What Does Post-Renovation Cleaning Include? Complete Checklist

What’s Actually Included in Post-Renovation Cleaning?

We know the feeling of walking into a newly renovated home and realizing the construction team left more than just beautiful upgrades behind. The fine layer of dust that coats every surface isn’t just unsightly; it is often hazardous silica or cement dust that standard vacuums simply recirculate.

Our team at 22 Cleaning Service has handled hundreds of post-renovation jobs across Kuala Lumpur and Selangor, and we have learned that this type of cleaning is fundamentally different from a regular spring clean. It requires specialized equipment to safely remove construction byproducts without scratching your new floors or damaging delicate fixtures.

This guide breaks down exactly what a professional scope of work covers, so you can verify that your home is truly safe and move-in ready.

The Critical Difference: Post-Reno vs. Deep Cleaning

Many homeowners in Malaysia mistakenly book a “deep clean” expecting it to tackle renovation mess. From our experience, this is usually where dissatisfaction starts.

A standard deep clean focuses on built-up grime, grease, and biological dirt (like mold in bathrooms). Post-renovation cleaning, however, targets inorganic construction residue:

Fine Silica Dust: This powdery substance settles on walls, ceiling fans, and inside air conditioning vents.
Chemical Residues: We often find traces of adhesive from protective tapings or paint splatters on skirting boards.
Particulate Matter: Construction dust is sharp and abrasive; wiping it with a normal cloth can scratch glossy cabinets or marble flooring.

The Complete Post-Renovation Cleaning Checklist

General Living Areas (Living Room, Dining, Bedrooms)

These are the spaces where dust settles most deceptively, often hiding on vertical surfaces or inside fixtures.

Dust & Air Quality:

Wall & Ceiling Wiping: We use microfiber mops to dry-dust walls from top to bottom, removing the invisible film of cement dust.
Fixture Detailing: Cleaning inside ceiling fans, light diffusers, and wiping down air conditioning vents (exterior only).
Electrical Fittings: Detailed cleaning of socket covers, switches, and removing any paint specks from these plastic surfaces.

Windows & Grilles:

Glass Surfaces: Removal of stickers, silicone residue, and paint splatters using non-abrasive scrapers.
Window Tracks: Vacuuming hardened mud or cement chunks from the sliding tracks.
Security Grilles: Wiping down every bar of the metal grilles, which are standard in many KL apartments.

Flooring:

Dry Vacuuming: Using industrial HEPA-filter vacuums to extract fine dust from parquet crevices or carpet fibers.
Mop & Buff: Damp mopping with neutral pH cleaners to protect sensitive surfaces like marble or vinyl.
Skirting Boards: Scrubbing the junction between the floor and wall where debris often accumulates.

Kitchen Cleaning Scope

Your kitchen contains the most expensive surfaces in the house, so we treat materials like quartz, melamine, and acrylic with extreme caution.

Cabinetry & Storage:

Interior Vacuuming: We remove sawdust that collects in the corners of drawers and cabinet hinges.
Surface Polishing: Wiping down high-gloss cabinet doors to remove fingerprints and dust streaks.
Protective Film Removal: Peeling off the “blue tape” or plastic films from new appliances and cabinets.

Countertops & Sinks:

Stone Care: Cleaning quartz or granite countertops with stone-safe solutions to avoid etching.
Sink Polishing: Removing grout haze or cement splashes from stainless steel sinks and chrome faucets.
Backsplash: Scrubbing tile grout lines to remove installation haze.

Bathroom Sanitization

Bathrooms often require the most intensive scrubbing due to dried grout and silicone residue.

Tiling & Grout:

Haze Removal: We use specialized acidic cleaners (only on suitable tiles) to dissolve the white “haze” left over from grouting.
Wall Tiles: Washing down full-height wall tiles to remove dust that turns to mud when the shower is first used.

Fixtures & Glass:

Shower Screens: Removing silicone smears and water marks from new glass installations.
Sanitary Ware: Disinfecting the toilet, bathtub, and basin, ensuring no construction debris is clogging the drains.
Mirror Polishing: Ensuring a streak-free finish on vanity mirrors.

Balcony & Outdoor Areas

If your renovation extended to the patio, this area is likely covered in heavy debris.

Floor Scrubbing: High-pressure washing (if water points allow) or heavy scrubbing of outdoor tiles.
Railings & Glass: Wiping down balcony glass and metal railings to remove traffic grime and construction dust.
Drain Clearance: Checking floor traps to ensure they aren’t blocked by dried cement or stones.

What is Typically NOT Included?

To help you manage expectations, there are specific tasks that professional cleaners generally do not perform unless specified.

Exclusions to Note:

Acid Washing: We generally avoid heavy acid washing for safety reasons, as it can permanently damage chrome fixtures and stainless steel drains.
High-Level Exterior Windows: For landed properties or high-rise external glass that is inaccessible from the inside, you usually need a specialized facade cleaning team.
Rubbish Removal: Cleaners are not equipped to haul away large renovation debris like wood planks, tile boxes, or old furniture.
Upholstery Cleaning: Shampooing sofas or mattresses is a separate service requiring different machinery.
Formaldehyde Treatment: While cleaning removes dust, it does not eliminate the “new renovation smell” (VOCs), which requires a specific ozone or photo-catalyst treatment.

2026 Price Guide for Kuala Lumpur & Selangor

Pricing for post-renovation cleaning in the Klang Valley varies based on property size and the intensity of debris.

Estimated Market Rates:

Property Type	Size (Sq Ft)	Price Range (RM)	Cleaning Crew
Condo / Apartment	< 1,000	RM 280 - RM 450	2 Cleaners
Large Condo	1,001 - 1,500	RM 450 - RM 650	3 Cleaners
Terrace House	1,500 - 2,500	RM 600 - RM 950	3-4 Cleaners
Semi-D / Bungalow	3,000+	RM 1,000+	4+ Cleaners

Note: Prices often increase if there is heavy furniture to move or if the renovation involved extensive wet works like tiling.

How Professionals Execute the Clean

Our process is systematic to ensure dust doesn’t just get moved from one room to another.

Step 1: Dry Dust Extraction

We start by vacuuming everything dry. If you wet construction dust immediately, it turns into sludge that smears and stains. High-powered HEPA vacuums are used on walls, ceilings, and floors first.

Step 2: High-to-Low Detailing

Gravity is our friend here. We clean ceiling fans and lighting tracks first, letting any falling particles land on the floor for later pickup.

Step 3: Wet Cleaning & Sanitizing

Once the loose dust is gone, we switch to damp wiping. This involves using microfiber cloths (which trap dust rather than spreading it) and material-specific detergents for your wood, stone, or tiles.

Step 4: Final Floor Polish

The floors are the last step. We do a final vacuum to catch fallen debris, followed by mopping with a solution designed to leave no sticky residue.

Crucial Tip: The “Defect Check” Timing

A common mistake homeowners make is booking cleaners before their defect inspection.

We strongly advise you to perform your defect check after the first round of rough cleaning but before the final detail cleaning. It is impossible to spot scratches on the floor or hairline cracks in the wall if they are covered in dust.

Recommended Timeline:

Contractor’s Rough Clean: Ask your contractor to remove all large debris and perform a basic sweep.
Defect Inspection: You (or a pro inspector) mark all defects with tape.
Defect Rectification: Contractors come back to fix the issues.
Final Post-Renovation Clean: This is when we come in to make the home spotless for move-in.

Book Your Post-Renovation Clean

Your renovated home deserves to look its best from day one. At 22 Cleaning Service, our post-renovation cleaning covers every detail in this checklist, ensuring you walk into a home that is fresh, safe, and truly finished.

Ready to move in? Send us a WhatsApp message at +60 16-254 2022 with your property details:

Property size (sq ft)
Renovation type (Full or partial)
Preferred cleaning date

We will provide a transparent quote and get your home ready for living. No deposit is required, and you only pay once you are satisfied with the results.