Clean and tidy

[tree]

How d'ya keep it all clean and tidy when you're working on your own in someones plush newly carpeted centrally heated house, and the mucks going off faster than a ferret up a string of sausages?
Dust sheets or polythene?
Where's it best to clean buckets and tools when out on a domestic?
I don't wanna block a sink or make a mess of their newly fitted kitchen!
Do you take water in the van/ use garden taps when available, and make use of street drains and the great outdoorrs?
Cheers for any feedback I'm new to this game

 

[daveparkinson]

when plastering in a carpeted house i put down a plastic taupalin with dust sheets placed on top. Dust sheets are crap on there own even splash water stains through and so does dust so i don't know where they get there name from!I always use outside tap where there is one as for washing out there is nomally a ditch or bit of verge round the corner to launch it in.Yeah never use the sink or bath it'll block in no time,or the pond! I have before lifted a main drain grill in the gutter and chucked it down there.

 

[bigsegs]

yeh good tips, i always outsde tap if poss, waterproof tarp etc, those stair sheets are bloody handy down the hallways and anywhere you need to walk but arnt plasterin...
i usually fill two buckets half full and a wet bucket
knock up first coat, wash wisk in wet bucket, clean trowels etc in wet bucket still got other bucket.
when i laid first on scrape out any left with bucket trowel and chuck in empty bag
tip wet bucket into plaster bucket and carefully clean top sides and swill clean etc then tip back into wet bucket, still go 1/2 bucket clean water...
use maybe half of that for toppin mix
same process when laid on
now got 2 clean buckets
to finish ill let the muck settle in the wet bucket and tip the cleanish water down the drain then scrape the muck out the bottom and into a bag if no verge or soil...
you can always scrape a little hollow out of the soil and tip the slurry in (check with customer, its only lime end of day)
then use more water, swill wet bucket and chuck down drain assuming its pretty clean or even better verge/soil it...
do that every set
never just chuck water in dirty bucket without scraping it and chuck that down the drain, they block dead easy in traps etc, sometimes drains run right across the front of neighbouring properties and if you block next doors gulley (easy done trust me) and they get someone out such as the council and they find plaster they can bill you for it, and believe me they will...
have a stiff brush handy too..nothing beats plastery footprints on block paving, if you dont swill and brush it theyll still be there after the rain has been and gone and youll look a right muppett..

 

[tomcat]

i have bought dust sheets that have rubber on the reverse this prevents the dirty water going through onto the carpet and you only have to put dust sheets down and not mess about with other stuff.

put left over plaster into the empy plaster bags and any other rubbish.

any dirty water left over at the end i poor the cleast bits under a bush somewhere out the way or if i really have to down a drain (only the cleaner stuff not the thick plaster water at the bottom)
and take the bucket home to clean in my garden along with dust sheets.

also use rags to wipe over any surfaces, i dont waste to much time i normaly say to the customer if will need a couple more wipes over once i finished.

also i try to say that the sockets idealy need to be screwed on a few hours later but i will put them on if they want me to.

 

[daveparkinson]

something which is handy ecspecially in kitchens and can be bought in a well known paint merchants is a roll of polyphene that has tape on one edge to stick to the top of units picture rail etc,you then tear it off on the serated edge and unfold it down the unit/wall a vacum is created and it sticks cleaning is done by tearing it off and throwing it away!

 

[tree]

Dave is that disposable roll pricey and where can it be found? sounds good for kitchens and bathrooms.
Rubber backed dust sheets and stair sheets sound handy too... where can you buy them?
Bigsegs that bucket method sounds great, i'll be employing that strategy! I reckon if i get a wet bucket with a lid on i could whack it in the van and get rid of it somewhere later on!

 

[daveparkinson]

I buy the plastic roll in Jonstones paints,no its not dear.The secret with it is tear it off in about 3 foot lenghs or you get in a mess with it.It unravels down about 5 feet but if you wanted it to go the height of a wall you just join another peice with the tape thats on the top of it .