When to start cleaning when builders in?

[LittleMilla]

Our builders have now finished all the messy stuff (last bit of plastering finished today) and I'm itching to get the house rid of some of this fecking dust. It's everywhere!

Lucky enough to have a cleaner 2.5 hours every week who has sort of helped keep on top of it. But I just want everything deep cleaned now.

Is it silly to do a deep clean now when we've still got another two weeks of builders doing stuff like painting and eventually fitting kitchen (won't be ready for another month!).

Thanks and sorry for dull question!

no deep clean yet, will only frustrate you.
I had only builders in for 2 days and am fed up :o
I would run the hoover through, dampt dust the mist critical areas and mop the floors. deep clean for when everything is done.

Don't use your domestic vac, the dust will ruin it. Hide it so the builders don't use it, and hide the hose in a different place. Buy a Canister vac, and some spare filters, from a DIY shed or Screwfix. You will find they also sell large paper bags to fit. These are not essential but, with plaster dust or cement, will delay clogging of the filter.

Electronic equipment, especially computers but also TVs, should be wrapped in plastic, taken away from the dust, and not unwrapped until you have cleared all the dust away, and also cleaned the plastic wrapping.

If you have computers that are not dustproofed, back them up onto DVDs now, before they stop working.

Errrr, we're a bit late for the wrapping bit. They've been here for four weeks .

They've been very good at not touching any of our stuff and generally cleaning up after themselves. But we've had to stay living here so it just hasn't been practical to wrap and seal everything.

Do I just hang fire until we can unpack everything back in to kitchen?

I cleaned up every day after them, couldn't bear to live in the mess and it gets traipsed around more. After each day I would Hoover (I killed my old Dyson but knew I would) and mop the floors.

I'm 27 weeks pg, got a two year old and work four days a week so cleaning up daily isn't an option. Just about managing to keep ds's bed washed twice a week .

I used to work for dyson so know full well that I need to wash the filters ASAP, even though the builders have been using their own vac day to day!

Eurgh, common sense is telling me to hang fire for a touch longer. Might just ask cleaner to do another hour on Monday? Then wait until our temp kitchen is in before the deep clean. Hmmm

for some people, plaster and wood dust are very irritant and can cause coughs or trigger athsma. I have to wear a good mask and change my clothes, shower and wash hair to remove it. Might not be a prob for you. Keep the other rooms esp bedrooms closed, and take off dusty clothes before going in.

Thanks piglet. I think I'll ask cleaner to give the bedrooms a deep clean, then save the other rooms for another week or so. We've been ok which I think is in part to builders being v good about keeping doors shut, plastic sheet between upstairs and down and generally cleaning up at the end of each day.

Painting will cause another level of dust too as even little bits of filling/sanding cause pouffs of the stuff. Not the same quantities, but finer so almost worse. Wait for the deep clean until several weeks afterwards.

Vast and unwanted experience tells me that plaster dust takes three weeks to settle so you have a couple of weeks yet. Starting on the bedrooms is a good idea though, if you are cleaning curtains and soft furnishings,I would wait for the three weeks.

I cleaned every day, I couldn't help myself even though I knew it was a waste of time. Even after they've finished and gone it'll likely be a few weeks before the dust levels return to normal.

My vacum cleaner survived. It's a Miele. I've had it for about 12 years. It even survived when we were flooded about 10 years ago, although it was a bit sick for a few days while its insides dried out. Highly recommended.

Miele vacuums are very good. I can say that out loud now I don't work for the bag less people!

Had a blitz this am and now in agony thanks to my spd. Oh well, pain is worth it for the satisfaction of things looking a bit better in sitting room and ds's room.

Will hold off on the rest...

I'm nearly 38wks pregnant with dc3 and our builders have been here for 6 wks and we still have 2-3wks left til floors are laid and decorating is done. All v stressful and just praying the baby is late. I've cleaned about most nights, damp dusted and hoovered but am DESPERATE to get some cleaners in to deep clean and get organised. My nesting instincts are going mad!

Oh Hen, I can relate! I'm obviously not yet in nesting mode (well I hope not!) and DH still told me I was bonkers this am for bothering. I cannot imagine how I'd feel if I WAS wanting to get ready for the baby.

I'd keep the cleaners on speed dial in case you need them to whip in at the last minute. And go easy (I know, easier said than done), you don't want your cleaning to bring on the labour! x