Dirt spreading all over the house, that keeps appearing even days after the end of the work is a problem oh-too familiar for anyone that went through a home remodel. In fact, most people think that a clean remodel is an utopia, something that can only happen in dreams. And while that might be true, there are some measures you can take before the workers start and during the remodel that will keep your home clean. Here are some of them!

Before the remodel starts

• Remove all the furniture and decorations you can, and place them in a closed room or in storage. Go through this checklist to arrange and store everyday stuff like kitchen utensils, chargers and clothing if they are in an room affected by the remodel.
• Cover big furniture that cannot be moved easily-like vanities or armoires- with plastic sheeting secured with tape.
• Prepare a working space outside to get materials ready, drill and saw. This way, you'll keep dust as far as you can from the interiors. The garage or covered patio is usually the best place for that.
• Clear a path on the way workers use to reach the space to be remodeled and cover it with heavy tarp. With this, you'll avoid all the dirty footprints. It is also wise to cover partially walls and doors too to prevent accidental damage by tools or materials.
• Cover the heating and cooling vents to avoid debris that can damage your HVAC, and keep them that way till the end of the remodel. Ideally, turn off the whole system too.
• Provide the contractors with enough trash bags and cans to dispose the waste and help them keep the tidiness.

During the remodel work

• Sweep or vacuum the affected area each day to avoid spreading the dust. Only skip the dusting if walls are recently painted or sealed because flowing dirt can damage the drying process.
• Clean the windows, lights and fixtures frequently to prevent new stains to fix over previous debris and make it harder to clean afterwards.
• Keep spaces open and well ventilated. Remember that you’ve covered the vents of the remodeling rooms so you could expect some air pollution by the use of irritant construction materials.
• Talk to your contractor or the project manager if you consider that the workers are messier than they should. There is no need of being a pain as a customer but neither you should endure more hassle than needed -and most of the time an unorganized worker causes unnecessary delays-.

When the work is done

• Even if you’ve taken care of all the previous issues you might find yourself with more dirt that you can handle, so consider hire a post-construction cleaning service. They can deal with the stains and blemish specific to remodels that can be hard to eliminate with regular cleaning products and tools.
• Uncover the furniture after a deep cleaning and go over again lightly before re-fill them with stuff.
• Uncover the vents and replace the filters of your HVAC before turning back on to eliminate any pollutant that might get caught during the works.

And now sit down, relax, grab your phone and take a picture to share on Facebook your brand new home improvement!