Dust Off: A Practical Guide to Post-Construction Cleaning
The tools are gone. The paint is dry. It still doesn’t feel finished.
That’s normal. Fine dust settles for days. Stickers cling to glass. Tracks hold grit. The job isn’t “dirty,” it’s unfinished.
This guide walks you through what happens next, how to time it, and how to avoid the usual handover headaches.
Why dust lingers
Construction dust is fine and mobile. It moves with air and light.
Every new door open, trade visit, or box shift stirs more of it.
If you clean too early, it comes back. Plan for it, don’t fight it.
The three-stage rhythm
1) Builders Clean
Heavy lift. Remove debris, scrape safe residues, pull dust from high points, frames, and tracks. Makes the site workable for QA and defect fixes.
2) Final Clean
Detail work. Kitchens, bathrooms, joinery, glass, floors, switches, vents. Presentation standard for staging or client walk-through.
3) Showroom Clean
Light polish on handover day. Fingerprints, new dust film, quick HEPA pass on traffic areas. Looks right when it matters.
Tip: Leave a 24-hour “dust-settle” gap before the Showroom Clean. It pays for itself.
When to book each stage
Builders Clean: after major trades are out.
Final Clean: after defects are signed off and protective films are ready to remove.
Showroom Clean: morning of handover or photos.
If a new trade returns after the Final, assume a touch-up will be needed.
Room-by-room priorities
Kitchens: edges of benchtops, drawer runners, appliance seals, splashback haze.
Bathrooms: silicone smears, glass spots, grout film, chrome fingerprints.
Glass: frames and tracks first, panes last; watch sun-strike at late afternoon.
Floors: HEPA vacuum before any mop; minimal moisture on timber.
Joinery: tops of doors, architraves, skirtings, wardrobe tracks.
Electrical/vents: faceplates, switches, grilles collect the finest dust.
Glass care essentials
Not all glass likes blades. Coated, low-E, and some tempered panes scratch.
Start with safe solvents and non-scratch pads; test in a corner.
Remove stickers low and slow; clean adhesive after, not during.
Do tracks and frames first so you don’t re-soil clean panes.
Floor basics
Timber: dry HEPA, then a damp (not wet) microfiber. No harsh chemicals.
Tile/stone: lift grout haze fully before it hardens. pH-appropriate only.
Carpet: protect edges during wet work nearby; plan a final pass at the end.
What to prep before cleaners arrive
Trades out, tools out, ladders away.
Protective films either ready to remove or clearly marked to stay.
Access arranged. Power and water on.
Finish schedule handy (glass type, benchtops, flooring).
Note any sensitive areas, fresh silicone, or defects to avoid.
Common mistakes (and how to avoid them)
Cleaning too early. Leave time for dust to settle.
Skipping tracks and frames. You’ll re-soil your panes and floors.
Unclear scope. Write inclusions, exclusions, and “by request” items.
No photo record. Quick QA photos turn debates into decisions.
Over-wet floors. Especially on timber and new joins.
Simple scope you can copy
Standard inclusions:
HEPA vacuum to ceilings, walls, skirtings, frames, tracks.
Safe residue removal (paint/plaster/silicone) on hard surfaces.
Kitchen and bathroom detail to presentation standard.
Internal glass, frames, sills, tracks.
Floors vacuumed and mopped (finish-appropriate).
Time-stamped QA photos for sign-off.
Live sites and retirement villages
People live and work around you.
Set quiet hours, keep paths clear, use signs, manage cords and hoses, and communicate changes early. A tidy site is as much about respect as it is about dust.
After the clean
Do a walk-through from top to bottom, sun to shade. Check: glass at angles, tracks with a finger swipe, door tops, and the first three metres of every floor from the entry. Note issues on the day; anything new after handover is variation work.
