Post Construction Cleaning
You’ve spent a lot of money and time on the construction or renovation of your space, creating it exactly as you want. Educated consumers know that the final phase of construction is excellent impeccable post construction cleaning, to leave your home or office clean and safe for living and working.
Unfortunately, no matter how careful the construction crew is, or how neat the painter is- there’s always a final layer of plaster and saw dust and other debris to be removed. That’s where we come in. One of our main specialties is post renovation cleaning. We have the correct HEPA filtered wet/dry dustless vacuums, Ionators, Microfibers, Ventilated Masks and goggles and additional plaster dust removing equipment, and a trained supervised staff of professionals ready to assist you.
Plaster dust removal can be very time consuming and dangerous. but leaving plaster dust in your renovated space can be extremely hazardous to your health and to the health of your family and your pets.
It’s also very damaging to the new expensive surfaces in your home. The silica particles act like fine sandpaper, sanding down and dulling the finish on your newly polyurethaned floors, your newly installed counter tops, and your fine woodwork.
We will carefully remove any remnants of silica and construction debris – leaving your home or office in safe move in condition.
The final post-renovation cleanup may be your best investment in your space and in your health!
When you call our trained Client Care staff to set up your post-renovation or construction cleaning, we will spend 20 to 60 minutes assessing your needs. If your space requires more- we will set up an on site assessment to walk through your space, take photographs and assess your needs, and provide you with a written proposal of the estimated work you will require.
All of this preparation is free—at no cost to you.
Once we’ve completed your assessment we will give you a time estimate to complete your cleaning.
We’ll also schedule additional time for a follow-up cleaning to remove any airborne silica particles that may have settled after we completed the first cleaning. And we can usually provide a large enough supervised crew to complete the work in one day!
During your cleaning a team of professional Cleaning Specialists in protective gear will use special equipment to remove as much surface dust as possible. Then they will carefully wipe every surface in your space to remove the plaster dust. Plaster dust, when airborne, resettles repeatedly on surfaces, so each surface may have to be wiped or washed many times. Sometimes we work with small paint-brushes or cotton swabs to get dust that has settled in hard to reach places like open wood work, or filigree in balustrades or lighting fixtures. No job is too tough for us- we’ve done it all!
If you are just beginning your renovation and are forced to live in the space that will contain the plaster or silica dust, here are some helpful hints:
Seal the room: Ask your construction crew or painter to seal the room that will contain the plaster dust or silica- They can hang plastic drop cloths on windows and doorways and tape them into place. Have them hang a fabric sheet on the doorway that will be used to enter or exit the room- and make sure that this sheet is kept moist with water to gather any dust they carry in or out of the room.
Don’t enter the construction room unless you must: Silica/Plaster dust is dangerous to your skin, eyes and lungs. You will also trail dust out of the room and into the rest of your home., making the clean up much more difficult.
Clean up daily: Ask your construction crew or painter to clean up daily so the dust isn’t being spread around your home with their movement. Great Green Cleaning can do construction clean up for you while your space is under construction, to keep your family safe and to make the final clean up easier.
Don’t use your household Vacuum: Your household vacuum motor is not made for plaster dust removal and can easily be damaged by the plaster dust. Your vacuum will also blow the silica dust back into the air! You can rent a special dustless wet/dry back-pack Vacuum from Home Depot for less than $30 per day. This vacuum has a HEPA filter and will not blow the silica dust back into your home. Remember to wear protective gear: a ventilator, goggles, gloves and cover your skin and hair as well – Or you can call Great Green Cleaning – and relax- we’ll do it for you!
It only takes a spoon-full of airborne plaster dust to fill a lovely home with the dangerous powder. Please read on for additional information about the dangers of plaster dust and how it can adversely affect your health.
Some Plaster Dust/Silica Facts
Older plaster may contain chemicals that were not known to be dangerous at the time it was first put up on your walls, but are now known to be toxic. Always protect yourself from breathing in this dust or allowing for prolonged exposure to your skin.
Plaster dust (calcium sulfate) and Silica is irritating to the eyes skin and respiratory system. In situations where there is heavy inhalation of the dust, more severe respiratory problems can result.
Silica dust is highly toxic by inhalation, and may cause silicosis.
You can develop health problems from exposure to plaster dust. The following health problems are associated with exposure to drywall dust or plaster dust:
- Drywall or plaster dust can become airborne and cause irritation and inflammation when they come in contact with the eyes. In some cases medical attention may be required.
- Drywall or plaster dust can cause skin irritation.
- Inhaling drywall or plaster dust can lead to the development of throat and lung problems. It is recommended that you wear masks/respirators when around drywall or plaster dust.
- Drywall and plaster contains crystalline silica and continuous inhalation can cause Silicosis, a serious lung disease. Mica, another component of drywall is a known cause of Pneumoconiosis, a fatal lung disease.
- Other diseases associated with exposure to drywall and plaster dust include tuberculosis, kidney and renal diseases, thickening of the skin, lupus and rheumatoid arthritis. To avoid risks associated with drywall and plaster dust, avoid breathing drywall dusts by using respirators, controlling dust during use and disposal and using HEPA rated vacuums or wetting drywall dusts before vacuuming.
Great Green Cleaning and Maid Service believes that creating a lovely clean and safe environment is a must! Remember, removing construction dust after a repair or renovation is an investment in your home and in your health. Please call us with any questions you may have so we can make your renovation as safe and worry free for you as possible. Our Client Care team is available live every day of the year from 8 am to 10 pm and we answer your call live 24 hours each day. Let us help you enjoy your beautiful new space in good health.
Additional Plaster Dust Info and Links:
Breathing the dust from drywall joint compounds may cause persistent throat and airway irritation, coughing, phlegm production, and breathing difficulties similar to asthma … When silica is present, people may also face an increased risk of silicosis and lung cancer.
This dust can quickly make a job site hazardous. And not just for drywall contractors – those working or living in the space can also be exposed to the dust if it is not properly cleaned up. It also can be spread throughout a structure via ventilation systems, exposing those in other parts of the building or home.
