Post construction cleaning is a vital last step before occupancy in newly constructed or renovated spaces. Good planning and execution of this process guarantee that facilities are safe and clean and ready to function. Facility managers, business owners, cleaning service providers and property management companies will find this comprehensive guide to be a detailed roadmap for planning and executing successful post construction cleaning projects.
Understanding the Phases of Post-Construction Cleaning
Post construction cleaning is a multi step process and needs to be planned and executed very carefully. Typically, it consists of three phases of its own, each having particular tasks and goals.
Phase 1: Rough Cleaning
Rough cleaning, the first phase, is the removal of major debris, trash and construction residue. Important for this stage is to clean the space as much as you can during this phase in order to remove large amounts of dust, dirt, and debris that would otherwise hinder the next step in the cleaning process.
More rough cleaning tasks would include sweeping and vacuuming the floors, removal of huge amount of dirt and dirt from the surfaces, throwing away scrap wood, plastic, other building materials and so on. Give areas with tendency to gather debris the attention as well like corners, behind fixtures and closet areas.
During this phase, you need to make use of the right tools and a woof to clean up any kind of debris—spot clean with HEPA (high efficiency particulate air) filtration, HEPA vacuums, brooms, and dustpans. On top of that, you also must follows proper waste disposal protocols in order to follow the local’s regulations and environmental standards.
Phase 2: Light Cleaning
After large debris has been cleared from the space, it’s light cleaning time. At this stage, we clean surfaces, fixtures and appliances, only after dusting, dirt and any remaining construction residue is removed.
Dusting, wiping down surfaces (counters, cabinets, walls), cleaning windows, removing stickers or residue from windows and doors are light cleaning tasks. Along with cleaning and sanitizing appliances like refrigerators, ovens, and microwaves to be used.
It’s also essential during this phase not to damage surfaces or leave behind streaks or residue… Many choose microfiber cloths and eco friendly cleaning solutions for their effectiveness and sack on the environment.
Phase 3: Final Cleaning
Detailed cleaning tasks complete the last phase; when the post construction cleaning is finished the building is completely ready to be occupied. This phase usually includes polishing floors, cleaning baseboards, and really sanitizing bathrooms and kitchens.
Scrubbing and waxing floors, cleaning and polishing fixtures, and making sure all surfaces — even hard to reach areas — are dust and dirt free and residue free may be part of final cleaning tasks. Specific attention should be made to high traffic areas and surfaces that naturally get dirty and grimy.
In other words, during this phase, the cleaning should be done with specialised cleaning equipment and techniques. Take polishing floors: special cleaning solution, high speed floor buffers and so on, bathroom and kitchen cleaning: disinfectants and sanitizers to create a hygienic environment.
Best Practices for Post-Construction Cleaning
The phases of post construction cleaning provide a general outline, however, there are a few best practices that will go a long way toward ensuring a successful and efficient cleaning process.
Hiring Professional Cleaners Like E2E Cleaning Services
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Hiring professional cleaners with post construction cleaning experience is one of the most important best practices. Cleaning large scale projects requires a lot of expertise, tools and experience that professional cleaning companies have.
The latest cleaning techniques and protocols are trained by professional cleaners. Non–professionals also do not have access to specialized equipment, nor to cleaning products that would be otherwise unavailable.
Additionally, the majority of professional cleaners will have in place their own quality control procedures and digital checklists so that not one area or task gets missed and cleaning standards are standardised.
Using Eco-Friendly Products
A best practice for post construction cleaning is to use eco-friendly cleaning products. However, these products are safer for the environment and occupants because they are based on chemical formulations designed to reduce harmful chemicals and volatile organic compounds (VOCs).
Using eco friendly cleaning products, not only improves indoor air quality, but also fits in with the growing trend of the commercial cleaning industry to be more sustainable and environmentally conscious.
With cleaning companies getting more professional, more and more companies are offering eco cleaning or cleaning with products which are certified by organizations like Green Seal and EcoLogo. Many of these products are just as good, although their carbon footprint is much, much lower.
Digital Checklists
With the digital transformation age, digital checklists are becoming a very important tool in post construction cleaning projects. Digital checklists help you organize your tasks, assign responsibilities, and to keep track in real time.
The use of a digital checklist system will allow for facility managers and cleaning crews to ensure that nothing and nowhere is missed when it comes to cleaning. Moreover, digital checklists can be shared and updated easily among the team members, consequently encouraging a good communication and good collaboration.
Digital checklist systems can also be reporting and analytics solution: stakeholders can monitor progress, resolve bottlenecks, and make data driven decision to boost efficiency and the quality.
Fulfillment of the Local requirements.
For post construction cleaning, you want to make sure that you are following the local regulation for recycling, chemical use, and the environment. It’s important to note that if we don’t adhere to these regulations, we can be penalized, get project delays or we can land in legal action.
Most professional cleaning companies are familiar with local regulations and can advise you on how to dispose of construction waste, and what chemicals or substances you cannot use. They may also advise you on any permits or certain level of certification needed for specific cleaning projects or tasks.
Facility managers, and property owners can avoid paying expensive fines by prioritising compliance with local regulations and carrying the post construction cleaning process in a compliant and legally responsible manner.
Cleaning Protocols and Best Practices
Post construction cleaning is effective by following certain cleaning protocols and the best practice for a thorough and successful cleaning. Here are some key protocols and best practices to consider:
Detailed Cleaning Tasks
After the construction is done, you should prepare an all inclusive list of specific cleaning tasks to clean every area and surface. These tasks may include, but are not limited to:
- Cleaning of walls, floors and ceilings.
- Cleaning windows and mirrors, and polishing them to a shine.
- Bathrooms and kitchen cleaning and sanitizing
- Cleaning and polishing some fixtures such as light fixtures, door handles and hardware.
- Carpets and upholstery cleaning and deodorizing
- The cleaning and sanitizing appliances like commereical refrigerators, ovens and microwaves.
It is imperative to give yourself a detailed cleaning checklist of all areas and surfaces to make sure you don’t miss anything.
Use of Specialized Equipment
In order to properly remove dust, debris and residue it is important to use the right tools and specialized equipment.
Some examples of specialized equipment used in post-construction cleaning include:
- Dust and dirt microfiber cloths and mops.
- HEPA filtered vacuum cleaners to collect fine particles
- Floor buffers and polishers at high speeds for polishing floors
- Specific sanitizing solutions and disinfectant for cleaning of surfaces.
The use of the right equipment and cleaning products can drastically reduce the time and effort needed to clean and sanitize spaces, because it will result in all spaces being deep cleaned.
Top-to-Bottom Approach
A top to bottom approach is suggested when cleaning post construction spaces. It means starting with the highest points like ceiling fans and light fixtures, and working down to the floors.
If you follow this approach, dust or other debris dislodged from higher surfaces will not fall onto higher surfaces but onto surfaces which have not been cleaned yet, thus avoiding the need to clean again (and that several times) and making the cleaning operation really efficient.
Furthermore, it reduces the chance of cross contamination and guarantees that surfaces are cleaned in a logical and simple regarding.
Specialized cleaning in specific areas.
Some of the post construction space may need specialized cleaning techniques or protocols on certain areas. For example:
- Carpets and upholstery: Some may need deep cleaning, or even professional steam cleaning to get rid of embedded dirt, dust and construction residue.
- Ventilation systems: Good indoor air quality and dusty air ducts are the result of dirty air ducts and vents circulation of dust and debris.
Identify any areas that require specialized cleaning and insure that the correct protocols anr products are used to get the cleanliness anr hygiene desired.
Quality Control and Verification Unit
Quality control procedure and verification processes will be implemented to make post construction cleaning effective and quality. These may include:
- Regular spot checks at and after the cleaning process, including regular inspections.
- Documentation and reporting of cleaning activities in an extensive way.
- Stakeholder walkthroughs and end of life inspections just before handover.
Facility managers and building owners can feel confident that the post construction cleaning process has been completed in full and according to the highest standards with these measured being implemented.
Conclusion
So it is very important to have effective planning and effective execution for post construction cleaning. The post construction cleaning phases, best practices and implementation of comprehensive cleaning protocols allow facility managers, business owners, cleaning service providers and property management companies to achieve a successful and efficient post construction cleaning project.
In this guide, we cover everything from hiring professional cleaners and using eco friendly products, to creating digital checklists and ensuring compliance with local regulations to create a clean and welcoming post construction space.
Through the emphasis placed on quality and attention to detail, and following industry best practices, stakeholders are able to ensure that post construction cleaning projects are completed in a timely, efficient, effective and sustainable manner, laying the groundwork for a seamless hand off into the operational phase of the facility.
