Remodeling your home is a great way to make your space feel new again. But how do you keep your houseclean while you’re working on it?
We all know that remodeling leaves behind a lot of dust and dirt. By the time your contractors leave and the job is complete, you may have a serious layer of dust and debris left behind for you to clean up.
The best way to keep your house clean when remodeling is to remove everything from the area being worked on, sealing off the area with plastic sheeting if possible, sweep and clean as you go, and establish a daily cleaning routine for your house during the actual project.
As is usually the case with cleaning, it may be easier, in the long run, to attempt to keep your house clean while the remodel is still taking place. There are several easy tips that you can follow to keep your home clean while your contractors are still in the midst of remodeling your home.
But what about the dust that’s accumulated during your remodeling project? Is it harmful?
What should you do about your furniture?
When you’re remodeling your kitchen, bathroom, or any room in your home, you probably won’t want to spend hours cleaning up after yourself every day. Luckily, there are many simple solutions to help you keep your house clean while you work.
I’ll share with you 7 tips for keeping your house clean during remodeling. These tips will save you tons of time and energy, plus they’ll help you stay organized and productive.
By the way – before we get too far along here, if you want to connect with other homeowners and builders and get more great ideas for your home to make your space the best join my free private Facebook group, Remodel Reality here.
Is Renovation Dust Harmful?
Having your home remodeled can be an exciting time. The new features that you are having added to your home can be a great source of pride and excitement.
However, it can also be a time of frustration and aggravation, mainly due to the mess that you will have to handle during and after your remodeling project. Keep in mind that cleanliness is not all that you need to worry about. There are a couple of things that you will need to keep in mind to decide if your renovation projects pose a potential risk to your health.
Renovation dust is potentially harmful if you have an older home. Older homes can be a hotbed for mold infections. If mold is discovered in your home during your improvement projects, it can lead to an entirely new project.
Mold removal can cost a lot of money and headache to get rid of it. During a remodeling project, the dust that accumulates around your house could potentially contain mold spores that pose a danger to you and your family.
Radon is one more thing that people in certain areas have to worry about. Radon is a gas that can seep into your home from the ground. The presence of radon in your home is potentially dangerous, and you should call in a professional for their advice about lowering the radon levels in your home.
Lead is another potential problem with houses that were built before 1978. Before then, lead was frequently used in each coat of paint, whether interior or exterior.
During your renovation process, the drywall dust that will be flying through the air could contain harmful lead. If there is a possibility that your house has layers of lead-based paint, please take appropriate precautions during remodeling.
Asbestos is another dangerous construction material that was used in the past. Asbestos-containing materials can spread through the air when disturbed. This is a dangerous material that can get lodged in the lungs. It is best to hire an asbestos cleaning service to ensure that it is removed correctly.
Tips to Keep Your House Clean During a Remodel
There are several things that you can do to attempt to keep your house clean in the midst of a remodeling project, besides a round of daily cleaning. These tips will not only help you preserve your existing home decor and furniture, but they can help make the final cleanup a breeze. It is true that it may tack on some additional costs to keep your home clean during a renovation project, but we like to think that these extra costs are more than worth it.
- Firstly, if possible, remove everything from the area you are having worked on. For instance, if you are in the middle of a kitchen remodel, you may want to consider moving any smaller appliances to a dust-free area of your house. You might even want to remove light fixtures and wall decor to ensure that a layer of dust does not settle on these things.
- You might also want to think about sealing off the area. If you are going through bathroom updates, it is a good idea to hang up some plastic sheets in the doorway. This will form a protective barrier that will help contain the spread of dust to the bathroom only. Of course, you might still see some dust in other areas of your house; however, the majority of the dust will remain in the same room.
- It is important to establish a daily cleaning routine for your house during the actual project. Make sure that you are dusting, wiping surfaces, sweeping floors, and vacuuming every day. This will help cut down on the amount of dust that you are having to deal with on a daily basis. Hopefully, this will also make your final cleaning much easier.
- Covering any furniture that you have to leave in the construction area is also a good idea. Any kind of plastic wrap or plastic sheets can be draped over the furniture to hopefully avoid an abundance of dust accumulating on your beautiful furniture. You may also want to consider vacuuming your furniture thoroughly when the remodeling project is over.
- If your project is not in the front of your house, lay out some more plastic sheets along the route that your contractor will be taking through your house. Construction is a messy job. If you are going to have a renovation project, it is best to avoid letting that mess fall throughout your house. When the project is done, this plastic can be easily rolled up and discarded.
- Consider opening your windows and removing the screens during a renovation project. This will allow any dirt and dust to blow out the window. You can point some box fans out the windows to encourage the air to flow out of the room. It is important to remember to remove the screens. Drywall dust can settle on the screen and form a mud-like material that is difficult to remove.
Deep Cleaning after a Remodel
Cleanup after a remodeling project should be much more extensive than the cleaning routine you had established during the duration of the project. It is important that you do not skip a final, deep cleaning, since this can give you peace of mind that your house is thoroughly cleaned and your family is thoroughly protected. You might think that cleaning is cleaning, but there are some more thorough steps that need to be taken after a remodeling project.
- Sweep, mop, and vacuum all the flooring. Dust can accumulate in carpet and wood flooring alike; it can also settle on ceramic tile. Make sure to clean all of your floors completely to ensure that as much dust has been removed as possible.
- Vacuum all of your furniture and upholstery. Just like flooring, it is easy for dust particles to get lodged into anything that is upholstered. Vacuuming these extensively will dramatically reduce the amounts of dust that is present.
- Wipe all surfaces, including walls and ceilings. You will be surprised at the amount of dust that you wipe off your surfaces. Dust can blend in fairly well with wood furniture or in dark spaces. After you wipe these surfaces, do not be surprised if they look a few shades brighter!
- Clean all windows, including the frames and the window screens. If you had your windows open to help circulate the air during your construction project, you will find a significant amount of dust on all parts of your windows. Cleaning these will give you the assurance that the construction dust is gone, once and for all.
- Clean all vents and grates, and remember to replace your air filter. Dust will accumulate on all of these things, especially if you had your air conditioning or heater running during the remodel. Replacing your air filter will help ensure that you are getting fresh, filtered air into your home.
- Pay attention to those details! The small spaces, such as ceiling fans, light fixtures, hinges, and handles, are the perfect place for dust to lay unnoticed. It is important to try to remove as much of the dust as possible. Any dust left behind will continue to circulate through your home, and no one wants to breathe that in!
- Don’t forget your closets! You will be surprised at how much dust makes its way into your closets, even if they have doors on them. Make sure to wipe down any shelving you have, as well as washing or cleaning any items that may have been left in the closets during construction.
Cleaning Services
It is often popular to see people hiring a professional cleaning company to come in and do the hard work after a remodeling project. It will literally be this business’ job to clean your house and make sure that there is little to no construction dust left when they finish. After all, you did just go through the huge hassle of a remodeling project; the last thing you want to do now is worry about cleaning it up! While this is a very efficient way of ensuring that your home is clean and dust-free, it can end up being costly. If this is a route that you are thinking about going, you might want to consider planning for this in your budget.
A remodeling project is something that can leave behind a lot of dirt and dust. It is important to remove this dirt and dust to ensure that your house remains clean and your family remains healthy.
Next Steps
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