New Construction Move-In Cleaning Checklist for Aledo and Walsh Ranch Homes

Builders hand over homes after a construction clean that removes debris, labels and the dust you can see. What it usually leaves is fine drywall dust and sawdust: inside cabinets and drawers, on top of doors and trim, in vent covers and return-air grilles, along window and sliding-door tracks, and in the corners of closets. It drifts back out of the ductwork for weeks after the system starts running.

New construction is a big part of life west of Fort Worth. Parker County grew from 148,222 residents in April 2020 to an estimated 184,767 in July 2025, according to U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts, and Walsh, the 7,200-acre development on the western edge of Fort Worth, is still building out next to Aledo.

The best window is after the builder’s final clean and your closing, and before the movers arrive. An empty home is cleaned faster and more thoroughly, and every shelf is clean before dishes, clothes and linens go on it.

If touch-up crews are still coming back for punch-list items, schedule the clean after their last visit. Sanding and drywall repair put fresh dust back on everything.

The EPA gives similar advice for any construction or renovation work: seal off the supply and return registers and do not run the heating and cooling system until the dust has been cleaned up. Ask your builder whether the system ran during the final stages of work.

Top to bottom, every room

• Door tops, door frames, crown molding and window casings
• Ceiling fans, light fixtures and vent covers
• Light switches, outlet covers and door hardware
• Baseboards, including behind doors and inside closets

Kitchen

• Inside and outside every cabinet, drawer and the pantry
• Inside the oven, microwave, dishwasher and refrigerator
• Countertops and backsplash, with sticker residue removed
• Sink and faucet polished

Bathrooms

• Construction residue removed from tile, grout and shower glass
• Inside vanity cabinets and drawers
• Toilets, tubs and showers cleaned and disinfected
• Mirrors and fixtures polished

Windows, doors and floors

• Window sills and tracks vacuumed and wiped
• Sliding-door tracks cleared of grit so they run smoothly
• Interior glass cleaned
• Every floor vacuumed, then hard floors mopped, finishing with the garage entry

Construction dust collects in the return air system, and the filter is what catches it. ENERGY STAR’s maintenance checklist says to inspect, clean or change the air filters in your air conditioner, furnace or heat pump once a month, and warns that a dirty filter can raise energy costs and damage the equipment.

In a brand-new home, the first filters can load up quickly. Put a new one in after the move-in cleaning and keep to that monthly check.

The checklist is the same, but the focus moves from dust to the previous owners’ grime: kitchen grease on cabinets and the range hood, build-up in showers and toilets, and dirt behind and under appliances that convey. Our move-in cleaning covers both kinds of homes, and our guide to house cleaning in Walsh Ranch covers the first year in a new Walsh home.