ᐅ What cleaning products are recommended for final construction cleaning, including windows and tiles?
Created on: 18 Sep 2020 16:01
K
kati1337
Hello everyone!
We are three days away from the final inspection, and my mind is a bit chaotic.
The house is almost finished; next week, the HVAC system, vinyl flooring, doors, and final sealing work will be installed. Just a few tile edges left in the hallway. That’s about it.
Right now, I’m trying to get organized mentally. There are a few defects—nothing major—I’ve written down everything I’ve noticed so far.
Now I’m wondering if I’m allowed to start cleaning already. I think my site manager probably has no issue with that—he didn’t mind us starting some of our own work (painting, washbasins) before handover, so why would he have a problem with a bit of cleaning?
I once read somewhere online that you shouldn’t use a cloth to clean the windows the first time because of the risk of scratches. But I can’t find that advice anymore. Can someone provide more details on this?
What should I bring with me or possibly buy?
Do I need a cement residue remover, or can I clean the tiles just fine with an all-purpose cleaner?
Tomorrow, I plan to bring the pressure washer to remove the worst dirt from the floors now that most of the tradespeople are done.
Unfortunately, they still keep coming back for small things. A toilet paper holder couldn’t be fixed because the apprentice threw away a part of the bracket, so now they have to come back specifically for that. It wouldn’t bother me so much, but they always come in with their big, dirty boots, tracking tons of sand and soil into the house.
The windows are mostly just dirty. In some places, they have some plaster or paint on them. The paint used by the painter is water-based and comes off easily with warm water. I haven’t dared to try cleaning the dry plaster yet. I read that dry plaster can be removed with a ceramic hob scraper. Can that damage the windows?
I’ve also been thinking about buying another roll of painter’s underlay (that black material that looks like patchwork carpet) and taping it over the vinyl floor walkways with painter’s tape until the move is done. Is that paranoid? Will the floor be able to handle everyday use, or is it best to do this?
Sorry if this post sounds a bit jumbled. I’m quite nervous about the final inspection.
Especially since some things are already “finished,” but as long as tradespeople are still coming and going, things can get damaged. I’ve already found one or two marks on the freshly painted wallpaper. :/ My painter said he will come back and do touch-ups once the last tradesperson has left the house.
We are three days away from the final inspection, and my mind is a bit chaotic.
The house is almost finished; next week, the HVAC system, vinyl flooring, doors, and final sealing work will be installed. Just a few tile edges left in the hallway. That’s about it.
Right now, I’m trying to get organized mentally. There are a few defects—nothing major—I’ve written down everything I’ve noticed so far.
Now I’m wondering if I’m allowed to start cleaning already. I think my site manager probably has no issue with that—he didn’t mind us starting some of our own work (painting, washbasins) before handover, so why would he have a problem with a bit of cleaning?
I once read somewhere online that you shouldn’t use a cloth to clean the windows the first time because of the risk of scratches. But I can’t find that advice anymore. Can someone provide more details on this?
What should I bring with me or possibly buy?
Do I need a cement residue remover, or can I clean the tiles just fine with an all-purpose cleaner?
Tomorrow, I plan to bring the pressure washer to remove the worst dirt from the floors now that most of the tradespeople are done.
Unfortunately, they still keep coming back for small things. A toilet paper holder couldn’t be fixed because the apprentice threw away a part of the bracket, so now they have to come back specifically for that. It wouldn’t bother me so much, but they always come in with their big, dirty boots, tracking tons of sand and soil into the house.
The windows are mostly just dirty. In some places, they have some plaster or paint on them. The paint used by the painter is water-based and comes off easily with warm water. I haven’t dared to try cleaning the dry plaster yet. I read that dry plaster can be removed with a ceramic hob scraper. Can that damage the windows?
I’ve also been thinking about buying another roll of painter’s underlay (that black material that looks like patchwork carpet) and taping it over the vinyl floor walkways with painter’s tape until the move is done. Is that paranoid? Will the floor be able to handle everyday use, or is it best to do this?
Sorry if this post sounds a bit jumbled. I’m quite nervous about the final inspection.
Especially since some things are already “finished,” but as long as tradespeople are still coming and going, things can get damaged. I’ve already found one or two marks on the freshly painted wallpaper. :/ My painter said he will come back and do touch-ups once the last tradesperson has left the house.
kati1337 schrieb:
Do I need a cement residue remover, or can I clean the tiles just with an all-purpose cleaner? Life is too short for bad tools. That’s why: Lithofin.
This stuff is simply magic for tile floors.
Tarnari schrieb:
We will probably hire a company for the final construction cleaning. Our architect says that doing it yourself might leave construction dirt hidden for years to come. You get what you pay for. I hired this job through MyHammer for around 700€ or so. The two guys were hardworking but didn’t finish completely. Still, in all the moving stress, they were a big help and took care of the worst (windows, floors, etc.).
If you want it done really well, in my opinion nothing less than 1500€ will do. You have to decide if you want to spend that.
guckuck2 schrieb:
Life is too short for bad tools. That’s why I use Lithofin.
This stuff is simply magical for tiled floors.
You get what you pay for. I booked this job through myhammer for around 700€ (about 750 USD). The two guys worked hard, but they didn’t finish. Still, in all the moving stress, they were a big help; the worst was done (windows, floors, etc.).
If you want it really done well, in my opinion, you won’t get it done for less than 1500€ (about 1600 USD). You need to know if you’re willing to spend that. That’s certainly true. And of course, it won’t be cheap. So at first, you just save a bit on a few bushes or similar in the garden.
Regardless of whether we hire someone again before moving in, I would like to do some cleaning before the final inspection.
Do you know if I can safely clean the windows with a glass-ceramic scraper (for paint residues or stuck-on plaster), all-purpose cleaner, glass cleaner, and microfiber cloths? Is there a risk of scratches?
I once read something online about what to watch out for when cleaning windows in a new build, but I can’t find it anymore.
We have PVC windows from Schüco.
Do you know if I can safely clean the windows with a glass-ceramic scraper (for paint residues or stuck-on plaster), all-purpose cleaner, glass cleaner, and microfiber cloths? Is there a risk of scratches?
I once read something online about what to watch out for when cleaning windows in a new build, but I can’t find it anymore.
We have PVC windows from Schüco.
kati1337 schrieb:
Regardless of whether we hire someone again before moving in, I would like to clean a bit before the final inspection.
Do you know if I can safely clean the windows with a ceramic hob scraper (for paint residue or stuck-on plaster), all-purpose cleaner, glass cleaner, and microfiber cloths? Am I risking scratches?
I once read something online about what to watch out for when cleaning windows in a new build, but I can’t find it anymore.
We have PVC windows from Schüco. We also have PVC windows from Schüco. I would be very careful. If there are scratches that are not your fault, it might be difficult if you try to clean them yourself before the final inspection.
Tarnari schrieb:
We also have plastic windows from Schüco. I would be very careful with that. If there are scratches that are not your fault, it could be difficult if you try to fix them yourself before the final inspection.How did you handle it? If I don’t intervene myself, I won’t see any scratches during the final inspection anyway, since the windows and window sills are completely dirty. Or are they cleaned during the inspection in the presence of the construction company?
The windows could not be accepted due to dirt. That is what was noted in our report. However, we had built the house ready for occupancy. The plastering company commissioned by the general contractor then went through all the windows with us and showed us what they had noticed.
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