.
This, out of all the post-construction cleaning phases, has the most attention to detail and will make everything look clean, shiny and pristine. There will be extensive mopping, vacuuming, buffing, cleaning, scrubbing, and other ways to clean to ensure that this post-construction cleaning phase helps bring everything up to a specific look and standard.
It’s important to note there could be a few cleanings here, and it’s a progressive and iterative process to really get everything done correctly with this post-construction cleaning.
The touch-up cleaning
Out of all the post-construction leaning phases, this is the one that actually happens at a different time than the other phases of construction cleaning. After about a week or two, when the construction has time to settle in from all the movement and site cleaning, the professional cleaning crew comes back in and does another clean through.
First, there’s the walkthrough to check those hard to reach places, such as the ventilation system, and see if they’re still pristine or if there’s dust that’s settled since the deep clean. Then the rest of the places are checked. Whether it’s kitchen cabinets or corporate pantries, every cabinet and item is checked and inspected.
Regardless, another final clean happens, even if everything seems clean. This helps to ensure a deep clean hold and provide any finishing touches. Although it might seem excessive, this is one of the most essential parts of post-construction cleaning to ensure nothing is missed, the space can safely be used, and regular and standard cleaning services can resume.
Make sure to understand these three phases, as any professional cleaning crew will explain and guide you through this assortment. If a professional cleaning service doesn’t provide these 3 phases of post-construction cleaning at a minimum, they might not be very thorough in their builder’s cleaning services. It’s always important to keep a keen eye on this.
Must read: Phases of Post-Construction Cleaning
Reference video: My Cleaning Angel
