Post-Construction Cleaning Checklist for New Builds & Renovations

Phase 1: Rough clean

Once the major trades are out. The goal is bulk removal, not detail.

• Remove trash, packaging and construction debris
• Sweep and shop-vac all floors
• Peel stickers and protective film off windows, appliances and fixtures
• Wipe large surfaces to clear heavy dust
• Knock down cobwebs and debris in corners, stairwells and utility rooms

Phase 2: Final clean

The detail pass. Drywall dust is electrostatic and re-settles after you wipe it, so work top-down and go over high-dust areas twice.

• Dust top to bottom: vents, light fixtures, ledges, door frames, baseboards
• Clean interior windows, frames, sills and tracks
• Detail kitchens and restrooms and sanitize all surfaces and fixtures
• Wipe outlets, switch plates and hardware
• Mop hard floors; vacuum carpet thoroughly
• Clean HVAC supply and return vents

Don't skip the vents. Dust left there gets pulled into the ductwork once the HVAC runs and recirculates for months, which is one of the fastest ways a new space starts smelling stale. More in our guide to cleaning AC vents.

Phase 3: Touch-up clean

Right before handover or opening, usually within a day or two of the walkthrough. Catch whatever resurfaced: fingerprints on glass, film on a countertop, a last vacuum of high-traffic paths.

How long it takes

It depends on square footage and how much of the site was under construction. A single commercial suite might take a few hours for the rough clean and a full day for the final with a two- to three-person crew. Larger projects take a multi-day crew effort split across phases. For scale, see a $15.6M fire training facility and a 591 crew-hour public building cleanup.

Florida-specific watch-outs

• Drywall dust turns to a thin paste on damp glass and tile. Cleaning right after AC startup, while surfaces are cool and collecting condensation, smears it instead of lifting it.
• Grout haze sets faster in humidity, so clean tiled floors and showers before it cures hard.
• If the site sat open during framing, check for mold and moisture before the final clean so damp materials don't get closed up behind fresh drywall.

Why it's a specialty

It takes HEPA vacuums that capture fine dust instead of blowing it around, glass- and stone-safe products for new finishes, enough people to cover a whole site before opening, and knowing which surfaces can take a scraper or solvent. It's a different job from a move-in or move-out clean, which deals with normal household residue.