Providing a professional clean-up of the work area is vital to providing a customer with a positive experience. It’s the final impression you leave with a customer and can make or break the review a customer leaves for you. The following will describe steps for clean-up depending on project type.
Ceilings
- For any kind of ceiling work whether its skimming, knockdown or painting the most likely final step is to paint the ceilings. You will want to remove the wall plastic immediately after spraying the ceiling so the ceiling paint does not form a bond between the wall plastic/tape and the ceiling.
- As you are removing plastic, roll the plastic into itself to contain wet paint as well as dust. Discard plastic into large black contractor garbage bag.
- Remove plastic from light fixtures.
- Re-install light fixtures if we have been contracted to remove and re-install fixtures.
- Some dust may get on the counters or any horizontal surfaces after you remove wall plastic. Clean surfaces with a wet rag.
- Floor covering materials will likely be taped together. Cut plastic to create smaller 5-6 foot sections. Roll plastic into itself to contain dust. If you were only painting ceilings you likely used drop clothes combined with plastic to cover furnishings. If that is the case fold drop clothes end over end containing dust. Shake drop clothes out when you get outside.
- Check for an drywall compound/paint on any undesirable surfaces and clean with wet rag.
- Vacuum flooring
Interior Walls
- Before final clean-up, check to make sure wall paint has been applied uniformly and no walls have to be re-rolled or touched-up
- Ideally, you are able to remove tape while the wall paint is still drying. If you remove tape after wall paint has dried the wall paint will bond to the tape and paint will peel off the wall as you remove your tape. If wall paint has cured for over a day you will likely have to score the edge with a razor blade or the corner of a 2 inch taping knife so tape removes cleanly.
- Replace covers for outlets, vents, etc.
- Check woodwork for final possible clean-up. The paint may have bled underneath tape. Use the edge of a 2 inch taping knife covered with a clean-up rag to remove any bleed through paint.
- Check wall edges for any areas that may need touch-ups with paint.
- Consolidate paint for customer and leave for customer
- Vacuum carpet, sweep hardwood
Exterior Painting
- Remove plastic from windows, light fixtures etc.
- Check windows/fixtures for any unwanted paint and remove. Clean-up will be easiest with a wet rag or if need be use dirtex paint cleaner
- Re-install gutter downspouts
- Replace house numbers if removed
- Pick up and discard any paint chips/debris
- Consolidate all paint for customer, organize and set aside
Deck Staining
- Fold drop clothes and organize tools
- Place deck stain brushes into 1 gallon can half filled with paint thinner. Then place 1 gallon can inside a 5 gallon bucket with lid for storage.
- Any brushes used with latex paint should get washed thoroughly with water and combed out with a wire brush.
- Check siding for any stain or paint. Use a rag clean with paint thinner and then water (if oil stain is on siding). Its important to clean after with water so residue from thinner is removed. If latex based product is on siding, clean with dirtex cleaner.
- Check concrete areas for stain or paint. Use nylon cleaning brush on rough concrete and a rag on smooth or stamped concrete for removal.
- Pack items into vehicle
Next Steps