Post Construction Cleaning Checklist: A Guide To Leaving The Construction Site Sparkling Clean

Completing a construction project is usually exciting for everyone involved — the client, the contractor and the workers.

However, finishing the actual construction work is hardly the last step of the project.

The last step is always cleaning — and while it’s far less exciting than the project completion, it’s necessary.

After all, no client wants to come home or to their office and witness dust and debris everywhere.

Fortunately, a comprehensive post construction cleaning checklist will help ensure that your team leaves every construction site sparkling clean after the work is done. 

In this blog post, we will tell you all you need to know about what a post construction cleaning checklist is, what it should include and why you should create your checklist using electronic forms.

What Is A Post Construction Cleaning Checklist?

A post construction cleaning checklist is a step-by-step guide to thoroughly cleaning the construction worksite after a project is complete. 

A construction cleanup checklist typically includes: 

• The tools and equipment that will be required for the cleanup  
• The specific areas that need to be cleaned 
• The exact type of cleaning that needs to be done in each area 

The checklist is usually compiled in advance of the cleaning procedure, with its contents depending on the site where the construction work was performed, as well as the work itself. 

What Equipment Should Your Post Construction Cleanup Checklist Include?

While some cleaning jobs require very specific equipment, most can be completed successfully with a set of simple, but essential tools.  

As such, make sure that your cleanup checklist includes: 

• Microfiber cloths
• A professional vacuum cleaner with various nozzle attachments
• Trash containers and/or heavy-duty trash bags
• Dusters
• Mops
• All-purpose cleaners
• Glass cleaners
• Degreasers
• Bathroom cleaners/disinfectants

Most of these items are familiar to almost anyone, quite affordable, and easy to find — all of which should make them the mainstays of your post-construction cleaning routine. 

What Areas Should Your Post Construction Cleaning Checklist Cover?

Once you figure out what tools and equipment should be included in your checklist, you should make sure that the checklist covers all the areas of the construction site that need cleaning.

It should also specify what types of cleaning should be performed in each area to ensure that nothing is missed.

Here are the key areas that your cleanup checklist should cover:

Area #1: Interior Rooms

If the construction work takes place indoors, chances are that the whole space will end up rather dusty and messy.  

And whether the interior rooms are bedrooms, offices, or common areas, the cleaning process in your checklist should include the following: 

• Sweeping, vacuuming and mopping the floors — whatever the flooring material allows
• Dusting and wiping all sources of light — including windows
• Dusting and wiping tables, shelves, windowsills and other flat surfaces
• Wiping and polishing knobs, handles, switches and other small elements
• Taking out the trash

Area #2: High-Traffic Areas

High-traffic areas include entrances and exits, corridors, lobbies and other spaces that tend to see a large number of people passing through.  

In many cases — particularly when it comes to commercial properties — these high-traffic areas also have significant presentation value.  

For instance, the lobby of a large company’s headquarters can make or break a potential customer’s first impression of the company. 

High-traffic areas are also more susceptible to wear and tear — something that can be partially slowed by good upkeeping.  

That’s why your cleanup checklist for such areas should include: 

• Making sure that all glass or reflective surfaces are spotless
• Making sure that all the lights and switches are working
• Cleaning even the smallest and least visible areas
• Dusting and wiping entrance doors and doorknobs

Area #3: Exterior Areas

It may be tempting to leave the post-construction cleanup of the construction site’s external areas up to the elements. 

However, even those areas deserve your attention – especially in the eyes of your client.  

As such, if the construction site gets messy following the construction, your cleanup checklist should include the following routine:  

• Sweeping and/or power washing all walkways
• Picking up the trash and debris
• Removing all unused construction materials and equipment
• Making sure that the landscaping design elements and décor are returned to their original positions

Area #4: Kitchens 

Kitchens in both commercial and private properties demand a careful, meticulous approach to post-construction cleanup due to the high sanitary standards they have to follow.  

In addition to the obvious dusting and wiping, your kitchen cleanup checklist should also include: 

• Deep-cleaning and disinfecting all surfaces where food is handled
• Cleaning the sink and the stovetop with a degreaser, if necessary
• Thoroughly vacuuming and mopping the floor
• Making sure that all cabinets and drawers — inside and outside — are clean
• Cleaning all appliances
• Removing all trash

Area #5: Bathrooms

Bathrooms are very similar to kitchens when it comes to post-construction cleanup. Both require the utmost level of attention to detail — once again, due to sanitation requirements.  

And while bathrooms tend to be among the smallest areas on a property, be prepared to spend a significant amount of time and resources to achieve the required level of cleanliness. 

In addition, be sure to include these steps in your bathroom cleaning checklist:

• Thoroughly clean and disinfect all furnishings and fixtures: the toilet, the sink, the bathtub, the shower cabin, and so on
• Wipe and polish the mirror, the taps, and other reflective surfaces
• Take out the trash and sanitize the trash container
• Vacuum, mop, and sanitize the floor
• Wipe and sanitize the walls

Why Create A Construction Clean-Up Checklist Using Mobile Forms?

The logic behind a cleanup checklist is quite straightforward – it helps ensure that space, where construction work took place, remains clean and free of leftover debris.

However, the logistics of creating and managing checklists can be challenging. You must ensure that checklists stay consistent and can be easily accessed by workers and team members.

Achieving that with old-fashioned printed paper forms can be equally challenging — paper forms are fragile, expensive to make and time-consuming to exchange.

That is why mobile electronic forms are a far superior solution for creating a post construction cleanup checklist.

A checklist created with a mobile form solution — such as doForms — is entirely electronic and can be easily accessed with a smartphone.  

All mobile forms are also stored in the cloud, which makes it much easier for you and your team members to view, edit and share checklists and other documents in real time. 

Ready to build your own checklist? Try doForms for free!

Post Construction Cleaning Takeaways

Post-construction cleaning might not be the most exciting stage of a construction project but it’s an important stage nevertheless.  

A tool that can truly help you save time and resources during post-construction cleanup is a comprehensive post construction cleanup checklist.  

This checklist will not only include the equipment and tools that the specific cleanup job will require, but also the areas that must be cleaned and the specific requirements of each area. 

You will be able to save even more time and resources by creating and managing your construction cleanup checklists with a mobile form solution, such as doForms.  

Due to their instant connectivity and secure file storage, mobile forms can be seamlessly and instantly shared between team members, speeding up the cleanup process. 

As a result, the post construction cleaning process can be optimized to take as little time as possible and be as thorough as possible, benefiting both your bottom line and your client relations.  

Ready to build your own checklist? Try doForms for free!