Post Construction Cleanup – Tips & How To’s

When you own property like a large retail establishment or office building, you often have construction projects going on frequently. While it’s important to refresh your property, it’s vital to make sure they are clean and safe once the work is complete.

Construction cleanup can be very messy, and no one wants their tenants to find leftover dust or debris weeks after completing the work. The cleanup often ends up happening during office hours which means you need a professional company to do this job efficiently and with consideration for your occupants. Post construction cleaning of commercial buildings requires attention to detail, schedule coordination, and flexibility.

A project like this starts with a first initial phase that puts a focus on cleaning up the mess left behind by the construction team. This includes removing all debris including loose boards, broken glass, caulking, old rug pieces, paint overspray and adhesives. Once everything is cleared out, a good sweeping is needed to get as much dirt and dust off every surface. There will be more dust to clean later, but you want to get that first layer in a dustbin for now.

Dust can spread up as well as down during construction. It’s important to wipe all walls and ceilings, which must be done with special tools, ladders and lifts to reach your highest ceilings and walls. All vents will need to be cleaned, and your air diffuser as well.

Next are the windows (inside and out), sliding glass doors, glass partitions that all need to be wiped and thoroughly cleaned. This includes wiping down all horizontal and vertical surfaces as well. Each cabinet, bookshelf or other built-in furniture will need to be cleaned inside and out, including drawers. The tops of any furniture will have accumulated dust and will need to be dusted or vacuumed.

All bathrooms are cleaned and disinfected from top to bottom including floors, fixtures, counters, mirrors and any wall tile. Any office kitchen or lunch room needs disinfecting and cleaning thoroughly as well.

Every baseboard and floor must be detailed with care. Consideration must be made on the type of flooring, so that the cleaning procedure causes no damage. Sweeping and mopping hard surface floors is a must, followed by scrubbing, removing old wax and putting on several coats of new wax as appropriate. Finally, vacuuming and washing all rugs is an important finishing touch.

Now your building should be looking great, and the newly constructed area is ready for daily use. Make sure you reach out to your tenants to thank them for their patience, and to ensure they are satisfied that everything is clean and safe for their use.