So we've done the building work - how do we clear up?!

[LauraPashley]

Just about finished with fairly significant building works - kitchen ripped out, walls knocked down, new walls built etc. we are at the stage of kitchen fitted, floors about to go down etc, with a view to moving back in soon...but obviously it is FILTHY. Sticky dust everywhere (old house, thick stone walls knocked down!) and we are not sure where to begin with getting it clean again! Any tips?!

Use a Hoover you don't mind chucking. If you don't have one then you can get a cheap builders wet & dry one from somewhere like screwfix, that you can ruin.

buy a canister-type builders vac. I think mine is about 25 litres.

You want one with a cartridge filter (made of pleated cardboard) that can also take optional paper bags. They will prevent the filter clogging so quickly with dust. Buy a spare filter. They are usually wet and dry and will suck up dirty water if needed.

If you buy a cheap brand like Titan or Aldi, look for a 2-year guarantee, and use it a lot before the guarantee runs out. Name brands like Karcher or Nilfisk cost four times as much. If spare filters and bags are not readily available, don't buy it.

They are noisy.

I hired a wet and dry vacuum cleaner for a day to do the whole house and get the job started. After that it was one room at a time of washing and dusting. The floors needed to be mopped 5 or 6 times before it started to resemble a home again.

We got a crack team of professional cleaners in for the day and went out to the cinema and long lunch. It was a couple of hundred quid but we just added it to the cost of the building works

yes. oldhoover and be prepared to do it all a good few times. you will be settled in no time but it is a bit grim.

Start at the top and work downstairs
Start by sweeping and then hoovering and then dry wiping and then wet wiping
You may have to do this several times as the dust settles

Start at the top and work downstairs
Start by sweeping and then hoovering and then dry wiping and then wet wiping
You may have to do this several times as the dust settles

If you add a few drops of oil (any oil, olive, vegetable etc) to the water when you mop it picks up the dust a lot quicker. Good luck, not fun. Like tak1ngchances' idea best of all!

before you start sweeping use a water mister to damped down the floors, it stops the dust going everywhere, doesn't need lots of water just enough to stop the dust.

Oh you are all wonderful thank you! Dh has already started with our own Hoover so I guess I can possibly kiss that goodbye, but I will try and find one of these builders ones. It seems to have seeped into every drawer and cupboard too, aaaaargg!