Your renovation is finally complete. The last piece of drywall is up, the fresh paint glistens and the new fixtures glean. But as the dust settles (literally), you’re met with another challenge: cleaning the walls of your construction project.
Don’t worry because we’ve got you covered. Whether it’s drywall dust, paint splatters, or sticky smudges, this guide gives you the knowledge and tools to restore your walls to their new, pristine, glory.
Prepare the room so your job is easier and your belongings are protected.
Move Furniture Away: Clear away any furniture, artwork, or delicate objects from the walls. Doing so allows you unobstructed access to cleaning your walls. It also prevents bumps and accidents.
If you do not have the luxury of clearing away all furniture, push as much of it to the room’s center and cover them with drop cloths or plastic sheeting.
Gather Your Supplies. Here’s what you’ll need for cleaning your walls post-construction:
- Mild detergent mixture (1 teaspoon per quart of water)
- White vinegar: ¼ cup and 1 quart of warm water, mixed. (This is optional and is for tougher stains or adhesive residue. For tougher cleaning solutions, consider other more potent wall stain removers.)
- 2-3 microfiber cloths or sponges
- 1 soft bristle brush
- 2 clean buckets
- 1 spray bottle (Optional. For the water-vinegar solution)
- 1 pair of clean rubber gloves
- 1 small ladder or step stool for high areas
- 1 duster
- 1 vacuum designed for post-construction cleaning
- 1 broom (with brush attachment)
- 1 dish soap mixture
- 1 all-purpose cleaner mixture
- 1 plastic scraper or putty knife
- 1 commercial adhesive remover (Optional. For stubborn adhesive residue)
- 1 baking soda paste
- 1 mild detergent solution
- 1 microfiber mop (with flat head)
- PPE set (masks, gloves, and non-slip footwear)
Ventilation: Ventilate the room so you don’t breath in post-construction fumes and they slowly disperse away from the area. Open windows, and doors, or turn on exhaust systems. Doing this also helps speed up the drying time.
Step 2: Remove Dust from Top to Bottom
Start from the Top: Always begin the cleaning from the high areas. You don’t want to have sparkling clean walls, only to find that the ceiling needs dusting later on.
Dust naturally settles below, so start dusting the ceiling and upper areas of the wall using a duster, broom, or vacuum cleaner with a brush attachment.
Pay special attention to crevices, corners, and moldings. Dust light fixtures as well, since these are likely to harbor dust.
Wipe Down Walls with a Damp Microfiber Cloth: Once you’re done dusting the high ceilings or high wall areas, prepare a moist microfiber cloth or a sponge to gently wipe the entire surface. Again, work your way from the top to bottom.
Warm water may be enough for walls that are lightly soiled. But for tougher grimes, mix a few drops of dish soap with warm water. Squeeze out excess water so that the walls aren’t damaged. You don’t want it too damp— just enough to wipe off the soiled parts.
Wipe Baseboards and Trim with a Clean Microfiber Cloth: These areas tend to accumulate dust and debris, so you must thoroughly whip them down with a damp cloth.
It’s fine to use the same cleaning solution as you did for the walls. Or you can opt for a multi-purpose cleaner if your trim is made of delicate materials like wood.
Bonus Tip: For freshly painted walls, it’s best to wait at least 2 weeks before dampening them. You should leave the paint to fully cure so that they’re not damaged during the post-cleaning process. Spot-test a small area first to see that the cleaning solution doesn’t damage the paint.
Step 3: Treat Specific Stains Like Paint Splatters, Adhesive Residue, or Scuff Marks
Post-construction cleaning of your walls is more than just your usual wipedown. You also need to clean specific stains.
Here’s how:
Paint Splatters: Use a damp cloth to wipe off paint splatters from water-based paint. You might need a more abrasive cleaning tool like a plastic scraper or a putty knife for oil-based paint splatters or tougher stains.
Make sure you do not damage the surface of the walls in the process.
Adhesive Residue: Use the water-vinegar mixture, and place the solution in a spray bottle.
Spritz a few on the adhesive residue, and allow it to sit for about 5-10 minutes. Scrub it off with a microfiber cloth.
Scuff Marks: Create a baking soda paste to remove the scuff marks. But make sure to test a small dollop in an invisible area. This allows you to see if it will be safe for application on your paint or wallpaper.
For Mystery Stains or Stubborn Marks: Baking soda paste and water can work wonders. Apply the paste to the stain and leave it to set for 10-15 minutes. Scrub them off with a moistened microfiber cloth.
Step 4: Give the Walls a Thorough Washing
Now that you’ve got the dust, debris, and other remaining marks covered, it’s time to give your walls a good wash.
Divide the wall into manageable sections that you can clean one by one.
Then fill a bucket with warm water and add a few mild detergent or dish soap drops. Do not use abrasive cleaning solutions that are a bit tough, to avoid damage on paint or wallpaper.
As usual, start cleaning from the top to bottom so you prevent streaks due to dripping.
Dip a sponge or a clean microfiber cloth into the solution and squeeze out the excess water. Gently wipe in a circular or up-and-down motion.
Focus on baseboards, door frames, and other trims. Make sure you clean them with the same solution you used on the walls.
Finally, use a separate cloth or sponge to rinse the finished section. This is for the removal of soap residue and preventing streaks.
Step 5: Dry and Inspect
After the grime and soiled areas have washed away, it’s time to dry the walls and check your work.
For this part, you’ll need a microfiber mop to gently dry the walls (again, work your way from top to bottom).
Then take a step back from the cleaning and inspect your walls. Clean any remaining marks or stains as per the instructions in this guide.
For stubborn blemishes, you can revisit the previous steps or consider calling in professional post-construction cleaning services for help in removing stubborn stains.
And that’s it! We hope you’ve found this guide useful. For more insights, check out our blogs page where we provide free resources for all your cleaning woes (plus cleaning product recommendations for all types of facilities: hospitals, daycare centers, gyms, and more).
We wish you the best sparkling clean for your post-remodelling project!