How to Clean up After a Renovation

You have finally completed that remodeling project you have been waiting for, but now you are not only left with a new space, there is a ton of debris. While the mess may look endless, with the help of a dumpster and a little elbow grease, you can be enjoying your new area in no time. We have provided some tips to help you clean up after a renovation and a few preparation suggestions to assist you in having less of a mess in the first place.

Preparation Tips for a Renovation

Before your renovation gets underway, there are some things you can do to prepare for the renovation to ensure you have less of a clean up once it is completed.

Prepare and Seal Off the Site: Before construction gets underway you should remove all furniture and items from the space that is going to be renovated. Use a tarp or other heavy-duty material to section off the room or rooms. Tape the divider from floor to ceiling to leave little to no room for dust and debris to get through.
Protect All Items you are Keeping: Be sure to cover all items in the space, that you want to have intact, after the project is complete. This includes flooring, windows, fireplaces, and other built-in structures. Again, leave no gaps while you are covering the items.
Cover Items Outside of the Construction Zone: While you may do your best to try and keep the dust limited to the area of the actual renovation, dust tends to still find its way throughout the rest of your space. Try to cover things that are fabric to keep them preserved. You can use a drop cloth or tarp. It is also a good idea to seal around closet doors with tape, or some other protector, to keep your belongings housed in them as debris free as possible.

How to Clean up After a Renovation

If your pre-renovation preparations paid off, you should have less of a mess to face once the job is complete; however, there will still likely be some sort of clean up that is needed.

Remove Large Debris: Step one of your clean up should be to discard of any larger items. This includes piles of wood, concrete, hardware, etc. Renting a dumpster is a great way to get rid of these larger items all in one go.
Uncover Items: If you covered items in your renovation preparation phase, now is the time to remove those covers. You will want to uncover and unseal areas prior to the next two steps, because this will likely create dust and smaller debris.
Wipe Down Surfaces: Next up on your list should be dusting and thoroughly wiping down appliances, counters, and other surfaces that collected demolition buildup. Clean all hardware hinges, shelves, HVAC ducts, grates, vents, blinds, ceiling fans, lighting fixtures, baseboards, molding, etc.
Sweep and Vacuum: Sweep, vacuum, and/or mop all floors, ceilings and walls. Be sure to clean under furniture, in closets, and it is a good idea to even vacuum furniture (even if it was covered).

Renovation projects should be fun and enjoyable, and the cleanup should be just as rewarding. When you are ready for your next renovation, Dumpster Express should be your choice for a dumpster rental company. We offer dumpster rental and dumpster pickup services. We use the best, industry-standard dumpsters so that your debris removal can be worry-free. Our goal is to have the fastest dumpster delivery service in the industry.