Post-construction cleaning is defined by method as much as by scope. The list below is what gets cleaned; the order it happens in is what makes it work.
Pass one: bulk removal
- Packaging, boxes, offcuts and general site trash removed
- Protective film peeled from windows, appliances, cabinetry and fixtures
- Stickers and labels removed from glass, appliances and hardware
- Painter's tape and masking removed from edges and frames
- Heavy dust vacuumed from floors and flat surfaces with filtered equipment rather than swept into the air
- Loose debris cleared from window tracks, cabinet interiors and corners
Pass two: top-down detail
| Level | What gets cleaned |
|---|---|
| Ceiling and high level | Light fixtures, recessed can trims, fan blades, HVAC supply registers and return grilles, sprinkler heads where reachable, ceiling corners |
| Upper wall and joinery | Top edges of door frames, window casings, crown molding, upper cabinet tops and the reveal above them |
| Cabinetry and millwork | Every cabinet and drawer interior including runner channels and hinge cups, shelf edges, cabinet fronts, toe kicks |
| Mid level | Window frames, tracks and weep holes, sills, sash channels, handrails, switch plates, outlet covers, hardware |
| Low level | Baseboards along their full length, the gap where baseboard meets wall, stair risers, floor vents |
Pass three: finish surfaces and floors
- Glass: windows, mirrors, shower enclosures and interior door glass, both faces where accessible
- Appliance interiors and exteriors, including the gap between and behind where accessible
- Plumbing fixtures, faucets, drains and shower hardware
- Countertops and backsplash, with attention to the caulk line
- Tile and grout washed down, including grout haze where it is light and the tile allows
- Floors cleaned last, usually mopped more than once as the first pass lifts residual dust
Where construction dust actually hides
The scope above is long because dust settles in places that are not obvious. These are the ones that get missed by a clean that was not planned as a post-construction job.
- The top edge of every door frame and window casing
- Inside cabinet runner channels and hinge cups
- Window weep holes and the channel behind the sash
- HVAC registers and returns, which then redistribute it for weeks
- Light fixture bowls and the inside lip of recessed cans
- The gap between the top of the baseboard and the wall
- Behind and beneath appliances, and inside the toe kick
- The edges of outlet and switch plates
- Grout lines installed but never washed down properly
Residue that is not a cleaning problem
There is a real line between dust and damage, and it is worth knowing where it falls before anyone starts scrubbing.
- Light grout haze
- Usually removable on durable tile. Heavy or cured haze needs a tile specialist and the right chemistry.
- Paint spots
- Removable from durable surfaces. Over-spray on stone, matte finishes or unsealed wood is a finishing trade's job.
- Cured adhesive and caulk smears
- Often not removable without risking the finish. We will say so rather than damage a new surface.
- Scratches in new finishes
- Damage, not dirt. Cleaning does not address it and attempting to can make it worse.
- Joint compound splatter
- Removable while soft. Once cured onto a delicate surface it becomes a repair item.
What is never included
- Bulk debris hauling and dumpster service
- Exterior windows above ground level
- HVAC duct cleaning, which is a separate and worthwhile trade after a large build
- Carpet extraction and floor stripping or sealing
- Pressure washing of driveways, patios and exteriors
- Asbestos, lead, mold or any regulated hazardous material work
For a single-room renovation in a house you are still living in, the right service is remodel cleanup — same method in the work zone, deep-clean method everywhere the dust reached.