Formaldehyde
Removal

Doctor Clean's formaldehyde removal starts from S$300 standalone for an HDB flat, or S$88 as an add-on when bundled with post-renovation cleaning or deep cleaning. Pricing scales with floor area: 3-room HDB from S$300, 4-room from S$360, 5-room/condo from S$450, landed from S$650. All prices GST-inclusive. Get an exact quote in 60 seconds.

Formaldehyde (HCHO) is a volatile organic compound (VOC) released from freshly manufactured materials — plywood, laminate flooring, built-in carpentry adhesives, mattress foam, varnish, and paint. New HDB and condo renovations typically off-gas formaldehyde for 6-18 months at levels above WHO safe thresholds (0.08 ppm). Prolonged exposure can cause throat irritation, headaches, allergic reactions, and is a known carcinogen (IARC Group 1).

Before moving in, after your contractor hands over keys and the home has been post-renovation cleaned. This lets us treat all surfaces (walls, carpentry, flooring) without furniture obstruction, and gives the treated space 2-3 days to ventilate before your family moves in. If you've already moved in, treatment is still effective but we'll work around furniture and may need 2 sessions.

We spray a titanium dioxide (TiO₂) photocatalyst coating on walls, carpentry, and soft furnishings. When exposed to light (natural or indoor), TiO₂ catalyses a reaction that breaks down formaldehyde, benzene, and other VOCs into harmless water vapour and CO₂ at the molecular level. The coating is permanent, odourless, invisible, and continues working for 3-5 years without reapplication.

An HDB 4-room formaldehyde treatment typically takes 2-3 hours with a 2-pax crew. Condo 2-3BR runs 3-4 hours. Landed homes 4-6 hours. The treatment itself is a careful spray-and-air-circulate process — rushing it reduces coverage. Rooms are usable immediately after, though we recommend ventilating for 2-3 hours before sleeping in a treated bedroom.

Yes. Our photocatalyst coating is food-safe grade titanium dioxide — the same TiO₂ used as a whitener in toothpaste, sunscreen, and sweets. It's non-toxic, non-flammable, and has no fragrance. We ask that kids and pets stay out of treated rooms during spraying (fine mist can irritate eyes), but access is safe within 2-3 hours after application once the coating has dried.

Yes — this is the most common and cost-effective sequence. Post-renovation cleaning first (removes cement dust, debris, grout haze), then formaldehyde photocatalyst immediately after on the same day. Bundled together, formaldehyde treatment drops to S$88 as an add-on instead of S$300 standalone. One crew visit, one booking slot, cleanest baseline for the coating to work on.

Air purifiers (HEPA + activated carbon) trap formaldehyde temporarily and need filter changes every 3-6 months at S$80-200 per filter. Photocatalyst coating permanently breaks down formaldehyde at the molecular level, works 24/7 without electricity, and lasts 3-5 years. For a new renovation outgassing at high levels, treatment-first is far more cost-effective; purifiers are useful as ongoing maintenance.