After-renovation cleaning guide: the dust, the order and the cost

What is after-renovation cleaning?

It is the clean that follows the trades: fine construction dust lifted in repeated top-down passes, safe residue removed from reachable room surfaces, and floors cleaned last. Heron calls it post-construction cleaning. Post-construction cleaning is a standalone $350 package for up to 1,000 sq ft above ground. Add $10 for each started 100 sq ft above that, reaching $650 at 4,000 sq ft. Over 4,000 sq ft requires a confirmed quote. Add-ons and 13% HST are extra. Cabinet interiors, windows and tracks, and appliance interiors are optional extras.

Construction dust does not behave like dirt. It is fine enough that it can pass through an ordinary vacuum's filter and back into the room, it keeps settling for a day or two after the trades leave, and it sits inside every cupboard, track, vent and light fixture, in rooms the renovation never touched. A regular clean moves it around the house. That is why this is a separate service, done with different equipment and in a fixed order.

The same clean follows a new kitchen, a finished basement, an addition or the handover of a new build. Every price is on the four city pages: post-construction cleaning in Oakville, Burlington, Milton and Mississauga.

How is it different from a deep clean or a move-in clean?

A deep clean lifts the buildup a lived-in home collects, and a move-in clean does the same detail in an empty one. An after-renovation clean removes something else: fine dust that has settled in every track, vent, cupboard and fixture, and the film, adhesive and haze the trades leave behind. Heron prices this as a standalone package by above-ground floor area, with optional add-ons for interior surfaces and other selected tasks.

If the furniture is staying and there has been no building work, the deep cleaning checklist is the one to follow. If the home is being handed over empty with no construction dust, use the move-out cleaning checklist. If there is drywall or sanding dust anywhere, it is this one.

When should you book the clean after a renovation?

After the last trade has left and the contractor has cleared the debris, and before the furniture goes back in. If the job had a building permit, wait for the final inspection; in a new build, wait for the pre-delivery inspection and any repairs the builder makes before you move in. A clean done before the last trade leaves is a clean done twice.

Call about two weeks before the date, because closings and completions cluster: several homes on one new street are handed over in the same week. If a trade has to come back after the clean, a second, lighter visit is often the right plan, and we say so at the walkthrough.

In a new build, the builder leads a pre-delivery inspection before you take possession. Tarion, which administers Ontario's new home warranty program, describes its purpose on its pre-delivery inspection page as recording every item that is incomplete, damaged, missing, inaccessible or not operating properly, and tells buyers to look for chips or cracks in tiles and scratches on countertops or mirrors. That inspection comes before the clean, so look closely: dust and film can hide a scratch.

What is on an after-renovation cleaning checklist?

This is a general planning and DIY checklist, not a list of tasks included in the base price. Prepare the home, work from the top down, clean any selected interiors, finish kitchen and bathroom surfaces, then floors, and check for resettled dust. Cabinet and appliance interiors, windows and tracks, blinds and basement areas require their own selected add-ons when Heron does the work. Any return visit is agreed separately.

Before the clean starts

• Confirm that the last trade has finished, and that any final inspection is done.
• Have the contractor take away the offcuts, the packaging, the drywall scrap and the bin.
• Take up the floor protection, or tell the cleaners which rooms are still covered.
• Put a fresh filter in the furnace before the heating or cooling runs again.
• Open the windows where the weather allows, or run the exhaust fans.

The first pass, from the top down

• Ceilings, ceiling fans, light fixtures, and the tops of doors and door frames.
• Walls and trim; ask the painter how soon fresh paint can be wiped.
• Window frames, sills and tracks, and the interior glass.
• Vent covers and returns.
• Shelves, ledges and the tops of the kitchen cabinets.

Inside the cupboards and closets

• Every kitchen cupboard and drawer, vacuumed and then wiped, shelves and hinges included.
• The bathroom vanity and the medicine cabinet.
• Every closet: shelves, rods and the floor.

Kitchen and bathrooms

• Peel the protective film and the stickers from appliances, glass and fixtures, and take off the adhesive.
• Lift grout haze and paint flecks from tile, glass and hardware where they come off safely.
• Rinse the dust from counters, sinks, taps, the tub and the shower, and polish them dry.
• Wipe the outside of the appliances, and take the packaging and tape out of the oven, the fridge and the dishwasher before they are used.

The floors, last

• Vacuum every floor with a HEPA-filter vacuum, the edges and corners included.
• Wash the hard floors with a damp mop, changing the water often.
• Vacuum the stairs, the closet floors and the registers.

The second pass

• Come back the next day and wipe the flat surfaces again: the dust that was in the air has settled.
• Check the window tracks, the baseboards and the inside of the cupboards once more.
• Change the furnace filter again after the first few weeks.

What a Heron post-construction clean covers, and what it does not

The base includes all above-ground bedrooms, living areas and bathrooms, plus one main kitchen. Bedroom and bathroom counts do not add a room charge. Enter the above-ground floor area only: basement cleaning is a separate add-on and includes its declared bathrooms. Select each additional kitchen, including any basement kitchen, as an extra kitchen. Inside cabinets, appliance interiors, windows and tracks, blinds and the other listed extras are optional. Large or unusual work is confirmed before booking. The table shows the base tasks and all eleven optional add-ons; a generic checklist above does not add unselected work to your booking.

How do you get rid of drywall dust after a renovation?

Vacuum it with a HEPA-filter vacuum, then wipe every hard surface with a damp cloth, from the ceiling down, and do it more than once. Health Canada's renovation clean-up advice names the same tools: if possible a vacuum with a HEPA filter to trap small particles, a wet cloth or mop on hard floors and surfaces, and the windows open or the exhaust fans running during and after the work.

1. Clear the debris. Offcuts, packaging and scrap go first, to the right site for your region. You cannot clean around them.
2. Deal with the air. Open the windows or run the exhaust fans, and put a fresh filter in the furnace before it runs.
3. Vacuum from the top down. Ceilings, fixtures, walls, trim, sills and tracks, with a HEPA-filter vacuum and a soft brush.
4. Clean inside the cupboards and closets. Cupboards, drawers and closets are full of dust, not belongings: vacuum them, then wipe them.
5. Take off the residue. Film, stickers, adhesive, grout haze and paint flecks, each with the method the surface can take.
6. Wipe damp, then do the floors. A damp cloth on every hard surface, then the floors vacuumed and washed last.
7. Come back for a second pass. The dust still in the air settles over the next day or two; wipe the flat surfaces again.

The guidance is Health Canada's page on chemical safety for renovations and do-it-yourself (DIY) projects (read October 1, 2026). It also says to seal off the work area to reduce the movement of dust into other parts of the house, and, if possible, to keep children, pregnant people and vulnerable adults away from work areas. The sealing is the contractor's job during the work; the vacuum, the damp cloth and the open windows are the clean-up.

The vacuum matters most on this job. Every Heron team brings its own vacuum, and its manufacturer rates the filtration at 99.97% of particles at 0.3 microns, the efficiency a HEPA filter is defined by. The dust goes into a self-sealing bag, so construction dust is trapped in the bag instead of being blown back into the room. That is the HEPA filtration the rate card names for this clean; the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency sets out what the term means.

The dust comes back because the finest of it stays in the air and settles over the next day or two. That is not a clean done badly: it is why the job is repeated passes, and why the second pass is on the checklist.

Is renovation dust dangerous in an older home?

It can be. Health Canada says a home built before 1960 probably contains lead-based paint, and that before 1990 asbestos was used mainly to insulate buildings and homes. Both become a risk when they are sanded, cut or broken, which is what a renovation does, so have the materials tested before the work starts, not after it.

On lead, Health Canada's page Reduce your exposure to lead says a home built between 1960 and 1990 may have lead-based paint on the exterior, that the paint on its interior surfaces may also contain lead in smaller amounts that could still be harmful, that houses built after 1990 should not contain lead, and that sanders, heat guns and blowlamps should not be used to remove paint in older homes because this can create dust and fumes that contain lead. On asbestos, its page Asbestos and your health lists cement and plaster, floor and ceiling tiles and house siding among the places it may be found, and says there are no significant health risks when the material is left undisturbed, and that the risk comes from renovation and demolition work such as drilling, sawing, sanding and scraping. Its advice is to hire a professional to test for asbestos before renovating and, if any is found, a qualified asbestos removal specialist to remove it.

The neighbourhoods in the table are where our own neighbourhood pages describe houses of those years; a street can hold houses of several ages, so go by the house, not the postal code. And be clear about what a cleaning company does: a post-construction clean is for ordinary construction dust. It is not lead or asbestos abatement. If testing found either, the removal and the clean-up after it belong to a qualified specialist, and we come in once they have cleared the site.

Where does renovation waste go in Halton and Peel?

Mostly not to the curb. Halton's curbside bulk collection does not accept building and demolition debris, and Peel does not collect renovation, construction or demolition materials from the curb. From Oakville, Burlington and Milton, drywall, wood and shingles go to the Halton Waste Management Site on Regional Road 25 in Milton, for a fee. In Mississauga, Peel's Community Recycling Centres on Battleford Road and Fewster Drive take construction, renovation and demolition material, also for a fee.

A few things from a renovation can still go out with Halton's bulk collection, which takes up to three items every other week: a toilet with the tank taken off, or carpet, underpadding, doors and other dismantled wood, bundled and tied. The list of what it takes and what it refuses is in Halton's curbside collection and waste sorting guide. Check the fees and the hours on the regional pages before you load the car, because both change.

Debris is the contractor's job, and it should be in the contract. A cleaning team is not a disposal service: larger offcuts, packaging and anything that needs a bin have to be gone before the clean starts, or the team is cleaning around them. What we take care of is what is left once the debris is out: the dust, the residue, the film and the floors.

What does after-renovation cleaning cost? From $350

Post-construction cleaning is a standalone $350 package for up to 1,000 sq ft above ground. Add $10 for each started 100 sq ft above that, reaching $650 at 4,000 sq ft. Over 4,000 sq ft requires a confirmed quote. Add-ons and 13% HST are extra.

The base includes all above-ground bedrooms, living areas and bathrooms, plus one main kitchen. Bedroom and bathroom counts do not add a room charge. Enter the above-ground floor area only: basement cleaning is a separate add-on and includes its declared bathrooms. Select each additional kitchen, including any basement kitchen, as an extra kitchen. Inside cabinets, appliance interiors, windows and tracks, blinds and the other listed extras are optional. Large or unusual work is confirmed before booking.

For example, 1,000 sq ft is $350; one square foot above it starts the next 100 sq ft band at $360. A 4,000 sq ft home is $650 before extras and Ontario's 13% HST (Canada Revenue Agency). The same published rate card applies across our service areas.

Open an estimate in the calculator, enter above-ground floor area and select the basement and other extras separately. Bedroom and bathroom counts describe the base scope; they do not add room charges.

What does it cost for a condo, a bungalow and a new build?

Before HST, and before the walkthrough that confirms them: from $350 for a one-bedroom condo, from $390 for a three-bedroom bungalow of 1,400 sq ft, from $490 for a four-bedroom new build of 2,400 sq ft, and from $569 for a 2,800 sq ft above-ground house with the 500–1,000 sq ft basement add-on, including one declared basement bathroom. Each is set out line by line below from the rate card.

One home per city, as examples from our coverage: the base price follows above-ground size, with selected extras added separately. Large or unusual work is confirmed before booking. Each link opens the same build in the calculator.

A renovated one-bedroom condo in Mississauga's City Centre

One bedroom, 700 sq ft, one bathroom and the kitchen. New and refurbished units around the City Centre and along Hurontario are handed over with dust in every track and film on every appliance. Tell us the building when you call, because the service elevator has to be booked. More on post-construction cleaning in Mississauga.

Open this example in the calculator.

A renovated three-bedroom bungalow in Aldershot, Burlington

Three bedrooms, 1,400 sq ft, two bathrooms and the kitchen. Aldershot's bungalows are renovated far more often than they are rebuilt, and the dust from one kitchen reaches every room. In a house of this age, read the section on older homes above before the work starts. The neighbourhood is on cleaning services in Aldershot.

Open this example in the calculator.

A four-bedroom new build in Boyne, Milton, before the movers

Four bedrooms, 2,400 sq ft, three full bathrooms and a powder room. Milton's new streets hand over homes with drywall dust in every track and vent. The clean is done after the pre-delivery inspection and before the furniture: reachable room surfaces and fixtures, then floors. This example does not select cabinet interiors, windows or appliance interiors. The neighbourhood is on cleaning services in Boyne.

Open this example in the calculator.

A four-bedroom house in Old Oakville, renovated top to bottom

Four bedrooms, 2,800 sq ft above ground, three full bathrooms, a powder room and a separately selected 500–1,000 sq ft basement with one declared full bathroom. Many of the older homes here have been renovated more than once. The above-ground rooms and bathrooms are in the base, and the basement is on its own line. This example does not select cabinets, windows, appliance interiors or an extra kitchen. The neighbourhood is on cleaning services in Old Oakville.

Open this example in the calculator.

Can you clean up after a renovation yourself?

Yes, for one room, if you have a vacuum with a HEPA filter and you are willing to do it twice. Follow the seven steps above, work from the ceiling down, wipe damp and never dry, and keep the windows open. Never mix bleach with ammonia or with acids such as vinegar: Health Canada warns against it.

In a house old enough for lead paint or asbestos, have the materials tested before anyone sweeps or sands (see older homes above). If either was found, the clean-up belongs to a qualified specialist, not to you and not to us.

An ordinary household vacuum without a HEPA filter is the usual reason a home clean-up fails: the fine dust can pass through it and back into the room. Health Canada's household chemical safety advice applies to the cleaning products too: read the label and follow it, never mix products together, and ventilate during and after use.

A whole house can require repeated passes as dust settles. Decide which interiors need work and select those optional add-ons; they are not silently included in the base package. If you would rather hand it over, start an estimate on the calculator and call us to arrange the walkthrough.

How do you get ready for the cleaners?

Make sure the trades have finished and the debris is gone, then tell us three things when you call: what was renovated, whether the floors are still covered, and whether anyone has already done a rough clean. The answers shape the estimate that the walkthrough then confirms.

• The work is finished. The last trade has left, any final inspection is done, and the water, the power and the heat are on.
• The debris is out. Offcuts, packaging and the bin are gone; small bits and dust are ours.
• Tell us about the finishes. New hardwood, natural stone, fresh paint and anything delicate: we choose the method each surface can take.
• Tell us about access. Where the team can park, and in a condo which building, so that the service elevator can be booked.

Where does Heron clean after renovations?

Heron offers after-renovation cleaning in Oakville, Burlington, Milton, Mississauga and all of Halton Hills at the same published rates. The work and condition are confirmed at a walkthrough. The four local summaries below cover Oakville, Burlington, Milton and Mississauga.

For Georgetown, Acton, the hamlets and rural areas throughout the Town, see Halton Hills service coverage.

After-renovation cleaning in Oakville

Oakville has both ends of the job: new homes north of Dundas Street, in Glenorchy, Joshua Meadows and Upper Joshua Creek, and renovations in the century homes and post-war houses of Old Oakville, Kerr Village and Bronte. The Town asks for a building permit for basement finishing, interior alterations and plumbing fixtures that are added, removed or relocated, and requires building inspections at various stages of construction (Town of Oakville), so the clean waits until they are done. See post-construction cleaning in Oakville, or the neighbourhood pages for North Oakville and Old Oakville.

After-renovation cleaning in Burlington

Aldershot's bungalows, Roseland's larger homes and the split-levels of Burlington's older streets are renovated far more often than they are rebuilt, while a finished basement or a rear addition in Millcroft, The Orchard or Alton Village brings drywall and concrete dust up the stairs. The City says an interior renovation may need a permit, and that an issued permit comes with a checklist of the inspections required (City of Burlington). See post-construction cleaning in Burlington, or Aldershot and Roseland.

After-renovation cleaning in Milton

Milton's new streets in the south and west hand over homes with dust in every track and vent, and a kitchen or basement renovation in Hawthorne Village or Beaty leaves dust through the whole house. A building permit is required to finish any portion of a basement in Milton, and the Town's list of typical finished-basement inspections ends with the final building inspection (Town of Milton). The regional waste site is in Milton itself, on Regional Road 25. See post-construction cleaning in Milton, or Boyne and Old Milton.

After-renovation cleaning in Mississauga

Mississauga produces three kinds of job at once: new condo handovers in the City Centre and along Hurontario, new-build closings in Meadowvale Village and Churchill Meadows, and renovations in the older houses of Lakeview, Applewood, Port Credit and Cooksville. The City asks for a permit to finish a basement, for interior alterations and for a plumbing fixture that is added, removed or relocated, and not for painting, cabinetry or replacing a fixture in the same place (City of Mississauga). See post-construction cleaning in Mississauga, or Port Credit, Lakeview and Churchill Meadows.

For after-renovation cleaning in Georgetown, describe the completed work and remaining dust before the walkthrough. The Delrex renovation guidance explains when to discuss post-construction cleaning instead of a routine Deep clean. Confirm permit and waste arrangements for a Georgetown address with Halton Hills and Halton Region.

How do you book an after-renovation clean?

Call 289-813-7484 with the address, the size of the home and the date the trades finish. For this work the call comes first: we walk the home, then quote, then book.

You can build a starting estimate on the calculator first and read us the quote code, or just call and we build it with you. We clean in Oakville, Burlington, Milton and Mississauga, at the same prices everywhere.

The estimate is online. The price is confirmed at the walkthrough. An online estimate does not reserve a date; we confirm the scope, the price and the day when we have seen the home.

Start an estimateCall 289-813-7484

Sources

Checked October 1, 2026. Heron's prices come from its own published rate card; the checklist, the account of how the dust behaves and the ages of the neighbourhoods are Heron's own; the outside facts on this page come from the sources below.

• Heron Cleaning, rate card 2026-10-08-1: every Heron price on this page, before HST, generated by the same engine as the calculator.
• Health Canada, Chemical safety for renovations and do-it-yourself (DIY) projects: seal off the work area, if possible use a vacuum with a HEPA filter, clean hard floors and surfaces with a wet cloth or mop, and ventilate during and after projects.
• Health Canada, Reduce your exposure to lead: a home built before 1960 probably contains lead-based paint; between 1960 and 1990 the exterior may, and interior paint may contain smaller amounts; do not use sanders, heat guns or blowlamps to remove paint in older homes.
• Health Canada, Asbestos and your health: asbestos in homes before 1990, the risk when it is disturbed, and testing before renovating.
• Health Canada, Use household chemicals safely: never mix bleach with products containing ammonia or with acids such as vinegar; ventilate during and after use.
• Tarion, The Pre-Delivery Inspection and About Tarion: what the inspection of a new home records, before possession, and Tarion's role.
• Halton Region, Halton Waste Management Site and Curbside collection and waste sorting guide: the site's address, hours, fees and accepted materials; what curbside bulk collection takes, and that it does not accept building and demolition debris.
• Peel Region, Acceptable Community Recycling Centre items, Locations and drop-off hours and the Waste Sorter: construction, renovation and demolition material, the two Mississauga centres, and no collection of these materials from the curb.
• Building permits: Town of Oakville, City of Burlington, Town of Milton and City of Mississauga: when a renovation needs a permit and its inspections.
• Heron Cleaning, its own equipment: the filtration figure is the manufacturer's published rating for the vacuums our teams carry, read October 1, 2026.
• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, What is a HEPA filter?: a HEPA filter can theoretically remove at least 99.97% of airborne particles with a size of 0.3 microns.
• Canada Revenue Agency, GST/HST calculator (and rates): Ontario's HST rate is 13%.