What a cleaning after a remodel covers
Our cleaners work a remodeled space top down and leave the floors for last. The order of the visit matters more here than in a lived-in home, since any surface we skip gets a fresh coat of dust from the one above it.
1. A walk-through to agree what is in and what is out
With you or the general contractor, we go through each room. New tile, new cabinets and new fixtures are in; punch-list items, protective film still on an appliance, plastic strips on a sink, caulk and paint touch-ups are out. The written scope sets what we clean and what the contractor finishes.
2. Dust from the top down, worked from the floor
The tops of cabinets, door frames, light fixtures, vents and the high shelves are all worked from the floor. We use no step stools, counters or tub edges.
3. New counters, cabinet fronts, appliances and fixtures
We wipe counters clear of dust and fingerprints, and run cabinet fronts, appliance fronts, pulls and handles the same way. New plumbing fixtures and faucets are wiped as well. Adhesive residue from tape is a scope item the caller and the contractor settle on the call.
4. Bathrooms and kitchens: new tile, glass and plumbing
New tile gets wiped grout line by grout line where fine dust has settled in. Shower glass that has never been wet is rinsed and dried, and the sink basin, faucet and drain cover get the same pass. Backsplashes are wiped as well. The oven and fridge get the inside done if they are in scope, with any shipping stickers and protective film left for the contractor if it has not been removed.
5. Windows from inside, tracks and sills
The inside glass on every window the trades touched gets a wipe. The tracks are vacuumed and wiped out, so the dust that collects at the stops is cleared before the first open-and-close. Sills are wiped the full width. Outside glass above the ground floor is a window-washing trade, not ours.
6. Floors last, vacuumed and mopped
New floors vacuumed, edges and corners included. Hard floors mopped. City code counts streets and gutters as part of the storm drain system, and bars anything but stormwater from it unless a permit or listed exemption allows it.
| Surface | What a cleaning after a remodel does | What stays with the contractor |
|---|---|---|
| Counters and cabinet fronts | Dust and fingerprints wiped | Caulk, trim nails, scratches |
| New tile and grout | Fine dust worked out of grout lines | Grout haze on finish tile, sealant |
| Appliances | Outsides wiped, insides if in scope | Protective film, shipping stickers |
| Windows, sills, tracks | Inside glass, tracks and sills | Sashes and locks that need adjustment |
| Floors | Vacuumed and mopped last | Debris pickup, chip touch-ups |
| Light fixtures and vents | Wiped from the floor | Bulbs that need replacing |
When post construction cleaning fits, and when another visit does
When this is the right call
- A kitchen or bath remodel is finished and the trades have rolled up.
- A new condo build has handed over the unit and fine dust is on every surface.
- A full remodel is done but a few punch items are still on the contractor's list.
When a different service is a better fit
- The place has been lived in and skipped for a while. That is a deep clean for a lived-in home.
- The remodel finished before a tenant moved out and the unit is empty. That is an empty unit at move-out.
What our visit does not do
Our part is the cleaning. We do not haul debris, chips or leftover materials. Touch-up painting, caulking, protective film on appliances or windows, grout haze on new finish tile, and the punch list of repairs stay with the contractor. Products are something we go over on the call: ours or yours. We work from the floor, so no step stools for high dusting. Mold is small surface spots on tile and grout only; anything spreading or after a leak goes to a mold professional.