9 Simple Ways to Keep Your Home Clean During Renovations
The right renovation project can help improve the value of your home. The same thing goes for your quality of life. That's why choosing the right renovation project is essential.
But no matter what renovation ideas you want to do, it will require clean-up. To reduce the work needed, here are nine tips to follow:
Clear the Area
Before you start with the home improvement project, try and clear the area as much as possible.
Clearing the area first ensures that your subcontractors can move in and out of the renovation area without obstacles in their way. At the same time, you're reducing the items in your home that are affected by the renovation.
Even if you're only renovating a small part of the house, it doesn't matter. You'll be surprised just how far the mess can spread around a room when you're renovating something. Thus, as much as possible, get rid of any items.
It would be even better if you manage to empty the room with the renovation project.
Cover Things Up
If there are some things in the renovation area that you can't remove, cover them instead with plastic sheeting.
Plastic sheeting is best since it will help keep your items protected while not getting anything splattered on them that's liquid. Of course, it's best to remove them when possible, but covering them up is second best.
Covering them up ensures that dust and debris have fewer chances to land in the crevices and cracks that might be harder for you to clean. At the same time, you're also reducing the number of items that you have to clean once the project is over.
Block the Renovation Area
Since dust and debris can be pretty minuscule, you shouldn't expect to 100% contain the renovation area so that the waste doesn't reach the rest of the house. It's going to get there in some way or another.
However, you can certainly reduce the amount of debris and the reach of the residue by blocking off the renovation area. Many people hang plastic covers on the doorways of the places that will have renovations in them.
Dust can still get through these doorways, especially since workers will likely go in and out of the room anyway. At least the amount of debris and dust that will get outside of your house won't be as much as if you didn't cover the doorway.
Dust Every Day
Dust is perhaps your biggest enemy when it comes to cleanliness during a renovation project. The problem with dust, though, is that it's barely noticeable if it's there.
Once it's apparent, though, that means that things are pretty dire and the cleaning requires more work. Thus, you should avoid getting it to that point at all costs.
Even if you don't see any dust, continue to dust every day that the renovation is still ongoing. You'll be surprised by the amount of accumulated dust over the rooms around the renovation area when you do that. Plus, you reduce the build-up of dust over time.
Protect the Furniture
Another reason you might not be able to move something is that the furniture is too heavy. In this case, you should also protect your furniture that's too heavy to carry. Aside from plastic covers, you can also use a drop cloth.
People who invest in massive renovation projects want to protect their furniture. Hence, you can hire movers who can bring your large pieces into a storage unit temporarily. If you have the budget and want to protect these pieces of furniture, you can also try that solution.
Cover the Air Ducts
Since the renovation project will produce many debris and dust, your air ducts and HVAC system are working double time. You want to ensure that your HVAC system and products are as clear of dust as possible.
You shouldn't forget to check the air filters, as well, since they might get dirty faster than ever before. Thus, don't forget to check on them to ensure that they don't need filter replacements.
You want to cover your HVAC system where the project is happening so that the dust won't spread all over the house where the renovation isn't happening.
Before you cover one air duct, though, make sure that you turn the system off first. That way, the system doesn't get damaged when you suddenly seal a vent in the HVAC system.
Create Paths
The foot traffic from workers moving around the house can add to the mess, especially on your floors. Thus, you might want to create footpaths to reduce the impact on common paths around the house during the renovation. Covering the floor with plastic sheeting can help with that.
Aside from that, you can provide boot covers for the work boots so that your flooring doesn't get damaged.
Keep Windows Open
Keeping windows open to other areas of the home can help ensure that your house has adequate ventilation. However, don't open the windows near the renovation area.
Wind can be unpredictable, so it might blow the dust everywhere inside the house instead of taking it out of the house. Also, make sure that you have the windows in the room with the ongoing renovation protected and covered.
Clean Up Daily
According to Cleaning Exec House Cleaning NYC, cleaning up often can help reduce debris, dirt, and more around the renovation site. Different subcontractors have different terms when it comes to renovation clean-up.
A subcontractor can clean as they work, clean at the end of each day, or clean at the end of the project entirely.
Other subcontractors might also have a separate clean-up company they contact to clean the renovation area at the end of the project. You should clarify what the clean-up policy of your chosen subcontractor is. It might also be worth asking if they're willing to clean at the end of every day if their policy isn't that way by default.
It's much easier to deal with clean-up after the renovation project when the site is often kept clean.
These nine tips can help your home be as clean as possible even with renovations ongoing. Aside from that, they can help reduce the clean-up that you need to do afterward. When you apply these tips, you can have a clean and relatively dust-free existence while your renovation continues.
cover image © Brett Jordan on Unsplash