During a remodeling project, dust and debris is inevitable. This doesn’t mean you have to live with grit on every surface throughout your home for several weeks, however. Follow these simple strategies to contain the dust to the construction area and keep the rest of your home in a livable condition.

Containment is Key

You may not be able to prevent dust and debris during construction services and remodeling, but you can contain it. Designate a single doorway as the entry and exit point to the construction area and seal the rest with two layers of sturdy plastic. Create an airlock system on the entry door by taping a layer of plastic on either side, then slitting an opening down the middle. This curtain arrangement will trap most loose dust.

Place a fan blowing toward the outdoors in at least one exterior window to circulate fresh air and vent fine dust particles.

Do as much cutting as possible outdoors. Block the HVAC vents in the construction area. This will prevent dust from circulating throughout the house.

Construction and remodeling

Construction Cleaning

You should expect to deep clean after the construction project is complete, but an ongoing cleaning routine will help manage the dust problem.

Daily Cleaning Routine:

• Sweep the construction area
• Wipe down surfaces with a damp rag

Weekly Cleaning Routine:

• Replace HVAC filters
• Vacuum, especially areas that are difficult to reach with a broom.

Use a shop vac, not a vacuum cleaner designed for regular housecleaning. A typical home vacuum cleaner does not have the suction power to handle construction dust. Before you begin, take the shop vac outside and remove all of the filters. Clean them thoroughly and replace. Run the shop vac for a minute or two before taking it into the construction site. This will expel any lingering dust from the vacuum system.

Hire a Pro

Many contractors build the cost of a professional cleaning crew into their estimate for the job. A final deep cleaning is essential for removing all signs of dust and dirt from the construction area and the rest of your home. If you are doing the remodeling work yourself consider doing what the pros do: hire a cleaning crew that specializes in construction projects like RestorationMaster. They go beyond typical cleaning to focus on areas that are most affected by construction projects, like carpet and wall cleaning. They remove and safely dispose of any leftover construction materials such as nails, wood and hazardous materials.

About Vince Sandri

Vince Sandri is a content writer and blogger with more than 12 years of experience. His expertise is in creating content related to disaster restoration, including information about preventing and reacting to natural disasters like flooding, water damage, fire and smoke damage, mold growth, storm damage and more.
Vince has been the main contributor to RestorationMasterFinder.com since 2014. Over that time, he has written numerous service pages and blogs for disaster restoration providers featured on RestorationMasterFinder.com. Vince has done extensive research and covered a wide range of topics relating to disaster restoration to help homeowners, business owners, and property managers better protect their property. He understands the problems that disasters like flooding, fire, smoke, and mold can cause as well as the best ways to respond to these issues to limit the damage.
Vince completed his Bachelor of Arts degree at Aurora University and his master’s degree at DePaul University. He has been writing SEO website pages, blogs, and press releases since 2012. Vince is also a musician and can be seen playing in the Chicago, IL area.