I never thought I was capable of using an electric screwdriver, a circular saw and turning things into real pieces… without losing a finger or breaking any body part. But yes, the manicure has disappeared to give place to hands full of ink, pastes and dry glue.
Scrolling around Instagram and TikTok is addictive, but these perfect videos with amazing “before and after’s†are forgetting/hiding a big important thing: CLEANING.
When DIYing, it is very important to clean as part of your preparation, and this month we share with you the main stages of preparing your DIY space.

Before – Preparing the space
Whatever the project’s size and duration, it’s very important to have the space ready and prepared. By ready I mean free from obstacles and organized, you don’t want to pull a cable or a cord and suddenly a domino effect will destroy all of your work so far.
So, first things first: prepare your table or bench with an Anti-Bac+ surface cleaner wipe and make sure you have all the tools you will need. Align these and check if they are in good condition. And let’s get to work!

During – Keep the things cleaned.
When working with wood and sanding, dust all around is a reality… an inconvenient reality! But nothing that a Spray duster can’t solve, especially for those hard-to-reach areas. Don’t think about blowing it, you only will bring humidity and the dust will end up stuck on the surfaces. Instead, use an AF Sprayduster and your lungs will appreciate it! Remember – always use in short, sharp bursts only.
Before painting wood, ceramic or plastic… make sure there is no debris leftover causing uneven coverage. A Magic Tack Duster will help and make dust disappear. That way you will have a clean surface and the painting will be superb, if you are a perfectionist, use the Isoclene wipes to eliminate any grease or dust left.
AF DIY Tip: Do you have empty bean jars, candle jars, and food containers waiting for a new life? Apply the Labelclene to take out the adhesives and be creative to reuse the containers.

After – You don’t want dust all-around your space, do you?
After having the piece finished all you think about is photographing it, share your transformation on social media, choose the best place where it will fit. You choose the order, but please don’t forget to clean the workspace for the perfect shot!
For your tools to last longer treat them well! AF International offers a great range of products, so give your DIY tools a good cleaning after use. I particularly like Isoclene wipes, also the Foamclene is good for cleaning the bench to prevent dust build up and now that I am very well informed about all these bacteria and viruses around us, I like to pass an Anti-Bac+ surface cleaner wipe.

A cleaned and organized space will make your work easier and faster – trust me, you will feel satisfied for having everything looking perfect, organized, tidy and without any problems during the process. I am not a great content creator, but I bet all of this prep and organization will contribute to amazing Social Media videos too.
Now you know, count with AF for your upcycling and DIY prep! 😉