Cleaning after having walls knocked down etc How to eliminate the dust for good?

[smilesandsun]

Hi,

What is the best way to get rid of the fine dust from plasterboard and brick dust etc? Are there industrial hoovers of something that I should be looking at?

Following with interest!

Me too, currently losing the battle.

Me too. How the hell is it inside cupboards which have been closed and covered?!

I've gotten some quotes from cleaning companies to come in and do a deep clean.

I recommend a canister vac (don't use your household hoover)

this one is quite large and powerful, it has a take-off socket that will be useful when you plug a drill or saw into it, and it starts sucking when you turn the saw on.

They are quite noisy.

Get a spare cartridge filter, and some of the paper bags, which will delay clogging of the filter. Don't buy one if you can't get bags and filter to fit. When the filter clogs you can brush it clean, and eventually hose it clean.

Remember to clean on top of doors, architrave, lampshades etc.

After you have vacced repeatedly, use a damp sponge or wet mop.

Henry hoover and many,many wet wipes. Plaster dust is particularly evil. Actually no, drilled breeze blocks are worse. Or maybe the soot from removing a Victorian chimney.

thanks all.

Piglet John, The household hoover.... will the dust damage it?

thx

the grit probably will.

Yes don't vacuum it as I ruined one vacuum after we had a wall taken out.

The dust got into the motor or something and getting a new motor wasn't worth it.

Damp cloths are better but it does take an amazing amount of go-overs! Total pita.

Has the building work finished or ongoing? Have you got bare floorboards with dust rising from underneath through the cracks?

Wet dusting and mopping is the only thing that worked for us. And laying new carpet / flooring over the floorboards.

Opening all the doors and windows for a good cross draught and a full change of air helps a bit too. Gets rid of the smell which is to some extent the worst part.

when wetted, cement and concrete dust in particular, but also plaster, will be reactivated and stick firmly to any surface they are on, and into cracks and crevices, so try to hoover them up dry first. I agree that dust that has got into the grain or pores of e.g. wood does need to be wet-mopped away, but hoover off all that will come first, before you wet it.

You will see the film reappear when it dries out, so it takes several wet-mops and rinses to get the last of it out. Scrubbing with a wet brush will help break up the film, but you then have to remove the slurry before it can dry and harden. The canister vac shown above can suck up water and wet material, so can help.

watching with interest. Will it destroy my air purifier if i try and use that when we do ours or will i just need extra filters?

I use electrostatic purifiers. As well as clogging up the filters, the dust will stick to the fan, motor, grille and discharger, and is impossible to remove without dismantling. Builders dust in an electrical component such as a motor is very damaging (it is very bad for PCs and televisions).