How To Handle The Mess After Renovation Work At Home?

Home renovations are one of those things that start out exciting, but end up being a bit of a damper. The process is long and often ugly with uncooperative contractors, an ever-changing timetable, chaos in the house, and so on. It can take a lot out of you. Even when the end result feels worth the hassle, there is still the cleanup to deal with.

Being notoriously messy affairs, the aftermath of a renovation can look and feel like a tornado has hit your loving abode, with little care for you or your loved ones’ health and sanity. There’s so much to take into account when cleaning up the mess, especially for a so-so job that can actually be quite damaging to you and your young ones: the noxious chemical smells left behind are incredibly dangerous and can make your entire family sick.

The following are a few important measures to take during and after the renovation has grabbed ahold of your home. Strategizing well and keeping you informed of the entire process is the best way to ensure that you and your family stay safe.

Plan

It’s that simple: The first step you need to take is to plan how you’re going to tackle the mess. It can seem terribly daunting, but once you put pen to paper, things can become a bit clearer. Prioritize according to your needs, bearing in mind the schedules of your contractors and the general timetable of the project, make a list of the supplies you need to order, which parts of the house should be sealed off at different points as you work, and go from there.

Safety Measures

Cleaning up after the renovation work is no joke; besides the obvious mess all the dust, grime, and indescribable gunk can be quite dangerous. Make sure you stock up on safety goggles, face masks, gloves, and so on. Be as careful and organized as possible in this regard since you don’t want to get sick, or endanger any of your loved ones.

Stock Up!

Don’t underestimate the amount of buckets, rags, brooms, mops, heavy-duty boxes, bags, and cleaning fluids you’ll need to get the job done. Going to budget stores and buying the supplies you need online can be done in a jiffy and on the cheap, so don’t skimp here either. The last thing you need while trying to handle the mess after renovation is to stop midway realizing that you ran out of garbage bags or rags needed to finish the job.

Rearrange Furniture (Again)

You probably already moved most of your furniture and belongings out of the way for the renovation itself. However, you’d be surprised at just how much of a mess with the actual cleaning can create. The dust will eventually migrate to the rest of your house, creating an even bigger headache. Make sure to move pretty much everything out of the way, clean as you go, and cover your valuables with sheaths of plastic.

Clean "Hidden" Areas

You may think that the carpets kept rolled up in other rooms are clean and safe from any dust or debris. Sadly, you’d be wrong. Just as the dirt might as well migrate to other pieces of furniture in the house you thought were kept hidden, it would behoove you to vacuum the more hidden nooks and crannies such as carpets, curtains, and so on.

Likewise, don’t forget about the little things: vacuum or wipe down lamp shades, ceiling fans or light fixtures, electronics, small appliances, decorative items, etc. Perhaps you managed to box these things away before the renovation even started and stored them offsite or in the basement. If not, then you should definitely make sure that these are cleaned properly. You may think that these items look fine, but they could use a good cleaning, too. Especially when considering the fact that they can hold onto dangerous debris or dust mites in all those nooks and crannies.

Clean the Not-So-Hidden Areas

It might seem like a totally unnecessary step, but you should strongly consider wiping down your walls. Any muck – especially of the more microscopic variety – will adhere itself to the walls and ceilings, so you should be extra careful. If you used specialty wallpaper or paint, be sure to contact the manufacturer first and test a small area to make sure that you aren’t damaging your home.

The same goes for cabinets and closets: wiping them down thoroughly will help ensure that your home is on its way to being as clean as can be.

Beware the Air You Breathe

Even if you’ve only renovated part of your home, as you may realize now by going over this list, the dust will eventually migrate toward the rent of the house and mingle with the air itself. The dirt will inevitably make its way to air conditioners – or any other vents you may have in the house – and pollute the very air you and your family breathe. This is why it is absolutely crucial to clean out all your air vents and replace the filters. Remove the vent covers from the walls and clean them thoroughly with soap and water, air drying them before returning them to their place. Any exposed air filters should be replaced with fresh ones, too.

Breathing all that noxious air does not only lead to allergies but it can also create incredibly serious respiratory issues down the line, so take care and definitely don’t skip this step!

Get Reinforcements

Sometimes though, no matter how much you plan, and no matter how many cleaning supplies you purchase, the task might seem incredibly daunting – maybe even more than the renovation itself. Many consumers have reached out to afterbuilders cleaners, who have managed to offer solutions to all their woes. Hiring reinforcements is definitely something to consider, and depending on the magnitude of the job, it may very well be necessary.

Not for the Faint of Heart

Renovating your home presents the exciting prospect of turning something you sort of like into a piece of property you truly adore. However, it can also try your patience, and the aftermath is difficult to deal with. Planning properly and investing in good cleaning supplies or a full-service cleaning company will certainly make the task far less traumatic and easier to handle.

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