Refurbishment Dust

[ilovesouthlondon]

I've had a full refurbishment including loft conversion which completed around 3 weeks ago. Other works included new kitchen, bathroom, plastering all rooms, new doors and stairs etc.

I'm keen to get to the painting and carpeting stage but the dust is still horrendous! When I go to the property to pick up my post I'm always coverd in dust no matter how short the visit.

Please give me advice on how to get rid of the dust? Thanks in advance!

It takes a while because it's in the air, on the walls, etc. Ime it takes a good few thorough cleans to get rid of most of it. Buy or hire a canister vac and vacuum everywhere then damp dust and mop the floors. Leave a few days and repeat.

It takes months to settle. Have you done a First wash paint coat on the fresh plaster? That helps.

Invest in a Henry hoover or a cheap screw fix one with bags and work it to death. I thin’ you can get specialist cleaners in too.

You just have to keep hoovering, over and over and over again

I built my own houses and I was only certain I had 'cleaned up' all the dust after 2 years. House builders use specialist cleaners and even they can take days to thoroughly clean the place. 2-3 months using a mix of both dry and wet (damp) methods should get you 90% there.

Thanks for the replies but 2 years!!!!
I was planning to put carpet down next month! I have put a first coat on most of the plaster and done a first clean using my mums henry hoover but it's made little difference. I really want to get rid of this dust asap

IME if you hoover thoroughly every day for a few weeks and also wipe down windows, skirting boards and doors plus have all doors and windows open as much as possible you’ll get most of it. But then the rest settles over time.

If you can leave it unfurnished for a few weeks it will really help.

^ This. You need to let air circulate so that the airborne dust goes (or settles).
Then, start tackling the surfaces. Many people will advise you to clean floors first but I would say go with surfaces higher up. You haven't said whether or not the kitchen has been fitted yet, so if there is one fitted, go with that and windowsills too.
Then tackle the floor. It should be straightforward if you have no flooring down, but even if you do, you'll get the bulk of it up.
If after this by you still have work to do, ask them to keep doors closed to minimise dust travelling to other films, then go through the process again.
If they have been sanding down plaster, hoover first before wiping so you don't scratch surfaces when wiping over.

you need to get in there and get the doors and windows open and give it a thorough dust and vacuum. The dust is just resettling and has nowhere to go.

Henry Hoover and use the HEPA filter dust bags. You'll need many of them because builder/reno dust is a nightmare. It will take weeks (months) to properly settle. Keep cleaning. And cleaning... [repeat] ...

Thanks for responses everyone. I've only just put doors on this week, so dust has had a field day walking around the house! Bathrooms and kitchen have been fitted as well as rewire. I'm not living in the property to clean it every day but I try as much as possible. Currently cornice and new stair rail being put in then I wanted to start painting but it's just so dusty. I'll try going more often to clean and yes I've been using my mums henry hoover! Thanks

You could try a large air purifier and filter like this

LEVOIT Air Purifiers for Large Home Bedroom 83m², Alexa Enabled, H13 True HEPA Filter with PM2.5 Intelligent Air Quality Sensor, Removes 99.97% Pollen Allergy Dust Smoke Pet, Auto Mode, CADR 400m³/h https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08R794ZMX/ref=cmswwrcppapiglttiXRXBNYDSRNK10X3EJVFR??encoding=UTF8&psc=1

Sweeping, dusting then wet mopping and wiping every day is the quickest was IMO.

Thanks again. Maybe I'll get one of those robot hoover/mops to do the work while I'm not there!

Don't. The dust from building work can be fatal.to.vacuum cleaners. Buy a cheap wet and dry canister vac from the likes of Screwfix instead. It'll be far more robust.

@WeAreTheHeroes

Don't. The dust from building work can be fatal.to.vacuum cleaners. Buy a cheap wet and dry canister vac from the likes of Screwfix instead. It'll be far more robust.

Henrys, in our experience, can cope fine with dust and small debris from building works. Dysons can't- their filters clog in no time flat, and I'm told that if you don't clean the filters, they can burn out. I thought about getting a canister vac as you suggest, but after reading the reviews, which were not good, decided not to. Two years into a do-er upper, including bricklaying and plastering and woodwork, dust, sawdust, mortar scraps, and removing dust and rubbish from cavity/loft/underfloor our Henry is still working like new, with as fierce a suck as ever. We've even attached it to tools as a sawdust extractor- it seems to cope with everything. We have got through boxes and boxes of bags. We do wash the filter from time to time. Another family member uses one for metal dust at work with no problems.

Assuming the property is empty? All windows and doors left open for a few hours on a windy day will get a huge amount out. Go round at the same time for an hour with a mask on & a cordless air blower/leaf blower, and all will be left is a damp cloth mop of all surfaces

@BlueMongoose - a Henry is a canister vac and the OP was thinking of buying a robot vac, which I don't think would last long.

I've seen companies that offer cleaning services after building work, so maybe try one of those, as they will likely have specialist equipment.

Ohh a leaf blower, that's an idea! Builder doesn't want windows open because his tools are in the house. He should complete in a week or two then I can leave windows open with regular cleans. Thanks guys!

I've found in the past that the walls are covered in dust, even if they don't seem to be.

Buy a karcher vacuum. We are also in the middle of major building works, but living in house at the same time.
We have a karcher building Hoover which is what most the electricians/ builders/ plumbers also seem to have. I use it every day after they have finished and it’s really helped keep the dust down across the house.
It has thick material like refill bags inside so you can suck up actual building rubble and the dust is contained inside.

Spray water from a fine mist spray bottle into the air from up high, the water droplets will attach some of the fine dust particles on the way down. Then the floor should be a little damp and you can mop away those particles. Wash your walls. You can't sweep this dust up, you need to Henry it and wash it away.

Then whats left for a lot of the really fine dust on the walls that you don't manage to wash away will get stuck to the walls when you paint so it'll be much less dusty after the first couple coats.

We used an air purifier as well which really helped. This was near the end of the de dusting period though once the worst of it was gone.