Kitchen Renovation Cleaning After the Contractor Leaves
Kitchen renovation cleaning removes the fine construction dust from a newly finished kitchen so you can put dishes away and cook without wiping every surface first. It covers cabinets inside and out, counters, appliances, the backsplash, lighting, the range hood and the floors, plus the rooms next to the kitchen where the dust travelled.
Describe the job and add your city. Free to request, no obligation.
Kitchens collect more dust than most rooms because the work is so varied: demolition, drywall repair, sanding, tile cutting, cabinet installation and paint. Fine particles settle inside empty cabinets and drawers, on top of upper cabinets and inside the range hood, and they are easy to miss because nothing looks dirty until a damp cloth turns grey.
The sequence matters. Cleaning starts high and works down, with a HEPA-filtered vacuum for every horizontal surface and a damp wipe afterward, because a standard vacuum tends to blow the finest dust back into the room. Plan the clean for a day or two after the last dusty work, so airborne dust has time to settle.
What the work includes
- Cabinet interiors, drawers and shelves vacuumed and wiped before dishes go in
- Cabinet fronts, hardware and the tops of upper cabinets wiped
- Countertops, sink, faucet and backsplash cleaned, with grout haze noted
- Appliances wiped inside and out, including the range hood and filter area
- Light fixtures, under-cabinet lighting and switch plates dusted and wiped
- Vent covers and return registers in and near the kitchen vacuumed
- Floors vacuumed and mopped, including edges and thresholds
- Adjacent rooms and hallways where dust travelled
How to tell the kitchen still holds renovation dust
A white or grey film wipes off the counters again an hour after cleaning
Drawers and cabinets look clean but leave powder on a damp cloth
The range hood and upper cabinet tops are coated
Dust returns to the dining area and hallway after you sweep
A powdery smell lingers when the furnace or air conditioner starts
How the work goes, step by step
Describe the project
Say what was removed or installed, how long the work took and when the contractor finishes.
Share photos
Pictures of cabinets, the range hood and nearby rooms help a specialist see how far the dust went.
Receive the written scope
The quote lists the rooms, surfaces, vents and the method, with the price agreed before booking.
Clean top to bottom
A dust wipe from high to low, HEPA vacuuming of every horizontal surface, then a damp wipe.
Walk through and touch up
If you are home, you walk the kitchen with the specialist and any touch-ups are done in the same visit.
What changes the price
- Kitchen size and open layout
- An open-concept kitchen shares air with the living room and dining area, so the cleaning zone grows.
- Cabinet count
- More cabinets and drawers mean more interior surfaces to vacuum and wipe.
- Type of work done
- Gutting, sanding and tile cutting create far more fine dust than a refresh of paint and counters.
- How far the dust travelled
- Adjacent rooms, stairs and vents add time beyond the kitchen itself.
- Floors and finishes
- New hardwood, stone and tile each need a different, careful method.
What a good quote spells out
- Cabinet interiors and the range hood named in the scope
- HEPA-filtered vacuuming and the number of passes spelled out
- Which nearby rooms and vents are included
- The timing relative to the contractor's last dusty day
- What is left out, such as removing paint, caulk or grout haze that needs a tradesperson
Post-Kitchen Reno Clean: questions people ask
How soon after a kitchen renovation should the clean happen?
A day or two after the last dusty work is usually best, so airborne dust has time to settle. Cleaning too early means the dust is still falling onto surfaces you just finished.
Can the contractor clean the kitchen instead?
Contractors usually sweep and do a basic cleanup. A detailed dust removal with HEPA vacuuming and several passes is a separate job, and many contractors recommend one before you move back in.
Is it safe to use the kitchen before the dust is cleaned?
Dust on food prep surfaces and inside cabinets is best removed before you use them. At minimum, wipe counters and the insides of drawers, and keep food covered until the clean is done.
Does the clean include the appliances?
Appliances are wiped inside and out when they are installed, and the range hood and its filter area are included if they are listed in the scope. Ask for any appliance work to be named in the quote.
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