Renovating our new home proved to be exciting and challenging at the same time. Before moving in, we must remember a critically important step – post renovation cleaning for our new home!
You may think that regular disinfecting solutions and water can do the trick of cleaning a newly renovated space. Or, perhaps just take more days to clean. Think again! The amount of dust, debris, particles in the air, bacteria and germs are lurking everywhere. Coupled with the urgency to move in, we realised it was impossible for us to do EVERYTHING alone.
With a move-in date in mind, we made an appointment with Envico, a professional cleaning team in Singapore, to help us. With their support on this massive post renovation cleaning task, we managed to move in on-time! Yay!
Read on to find out how to enjoy some savings on when you engage experts to clean your new home too!
Here’s why letting the experts take care of post renovation cleaning is a smarter, time-saving option for busy parents:
#1: Eliminate harmful dust and debris that could trigger health issues
It’s not just about Formaldehyde poisoning! Construction work generates a significant amount of sawdust, cement and renovation debris – especially with hacking of walls, sawing, tiling and so much work that was done to our unit. These particles don’t get entirely eliminated just by a household vacuum cleaner.
The worse part? Inhaling these fine dust can lead to long term health problems. With a child who has eczema and allergies, we had to be extra mindful about triggering respiratory discomfort and irritation. Family members with health concerns may also experience asthma attacks, eye and skin flare-ups too.
#2: Use of professional specialised cleaning equipment and solutions
Envico came armed with professional cleaning equipment to tackle specific cleaning task. More importantly, most of the cleaning aspects involved a multi-step approach for a more thorough cleaning.
For example, to remove post renovation chemical residues in the air, they used an Air Scrubber machine with industrial-grade HEPA filters to clean the air in each room. We definitely can’t clean the air on our own like this.
To clean tiles and parquet, an industrial-grade HEPA vacuum is first used to pick up dust and dirt. This follows with mopping and chemical injection to treat and deep-clean the floor. The high speed rotating brushes with high contact pressure work to reach crevices and gaps in between the flooring. All done thanks to the heavy duty Scrubber Dryer machine to efficiently clean beyond the surface!
Next, Floor Steam which uses heat, is used to kill bacteria and germs stuck on our new flooring. This step is definitely something we won’t be able to do with our regular household cleaning tools. Sharing more details below!
#3: Improve indoor air quality with targeted treatments like Formaldehyde treatment
What about the unseen chemicals like cancer-causing formaldehyde that is commonly found on carpentry, furniture and other interior furnishings? How “healthy” is the formaldehyde level in our new house? Can we reduce the health risks in our new home?
There’s why Formaldehyde treatments are often done in new homes and offices. Prolonged exposure to this carcinogenic, awfully smelling chemical can result in adverse health effects. Friends who moved in with “regular wood furniture” are still complaining about the stinging and harsh smell even after 9 months of living in their new place!
We didn’t do this as we opted for EO wood for carpentry. Albeit, that came with a hefty price tag too. Well, we have customised wardrobes, bookshelf, kitchen cabinets and even our bedframe in the master bedroom. HOWEVER, don’t be fooled by the “E0 zero” grade – it only indicates that the wood product has extremely low formaldehyde emissions but NOT ZERO formaldehyde, okay? Despite this, the Envico team still did the Formaldehyde readings for us and took time to explain what the numbers meant. Sharing more on this below!
#4: Efficiency of DIY cleaning versus professional post renovation cleaning experts
Would it have been possible for us to clean every area on our own? Realistically, we only have a regular vacuum cleaner, store-bought disinfectants and limited time. Work and childcaring duties were ongoing too! Being efficient mattered to us, especially since we didn’t have the luxury to take our time to prepare our place.
Honestly, I was stunned to see 8 people arriving at my place! Haha! Envico takes cleaning very seriously indeed. We went with the Elevated Post Renovation Cleaning Package, thus, the scope is more comprehensive. We also have furnishings like veneer-cladded walls and parquet floorings in the rooms that require special attention with the right tools. Prior to making an appointment, they asked us some questions about the renovation state. I’m glad they took extra care for those areas that needed careful attention, so that was a peace of mind!
With industrial-grade equipment and solutions, the cleaning experts knew exactly what to do and how to clean. Furthermore, the flexibility of Envico allows homeowners to customise what they need to transform their new space into a safer, cleaner one.
#5: Earn more time to focus on the remaining moving-in and home renovation journey
Packing up to move from one place to another? Juggling coordination work with contractors, Interior Designers (ID), electricians and shopping for household appliances and homeware? I feel you! The long list of things that require our attention seems never-ending. So, do yourself a favour by NOT being Cinderella during an overwhelming season, okay? This time could be better spent on addressing renovation rectifications, coordinating furniture deliveries and spending meaningful time with your children.
Important Insights We Learned about Formaldehyde and Indoor Air Quality in Our House
What is the safe level of formaldehyde for families living in a house? What is the acceptable limit as per Singapore’s IAQ standards? For Formaldehyde, we should be looking at the HCHO.
Acceptable limit as per Singapore’s IAQ (Indoor Air Quality) standards
PM 2.5 =37.5 microns per m³
Formaldehyde = 0.08 ppm / 0.098mg/m³
Air temperature = between 23 to 25 degrees Celsius
Relative Humidity = <65%
Based on the air quality and formaldehyde reading in our Master Bedroom during the visit:
Formaldehyde = 0.193 mg/m³ (as per picture on the video)
PM 2.5 = 650 microns per m³ (as per picture on the video), master bedroom is at 910 microns per m³
As shared earlier, despite using E0 grade wood, there’s still formaldehyde lurking around. It’s important to ventilate as much as possible before moving in, and even after you’ve moved into your new crib.
What Post Renovation Cleaning Services We Did to Prepare Our New Home
If you thought choosing the perfect home to move into was tough, let me tell you this! Packing up to move involved alot of emotions and decluttering; moving into another place and unpacking was another tall order too! HAHA!
The best arrangement for optimal cleaning results would be to do a post renovation cleaning, followed by a moving in cleaning service. Due to a tight timeline towards the last bit of our reno journey, the rush to move our carton boxes back and getting the place cleaned, things clashed. So, we could only arrange for the post renovation cleaning service for our new home.
After this intensive cleaning session, we also made sure to engage Envico to help us with upholstery and mattress cleaning! Will share more soon! Learning from our previous disgusting discovery on how DIRTY new upholstery can be, we made sure to do a thorough deep-cleaning for our new mattresses and lounge chair! This helps to remove dust mites or any dirt that may have been brought along during the transportation journey too.
In view of workplace safety for their cleaning crew, Envico also recommends for cleaning to be carried out once the renovation works is entirely completed (including minor works). If you’re booking their cleaning services, do take this into consideration for your renovation timeline too!
Cost of Post Renovation Cleaning for New Homes in Singapore
Some of my readers have asked me how much the cleaning cost after seeing my review of our post renovation cleaning for our new home by Envico. Please note that prices may vary depending on the condition, size, layout, and specific requirements of your home :)
Post renovation home cleaning fees for reference:
Option 1: Economy Post Renovation Cleaning Package – $450
Average range: $450 to $550
Option 2: Elevated Post Renovation Cleaning Package – $650
Average range: $650 to $750
- Dusting of walls
- Washing & disinfecting surfaces
- Chemical atomization (disinfection)
- Air scrubbing (removal of fine dust & airborne post-reno particles; recco for dust allergies or other health concerns)
Optional Add-Ons to Enhance Cleaning:
- Scrubber Dryer (to remove dust and dirt for a more thorough cleaning) – $100
- Backpack Vacuum (for reachable walls and ceiling): $100
- Steam Veneer cleaning: $100
- Floor Steam cleaning (tiles): $80
- Basic Hygiene Assessment: Formaldehyde reading & Air Particle reading: $60
- Formaldehyde reading: To check the general readings of formaldehyde to ensure indoor air is safe.
- Air Particle reading: To check the concentration of suspended particles in the air.
So, how long did the entire post renovation home cleaning take for our unit? Seriously, it took about 6 hours for us! It could have been more if we had done the Ozonation Blast to oxidize bacteria, mould and viruses, while removing airborne irritants by targeting porous areas. For such a labour-intensive cleaning job like this, the cleaning fees are really reasonable!
How to claim your discount code and save on post renovation cleaning!
We know that renovation and moving often end up bursting budgets for families. So, here’s a promo code to help you save some dollars off when you get Envico, the cleaning experts to help you clean! Now, you can save time AND money! #winwin
Quote <CINDY> to enjoy 10% off post reno cleaning with Envico & welcome a cleaner, safer home for your family!
Was this review of our experience with Envico’s professional post renovation home cleaning services useful? Share it with someone who’s planning a renovation, or friends looking for post renovation cleaning services for new homes! Follow @deedeedee13 for more smart living tips and home inspiration over here and here too!
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