Cleaning Up after a Kitchen Renovation: Tips from the Experts

Renovations are difficult, noisy, and expensive, but they are worth it when completed. They improve the aesthetics of your home and enhance comfort and create a healthier living space.

The most significant part of a house is the kitchen, which requires renovation after a few years. Working in a renovated kitchen is much easier as every appliance will be in good condition and easily accessible.

After the renovation, more work is waiting for you, which is post-construction cleaning. A lot of debris, dust, and garbage is left out after construction, which requires thorough mopping and dusting. It’s undoubtedly a challenging task that can last for a few days. And the kitchen is the most challenging area to clean after construction. 

In this article, we will outline a few tips to make your kitchen cleaning procedures easier. 

Prep Your Home before Renovation

Protecting the surrounding areas can reduce post-cleaning if you’re renovating only the kitchen or part of your home. Here are a few things to do to minimize the mess.

• Separate the renovation zone from the rest of the house using a heavy-duty tarp to form a seal. It protects other areas from dust and harmful particles.
• Cover floors and windows with construction paper to protect them from cement, dirt, and chemicals.
• Cover all gaps between closet doors with masking tape. Otherwise, you’ll have to clean everything after the renovation.
• Use a cloth or tarp to cover all the furniture in the house, especially beds and couches.

Prepare Cleaning Tools

Preparing cleaning tools beforehand allows you to clean faster. Also, take protective measures such as masks, gloves, and goggles to protect yourself from harmful chemicals. You can add the following items to your cleaning toolkit.

• Cleaning brush
• Duster 
• Window cleaner
• Mop and dustpan
• Cleaning agents
• Garbage bags

Contact Professional Cleaning Services

Post renovation cleaning is challenging as it takes time and effort. Even if you are only renovating one portion of the house, cement and dust can readily spread to undetected areas.

If you live in New Jersey, for instance, then it only makes sense to look up reviews to find out which cleaning service is the best in your area. You can hire post construction cleaning nj locals to clean your newly renovated home properly. It’ll help clean the mess, which saves your time and money in the long run.

Professionals in the cleaning field stay up to date with new cleaning techniques, chemicals, and equipment. You can shortlist 4 to 5 companies and compare their services and pricing plans. Check which cleaning products and chemicals they use and how long they will take. It’s also important to check customer reviews before making a decision. 

Vacuum Dust from Everything

Cutting and grinding wood and tiles during renovation produce harmful dust particles. They can cause allergies and respiratory symptoms. Vacuuming before using damp clothes can remove most of the fine dust.

Remove dust from everything from the ceiling to the ground, windows, furniture, and electronic items. Pay attention to corners of the kitchen such as cabinets, furniture, and behind doors. Additionally, while using your vacuum, make sure to check the filters frequently. Dust might be so abundant that it could immediately fill your vacuum filter.

Dispose of Renovation Waste

While renovating, there can be a lot of unwanted waste which takes up most of your space. There can be tiles, woods, PVC pipes, and broken glasses. Use a collapsible trash bin to dispose of unwanted debris and discard it into your local dump.

Another easy way is to contact garbage collection services from your area. These services are inexpensive and take out bulk waste that is difficult for you to handle. 

Remember to not discard reusable items; instead, you can donate them to a needy person. Donation centers also accept everything from working appliances, lighting fixtures, cabinetry, windows, and other recyclable materials. Keep these items in good condition and check before donating them.

Damp Cleaning and Mopping

Vacuuming alone is not enough to remove all the dust. So, your next step should be wet cleaning everything. Start with the walls because there may still be dust on the walls after vacuuming. Use a damp cloth and start wiping, but do not put too much pressure as it can ruin a fresh coat of paint. 

After cleaning the walls, proceed to other surfaces like shelves, kitchen cabinets, and windows. Make sure to disinfect your floors after wiping dust. Don’t use chemical disinfectants if your kitchen floor is made of ceramic tiles or wood. 

Cleaning the Floors

After dusting the walls, the next step should be cleaning the floors. Carpeted floors require more cleaning because they are more likely to collect dust. Use a vacuum and extended brushes to clean them thoroughly. You can also use a steam cleaner to remove deep-seated dust. They provide the additional benefit of removing more fine dust particles from surfaces.

On the other hand, if you’ve got a hard floor, sweep it before using a damp mop. Dust particles from construction can scratch the floor. Also, use dryer sheets to remove dust from crevices and tight spaces. Once the floor dust is cleaned, you can use a moist mop with a cleaner suitable for the surface material. 

Clean Air Conditioner Ducts

Cleaning air ducts is an efficient way to remove all construction waste from your home. According to the US Environmental Protection Agency, clogged air ducts can cause allergies. Cleaning ducts will remove allergens, hence promoting healthy living. 

Also, after renovation, air vents are blocked by a large amount of dust which can clog air filters and decrease the conditioner’s efficiency. Changing filters will improve the air conditioner’s performance. 

Renovating the kitchen or other areas of the house is exciting as everything feels new and fresh. However, post-renovation cleaning can be exhausting and takes a lot of effort. Although many contractors may clean up after they complete construction, a thorough inspection is still required. Clean and organize countertops, cabinets, and electronics. If you want to make your job easier, engage professional cleaning services with post-renovation cleaning knowledge and equipment.