Your renovation is finally done and the contractor has handed over the keys to you and you are ready to move in and then you notice there’s a lot of dust everywhere in your new house.
Renovation dust gets everywhere and it settles inside your house cabinets, behind the toilet bowls and along the window tracks and the most common one which is on top of every single ledge.
Most people assume that the contractor’s cleaning has settled it. It hasn't. Under HDB’s renovation requirements, your contractor is responsible for packing and disposing of renovation debris properly, and that's essentially the extent of it. They clear the debris, sometimes with an acid wash for the floors, and that's about it. But the fine dust is still sitting there.
So before your furniture arrives, go through this post renovation cleaning checklist room by room. It covers the obvious stuff, and more importantly, the spots almost everyone misses.
Before You Start, Get These 3 Things Right
Clean before the furniture comes in - an empty flat cleans up in a fraction of the time and you’ll never have this kind of access to floors, corners and cabinet interiors again. Once your furniture like sofas and mattresses arrive, they just become traps for whatever dust is still floating around.
Air the flat out first - Fresh paint, sealants and new laminates keep releasing fumes for days after the work is done, a process called off-gassing. Hence will need to open every window and run the fans for a day or two before spending hours cleaning inside.
Work top to bottom - Dust falls so need to start from the ceilings, fans and lights and followed by the walls and windows and the furniture and fixtures and finally the floors.
The Whole - Flat Basics
Run through these in every room before getting into the specifics:
- Wipe ceiling corners and cornices, dust webs love these
- Clean ceiling fans blade by blade, including the motor housing
- Wipe light fittings and switch plates, switches collect a surprising amount of grime from workers' hands
- Dust and wipe the walls, especially textured or feature walls that hold fine dust
- Clean door frames, door tops and both sides of every door
- Wipe the skirting along every wall
- Vacuum then wipe the window tracks, frames and grilles
- Clean glass and mirrors on both sides where you can reach
- Wipe down the aircon units and vents, the fins trap renovation dust and will blow it right back out the first time you switch on
- Vacuum every floor properly, then mop at least twice
Kitchen
The kitchen usually gets the most renovation work, so it holds the most leftover mess:
- Empty and wipe every cabinet and drawer inside, and don't forget the tops of the wall cabinets
- Peel off the protective films on new appliances and wipe away the sticky residue
- Check inside the sink cabinet, contractors love leaving offcuts and sealant smears in there
- Wipe the hob, hood and backsplash, and look out for silicone smears and grout haze on the tiles
- Clean the sink and taps, and deal with any cement or plaster spots before they harden further
- Wipe the fridge and washing machine recesses now, before the appliances go in and block them forever
Bathrooms
- Scrub the grout lines, they often carry a white haze of dried grout or cement slurry
- Clean the toilet bowl inside and out, including behind it and around the floor trap
- Wipe the vanity cabinets inside and out
- Clean both sides of the shower screen and check the frame tracks
- Rinse the floor traps and make sure debris hasn't been washed into them
- Polish the taps, shower head and accessories, they'll have a film of dust and water spots
Bedrooms
- Wipe every shelf and drawer inside the built-in wardrobes, plus the top of the carcass
- Clean the wardrobe door tracks if they're sliding doors
- Wipe the window ledges and bay window tops, dust's favourite landing spot
- Clean the spots where the bed and side tables will go, you won't reach them easily later
Living, Dining and Balcony
- Wipe the feature wall, TV console and any built-in carpentry, inside and out
- Clean the balcony floor, railings and sliding door tracks
- Wipe the main door, gate and door viewer, corridor works leave dust here too
- Check along ceiling trunking and false ceiling edges for dust lines
Dealing With Paint, Cement and Silicone Residue
Normal wiping won’t work when it comes to dealing with paint, cement and silicone residue, each one needs its own approach and using the wrong one might damage your new surfaces. So here are some tips on dealing with it:
- Paint spots - Allow them to dry completely beforehand, as wet paint will just smear. On tiles and glass, soften them up with warm soapy water and then ease it off with a plastic scraper at a low angle. Avoid using metal blades as they can permanently scratch the glass or tile
- Cement and grout drips - for small and fresh spots will sometimes come off with just using warm water and a firm scrub. Hardened ones will require a mild acidic cleaner that is safe for the surface. Apply it only to the spot itself. Be sure to rinse thoroughly afterwards since leftover acid keeps working long after you have stopped cleaning it.
- Silicone smears - To tackle the smudgy film left around new sinks, screens, and countertops, skip the soapy water. A dedicated silicone remover will soften it up so you can roll it right off. On glass, a careful pass with a plastic scraper usually finishes the job.
Can You Do All This By Yourself?
Yes, if you have the time and energy then this checklist will give you the full scope to tackle it yourself. However, it is important to be realistic about the workload. A 4-room flat typically takes a professional team with equipment around 4 to 6 hours. With a standard household vacuum and one pair of hands, you will expect to spend your entire weekend if not longer.
Plus, you also need to factor in your equipment. Household vacuums tend to blow the finest construction dust right back into the air instead of trapping it. This is exactly why a newly renovated flat can still feel dusty after a full day of cleaning.
Finally, consider your health. Renovation dust isn’t ordinary household dust, it carries particles, paint residue, and other harsh irritants. If anyone at home has asthma, allergies, or sensitive skin, a weekend breathing that just isn't worth the savings.
Get a Professional Post Renovation Cleaning Service With Beck & Call
If you’d rather not spend your first weekend as a new homeowner cleaning, let us handle it. Our post renovation cleaning service covers everything on this checklist, from the fine dust to the paint spots.
- Experienced with post renovation work - Our helpers clean newly renovated flats every week and know exactly where the dust hides.
- Honest pricing - No GST, no surcharges, no hidden costs. Quote confirmed before anyone shows up.
- Vetted and Insured - Every helper is carefully screened and covered by insurance. Serving Singapore homes since 2021.
- Easy booking - WhatsApp us your flat size and renovation completion date, and we’ll sort out the rest.