Bottom line up front: clean a new office fit-out after the last trade leaves and before the furniture and IT go in. The clean removes renovation dust and fine particles from every surface in an empty unit. It does not remove paint, cement or adhesive, which the contractor clears first. If the new office has a strong smell, treat that as a separate question.
TL;DR
- Clean after the last trade, before furniture and IT. An empty unit is faster to clean and easier to check.
- The scope is dust and fine particles, in vents, tracks, joinery, washrooms and floors.
- The contractor clears paint, cement and adhesive before the cleaning crew arrives.
- A new-office smell is a separate issue from dust. Measure it, do not guess.
- Check the provider's NEA licence before you sign.
What is fit-out cleaning, and how is it different from regular office cleaning?
Regular office cleaning handles people: bins, pantry, washrooms, floors and shared surfaces. Fit-out cleaning handles construction. Sawdust, board dust and plaster dust settle into air-con grilles, window tracks, cabinet interiors and the edges of every floor. A mop and a duster do not reach those places. It is a one-off job done in an empty unit, and it is scoped the way post-renovation cleaning is scoped, with a commercial layout.
When in the fit-out should the cleaning happen?
Clean once, at the right point in the sequence. Cleaning too early means the next trade makes new dust. Cleaning after the furniture is in means the crew works around desks and cartons.
| Order | Stage | Cleaning needed |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Carpentry, ceiling and partitions built | None yet |
| 2 | Painting and flooring done | None yet |
| 3 | Contractor clears debris, paint and cement residue | The contractor's first-round clean |
| 4 | Empty unit, all trades out | Fit-out cleaning |
| 5 | Furniture and IT installed | A short wipe-down of new surfaces |
| 6 | Staff move in | Regular office cleaning starts |
What does fit-out cleaning cover?
- Air-con grilles and vents, wiped inside the reach of the opening
- Window glass and window tracks
- Glass partitions, both faces
- Built-in cabinets and pantry joinery, inside and out
- Washrooms, from fittings to floors
- Doors, frames, skirting and light switches
- Floors, vacuumed first and then mopped, so dust is lifted and not pushed around
Tall glass is work at height. If the glazing is above a normal ladder reach, ask the provider how they will access it before you agree the scope.
What does fit-out cleaning not remove?
Cleaning removes dust, fine particles and dirt. It does not remove paint stains, cement residue, silicone offcuts or adhesive. Those belong to the contractor's first-round clean-up, or to a separate service: our painting service handles paint touch-ups. Put the contractor's clean-up in the handover checklist, and confirm it is done before the cleaning date. Otherwise the crew arrives to a unit that cleaning cannot fix.
Why does a new office smell, and does cleaning fix it?
New carpentry, boards, adhesives and paint can release formaldehyde and other volatile organic compounds as they age. This is called off-gassing. Cleaning removes dust and leaves the compounds, so a clean unit can still smell. Opening windows lowers what is in the air for now but does not stop the source. The only way to know the level is to measure it. Our guide on formaldehyde after renovation sets out what the authorities say, and our formaldehyde removal service covers a treatment with measured readings. Book that before the staff move in.
What about carpet and hard floors?
A standard fit-out clean vacuums and mops floors. New carpet tiles are vacuumed, and hot-water extraction is a separate job we quote through our upholstery and carpet service. Machine scrubbing of tile, vinyl or epoxy is also separate, through floor scrubbing. For new floors this is rarely needed on day one.
What to prepare before you ask for a quote
- the floor area, the floor types and a rough layout
- the number of washrooms, pantries and meeting rooms
- the date the last trade finishes and the date staff move in
- whether glass or ceilings are above normal reach
- building access hours and any restriction on work times
We walk the unit, you tell us the finish date, and we send a fixed price with the full scope in writing. Our in-house crew brings the equipment and chemicals. Once the office is open, see what a small office needs cleaned each week.
Figures and sources
- Licence required for general cleaning at non-domestic premises such as offices, mandatory since 2014, with a fine of up to S$10,000 for operating without one. Source: NEA, Cleaning Business Licence.
- NEA publishes a list of licensed cleaning businesses with each one's licence class and expiry date. Source: NEA, list of licensed cleaning businesses.
Frequently asked questions
When should an office be cleaned after a fit-out?
After the last trade has finished and cleared its debris, and before furniture and IT equipment go in. Cleaning an empty unit is faster and reaches every surface. A short wipe-down after the furniture is placed finishes the job.
What does office fit-out cleaning cover?
Renovation dust and fine particles: floors, skirting, window glass and tracks, air-con grilles, built-in cabinets and pantry joinery, washrooms, doors and glass partitions. It is the same dust-and-fine-particle scope as our post-renovation cleaning.
Does fit-out cleaning remove paint, cement or adhesive?
No. Paint stains, cement residue, silicone offcuts and adhesive are the contractor's first-round clean-up, or a separate service. Cleaning removes dust and dirt.
Why does a new office smell after the fit-out?
New carpentry, boards, adhesives and paint can release formaldehyde and other volatile compounds as they age. Ventilation helps, but it does not remove the source. A measured treatment checks the result.
Get your office cleaning fixed price
Send your floor area, headcount and preferred slot. We walk the space and send a fixed price with the full scope in writing.