Post-Renovation Cleaning in Singapore: 6 Cleaners Compared, Plus a Contractor’s Checklist

Post-renovation cleaning (sometimes called post-construction cleaning) is a one-off, top-to-bottom clean that removes the fine dust, grout haze, paint specks and sawdust a renovation leaves behind. Book it after your contractor’s last touch-up and before any furniture moves in. For most HDB flats and condos, get written quotes from two or three established cleaning companies that clean inside every cabinet and window track as standard, and check what they exclude, especially floor scrubbing and paint or cement stain removal. Reno Guys is a renovation contractor, not a cleaning company. At the end of every job our team clears debris and does a basic site clean-up, but a thorough post-renovation clean is specialist work, so we point owners to dedicated cleaners like the six compared below. This guide covers what renovation leaves behind and who should remove it, and gives you a checklist to run before the cleaners arrive.

What renovation leaves behind, and who should remove it

Not every mess is the cleaner’s job. Some residue should be dealt with by the trade that made it, on the day, because it gets much harder to remove once it cures.

Residue	Where it hides	Who should deal with it
Hacking dust (fine cement and brick dust)	Aircon trunking, the tops of door frames, window tracks, light fittings, inside cabinets	The cleaner, with a HEPA vacuum before any wet wipe. The contractor’s sweep only picks up loose debris
Dust on windows	Window glass, frames, grilles and sliding tracks	The cleaner
Sawdust and board dust from carpentry	Drawer runners, hinge cups, sliding wardrobe tracks, behind kick plates	The cleaner. The carpenter clears offcuts and loose sawdust after installation
Grout and cement haze	Tile faces, especially dark or polished tiles, and around floor traps	The cleaner. The tiler should wipe off excess grout the same day; cured haze needs a chemical wash, usually quoted separately
Silicone smears	Around the vanity, sink, kitchen top and shower screen	The installer, before it cures. Scrubbys, for one, excludes adhesive removal from its standard clean
Paint drips and splatter	Skirting, switch plates, window frames, glass, floors	The painter, as part of touch-ups. OCD and Scrubbys list paint and cement stains as outside their standard clean
Protective film and stickers	Laminates, carpentry edges, appliances, window glass	The contractor leaves the film on; you peel it after the cleaners finish
Offcuts, packaging, cement bags	Corridor, store room, service yard	The contractor, with a basic sweep of the floors. OCD tells customers to coordinate rubble removal with their contractor

Post-renovation cleaning companies compared

How we chose these companies

Every company on this list:

• holds a current cleaning business licence on NEA’s directory of licensed cleaning businesses (checked 3 November 2026)
• runs a dedicated post-renovation cleaning service for Singapore homes
• publishes what the clean includes, so you can compare like for like

One thing most guides miss: NEA does not require a licence for domestic cleaning inside a private home. It does require one for non-domestic work such as offices and condo common property (NEA licence FAQ). So a licence won’t tell you about the quality of a home clean. It does show that the company has met NEA’s requirements as a cleaning business. Under the framework NEA brought in from 1 January 2024, Class 3 was a one-off for businesses being licensed for the first time, and they must renew at Class 2 or above. We have no commercial relationship with any of these companies. Most publish a rate card on their own page. Ask each one for a written quote for your unit.

Company	NEA licence	Crew	Standard scope highlights	Common add-ons	Suits
Sureclean	Class 2, valid to Jan 2028	Own employed crews	Ceiling-to-floor dust, paint spots and adhesive residue, windows and tracks, cabinets, kitchens, bathrooms	Deep floor scrubbing, formaldehyde removal	All-round HDB and BTO cleans
Doctor Clean	Class 3, valid to Mar 2028	Own team with a team lead	Emptied cabinets inside and out, window glass and grilles, chemical wash of tiled walls and toilets, bomb shelter, service yard	Machine floor scrubbing, formaldehyde removal	A written checklist and walkthrough
OCD Cleaning	Class 2, valid to Jan 2028	In-house crew	Aircon trunking and grilles, door hinges, window tracks, cabinet interiors and kick plates, skirting and cornices	Machine floor scrubbing, formaldehyde/VOC treatment	Carpentry-heavy, very dusty units
Cleancraft	Class 3, valid to Oct 2027	Own crew	Cabinetry inside and out, window tracks and grilles, cement haze and grout film in bathrooms, final walkthrough	Floor scrubbing, formaldehyde treatment	Homes with young children or pets
Envico	Class 2, valid to May 2028	NEA-certified crew with an on-site supervisor	Window tracks, wardrobe interiors and ceiling fans; pH-neutral products for vinyl, marble and parquet	Formaldehyde treatment	Larger condos, landed homes, delicate floors
Scrubbys	Class 2, valid to Feb 2028	Own crew	Carpentry interiors, window tracks and frames, kitchen fittings, bathroom fixtures	Rotowash floor scrub, formaldehyde treatment, chemical wash for stains, curtain steam cleaning	Deciding between a full post-reno clean and a pre move-in clean

Licence class and expiry are from NEA’s directory of licensed cleaning businesses, checked on 3 November 2026. Scope and add-ons are from each company’s own website in November 2026. Confirm the current scope in your written quote.

1. Sureclean

Sureclean has cleaned Singapore homes since 2013 and sends its own trained crews with their own equipment. Its post-renovation clean covers dust from ceiling to floor, paint spots and adhesive residue, interior windows and tracks, cabinets, kitchens and bathrooms. Deep floor scrubbing is a separate add-on. Sureclean says a standard flat takes about 4 to 4.5 hours, and it carries public liability insurance. Its website still says Class 3, but NEA’s directory now lists a Class 2 licence valid to January 2028.

2. Doctor Clean

Doctor Clean publishes one of the most detailed scope lists we found:

• emptied cabinets and wardrobes, inside and out, up to 3 metres
• ceiling fans, window glass and grilles, floors and skirting
• a chemical wash of tiled walls and toilets
• the bomb shelter, service yard and balcony
• the outside of a new stove, hood, oven, fridge and aircon units

Painted walls and ceilings are dusted, but stain removal is not included. The job ends with a checklist walkthrough with the team lead. Machine floor scrubbing and formaldehyde removal are add-ons.

3. OCD Cleaning

OCD Cleaning (Obsessive Cleaning Disorder Pte Ltd) focuses on where renovation dust hides: aircon trunking and grilles, door hinges and frames, window tracks, cabinet interiors and kick plates, skirting and cornices. It is upfront about exclusions. Paint and cement stain removal is outside its scope, rubble removal is left to your contractor, and machine floor scrubbing and formaldehyde/VOC treatment are paid add-ons.

4. Cleancraft

Cleancraft works in a fixed order: clear packaging, film and adhesive specks; dust the high surfaces; wipe through fittings and cabinetry; vacuum fine dust out of tracks and joinery gaps; then do a final walkthrough with you. Its standard bathroom clean includes cement haze and grout film from tiling. It uses non-toxic, child- and pet-safe products, and floor scrubbing and formaldehyde treatment are quoted separately.

5. Envico

Envico runs a 4-point quality process with an on-site supervisor. Window tracks, wardrobe interiors and ceiling fans are standard. It uses pH-neutral, surface-appropriate products on vinyl, marble and parquet, which matters if you have just laid new flooring. It also applies a basic formaldehyde inhibitor to built-in cabinets.

6. Scrubbys

Scrubbys separates its post-renovation clean, for jobs where most fixtures were replaced, from a lighter pre move-in clean for units with little renovation. It advises having your contractor’s general wash done first. Major stains (putty, paint, cement), adhesive and grease removal and floor scrubbing are not in the standard package. It holds bizSAFE Level 3.

Which company suits your renovation?

• A detailed written checklist: Doctor Clean or OCD Cleaning.
• Lots of new carpentry and dust in aircon trunking: OCD Cleaning.
• Young children or pets at home: Cleancraft.
• Marble, parquet or premium vinyl floors: Envico.
• A large, established company with its own crews: Sureclean.
• Not sure you need a full post-reno clean: Scrubbys.
• Paint spots and adhesive in the base clean: Sureclean. Others quote these separately.

When to book: the handover sequence

Book the clean after the last trade has left. If a carpenter comes back to adjust a door or a painter patches a wall, dust settles again and you pay for a second clean. This is the order that works:

1. Final touch-ups done. Carpentry adjustments, silicone, paint patching and electrical fittings are all finished.
2. Debris out and a basic sweep. Your contractor clears offcuts, packaging and cement bags and sweeps the floors. This is a site clean-up, not the detailed clean.
3. Defects walkthrough. Walk the unit with your contractor and photograph any defects before cleaning. Once it is clean, it is harder to tell who caused a scratch.
4. Post-renovation clean. Water and electricity must be on, because cleaning crews need both for their equipment.
5. Floor scrubbing or chemical wash, only if needed. Inspect the clean floors first, then treat the patches that still show haze.
6. Formaldehyde treatment, if you want it. Do it after the clean, not before, so the treatment goes onto clean surfaces rather than dust.
7. Furniture, curtains and mattresses. Bring them in last so they don’t absorb construction dust.

BTO flats: you get the keys before renovation starts, so the clean comes at the end of the renovation, not at key collection. Book it when your contractor gives you a firm completion date. Our BTO renovation guide covers the earlier steps. Condos: ask your management office whether outside cleaning crews need to register or book a lift, as they would for your contractor. NEA’s licensing rules also apply to anyone cleaning condo common property.

What our crew does at the end of a job

We don’t offer post-renovation cleaning. At the end of a job, our crew clears debris and does a basic clean-up of the site, so a specialist cleaner can start straight away. A few things we do on purpose:

• Protective film stays on. Our carpentry is built in our own Woodlands workshop and arrives with film on the laminates and edges. We leave it on so the cleaners can work without dust and grit scratching new surfaces, and you peel it after they finish.
• Wet areas are water-tested before tiling. In our toilet and bathroom renovation work, waterproofing is tested before the tiles go on, so a leak shows up before the finishes are laid. For contractor shortlists, see our guide to toilet renovation contractors in Singapore.
• Debris is cleared as part of the job, including hacking waste from our hacking and demolition work.

Before the cleaners arrive: a checklist

Tick these off with your renovation contractor before you confirm the cleaning date:

• ☐ No cement bags, tile offcuts, board scraps or protective boarding left in the unit or corridor
• ☐ Excess grout and silicone wiped off by the tiler and installers
• ☐ Paint touch-ups done on skirting, switch plates and window frames, with drips cleaned up by the painter
• ☐ Protective film still on carpentry and appliances
• ☐ Every tap run and every floor trap checked for flow
• ☐ Aircon trunking covers closed. If aircon was installed during the renovation, ask whether the trunking was sealed, because dust collects inside
• ☐ Water and electricity on
• ☐ Snag list written and photographed
• ☐ Furniture and mattress deliveries scheduled after the clean
• ☐ Each cleaner’s quote lists what is excluded: floor scrubbing, chemical wash, paint and cement stains, high windows above about 3 metres

What a post-renovation clean usually includes, and what is extra

Usually included

• Dusting of ceilings, walls, cornices and skirting
• Emptied cabinets and built-in wardrobes, wiped inside and out
• Window glass, frames, grilles and tracks
• Kitchen counters, sink, cabinet fronts and appliance exteriors
• Bathroom tiles, glass screens and sanitary ware
• Light fittings, switches and sockets
• Floors vacuumed and mopped throughout

Often quoted separately

• Machine floor scrubbing
• Chemical wash for cured haze or stains
• Removal of cured paint, cement, putty or adhesive
• Formaldehyde or VOC treatment
• High windows and fittings above about 3 metres
• Construction debris removal
• Curtain, sofa or mattress steam cleaning

Normal cleaning, floor scrubbing or chemical wash?

These are three different jobs, and most units only need the first.

	What it removes	When you need it
Post-renovation clean	Loose dust, sawdust, light smears, packaging residue	Every renovated unit
Machine floor scrubbing	Dust ground into tile texture, grout lines and vinyl grain	Floors that still feel gritty or look dull after mopping
Chemical (acid) wash	Cured cement and grout haze, mortar splashes	Tiles that still show a white film after scrubbing

Two cautions on chemical washes:

• Never acid wash marble, limestone, terrazzo or polished natural stone. Acid etches these surfaces permanently. Metal floor traps, stainless steel strips and aluminium frames also need masking.
• Quote it per area, not per unit. Inspect after the normal clean and treat only the patches that still show haze.

Most chemical washes can be avoided at the tiling stage: a tiler who wipes off haze the same day usually saves you from needing one.

How long post-renovation cleaning takes

From the cleaning companies’ own published estimates:

• 3-room HDB: about 3 to 4 hours (OCD) or 4 to 5 hours (Doctor Clean)
• 4-room HDB: about 4 to 7 hours (OCD) or 5 to 7 hours (Doctor Clean)
• 5-room HDB or executive flat: about 6 to 8 hours (Doctor Clean)
• Landed homes: usually a site visit first, and sometimes more than one session

Lots of carpentry, heavy hacking dust and large glass areas add time. Every cabinet interior is wiped by hand.

What affects your quote

Cleaning companies usually price by floor area or flat type. What moves the quote is the amount of carpentry, whether the unit is empty, how much haze and paint is left, the ceiling height and number of windows, and any add-ons. Ask for a written quote for your unit rather than an hourly rate, and confirm the crew size and expected hours.

If you are cleaning up yourself

For a small job, such as one room or a kitchen refresh:

• Work top to bottom: ceilings, fans and lights first, then walls, then floors.
• Vacuum before you wipe. Use a HEPA vacuum. A wet cloth on construction dust makes a paste.
• Ventilate, and wear a dust mask and gloves.
• Tiles: pH-neutral cleaner and a soft brush. Fresh haze lifts with a damp sponge; cured haze needs a haze remover made for your tile type.
• Vinyl and SPC floors: vacuum, then damp-mop with a mild cleaner. Don’t soak the joints. See our SPC vinyl flooring page for the material.
• Laminate carpentry and stainless steel: microfibre cloth and mild detergent, no abrasive pads.
• Stone and quartz tops: use a stone cleaner, never acid.
• Leftover paint and thinners: don’t pour them down the drain. Ask your contractor to take back unused materials.

Frequently asked questions

How soon after renovation should I book post-renovation cleaning?

Book it after your contractor’s final visit, once touch-ups, silicone and painting are done and debris is cleared. If you clean earlier, dust settles again and you may need a second clean.

How long does post-renovation cleaning take for an HDB flat?

Published estimates run from about 3 to 5 hours for a 3-room flat and 4 to 7 hours for a 4-room flat, depending on the crew size, the amount of carpentry and how dusty the unit is.

Is my renovation contractor supposed to clean up?

Your contractor should remove debris, offcuts and packaging, do a basic sweep, and get each trade to wipe off its own excess grout, silicone and paint. That is a site clean-up, not a post-renovation clean. The detailed clean of cabinets, tracks, windows and fine dust is specialist work for a cleaning company. Agree on this in writing before work starts.

Do I need a chemical wash after renovation?

Usually not. Do the normal clean first, scrub the floor if it still feels gritty, and use a chemical wash only on tiles that still show a white cement film. Never use acid on marble or natural stone.

Does a post-renovation cleaner need an NEA licence?

Not for cleaning inside a private home. NEA requires a licence for non-domestic cleaning, including condo common property. A licence still shows the company meets NEA’s requirements as a cleaning business, so it is a useful filter.

Do I need formaldehyde treatment after renovation?

It is optional. New carpentry boards can release formaldehyde for some time after installation. Airing the unit out helps, and all six companies above offer treatment as an add-on. If you book it, do it after the clean. You can also ask your carpenter what grade of board they use.

Planning a renovation?

Reno Guys is a BCA-registered renovation contractor in Singapore. We are licensed, bonded and insured, with over 30 years of experience. We build our carpentry in our own Woodlands workshop, water-test wet areas before tiling, plan HDB jobs so one room stays usable, and clear the site at the end of every job so your cleaning company can start straight away. Get a free renovation quote or WhatsApp us at +65 9731 6300 to talk about your renovation.