Cleaning up after building work

Why building dust is such a problem in Malta

Building work is constant across Malta and Gozo. Whether you have had your own renovation or a new block has gone up next door, the result is the same: fine limestone and cement dust on every surface, inside and out.

This dust is very fine, so it hangs in the air, drifts through gaps and settles on shelves, sills, balconies, cars, windows and roofs. It is also gritty, which means the way you clean it matters. Wipe it off dry, and you push grit across surfaces and scratch glass.

Step 1: Get the big things out first

Before you start on dust, clear what you can:

• Rubble, broken tiles and concrete. These are usually removed by the builder or with a skip. Agree this with your builder before the work finishes.
• Old fittings and furniture: kitchen units, doors, sanitaryware, old wardrobes and appliances that came out during the renovation. A junk removal service can take these in one visit.
• Packaging and offcuts from new materials.
• Protective sheeting, carefully folded inwards so the dust on it does not spill.

Cleaning around piles of rubbish just means cleaning twice.

Step 2: Protect yourself

Construction dust is unpleasant to breathe and gets into eyes.

• Wear a dust mask and, for heavy dust, eye protection.
• Open windows in the room you are working in, so loosened dust can escape.
• Keep children and pets away from dusty rooms until they are clean.

Step 3: Work from the top down

Dust falls. If you clean the floor first, you will clean it again later.

1. Ceilings, light fittings, cornices and the tops of doors and cupboards.
2. Walls, wiped with a damp microfibre cloth.
3. Shelves, sills, skirting boards, switches and handles.
4. Inside cupboards and drawers, which fill with dust even when closed.
5. Floors last.

Step 4: Vacuum before you wipe

Wetting heavy dust turns it into a grey paste. So:

• Vacuum first, ideally with a vacuum fitted with a fine-dust or HEPA filter. Fine building dust can clog ordinary vacuum filters, so empty and clean the filter often.
• Then wipe or mop with clean water and a damp, not soaking, microfibre cloth or mop.
• Change the water often. Dirty water just spreads a film over everything.
• Expect a second round. Fine dust keeps settling for a day or two, and most homes need a second, lighter clean.

Stone walls and floors

Many Maltese homes have exposed limestone walls or traditional tiles. Use plain water or a cleaner made for stone, not acidic products, which can damage limestone. Brush stone gently rather than scrubbing hard.

Step 5: Windows, last

Leave the windows until the inside is clean and the dust has settled. New windows often have paint spots, cement splashes and silicone smears on them as well as dust.

• Rinse first. Flood the glass with water to lift the grit, then wash.
• Soak paint and cement spots until they soften.
• Use a sharp glass scraper carefully, with plenty of water, at a low angle and in one direction only. Never scrape dry glass.
• Check with the window supplier first if the glass is toughened or coated, because some can scratch.
• Clean frames, tracks and drainage holes, which fill with grit and cement.
• Never use strong acids or chemicals on glass or frames.

Our guide on removing paint, cement and silicone from new windows goes into more detail, and our guide on cleaning windows without streaks covers the final finish. For a whole house of new windows, or high glass, a professional post-construction window clean saves a lot of time and avoids scratches.

Step 6: Outside, balconies and the roof

• Balconies and terraces: sweep, then rinse with plenty of water. Clean glass balustrades and railings the same way as windows.
• Gallariji and timber windows: rinse gently and wipe with a soft cloth. See our guide on cleaning Maltese balconies.
• Roof: sweep up dust and debris and clear the roof drains, so the first rain does not wash grit into them or leave muddy puddles.

Step 7: Solar panels

If there was building work next door, or on your own roof, your solar panels are probably coated in dust. You will often see it in your inverter app as lower output on clear days.

• Wait until the dusty works are over.
• Clean early in the morning, when panels are cool.
• Use plenty of water and a soft brush. Never dry-brush dust off panels, never use a pressure washer, and never walk on panels.

See our guides on whether cleaning solar panels increases output and why solar output is low. Panels on raised frames or hard-to-reach roofs are best left to a solar panel cleaner.

When the works are next door

You cannot control a building site next to your home, but you can limit the mess:

• Keep windows facing the site closed during the dustiest phases, such as demolition, cutting and drilling.
• Rinse the worst off balconies and glass every so often, rather than letting it build up.
• Plan a full clean once the dusty phase is over, inside and out, including windows and solar panels.
• Check your solar output every few weeks while works continue.

The right order, at a glance

1. Rubble out and old fittings removed.
2. Protect yourself and open the windows.
3. Top-down dusting, vacuum before wiping.
4. Floors.
5. Windows and glass.
6. Balconies, roof and drains.
7. Solar panels.
8. A second light clean a day or two later.

Let us handle the hard parts

clear.mt arranges post-construction window cleaning, solar panel cleaning and removal of old fittings and furniture across Malta and Gozo. Tell us when the works finish and send a few photos for a free quote.