Dear mr lee, thanks so much for the comprehensive intial house opening ceremony guides. It helps me a lot. I am intended to carry out the ceremony tomorrow and the renovation will start on wed. But I still have doubt: 1. After how many days can we remove the offering items (fruits, angpaw, etc), can we discard the offerings to bin? 2. Is salt cleansing necessary since my flat is old flat and the previous owner had occupied for 24yrs? 3) if I am intended to carry out salt ceremony, what is the step of doing it? Is it done prior to spreading the rice? Thanks so much for ur kind advice. Regards, Lin.

Reference: http://www.geomancy.net/info/initial-opening.pdf
Under the procedure (the last Para 8.), it mentions that it is best to leave the items for 3 days or more. Thus if the procedure is done on a Tuesday, best to leave the items till Thursday, And should be removed only on or after Friday.
But for instances where one has to start renovations immediately, then often it is left for at least 1 hour after the procedure is done. The items are eaten or THROWN away never given out to strangers - whatsoever; as this is symbolic of giving away one's wealth.
For new homes or apartments, sprinkling slat may not be ideal especially for brand new condo units. As salt and later water may inadvertenly spoil the flooring especially parquet wood floorings.
Frankly, there is no hard and fast rule nor rocket science associated with the procedure. Thus normally, it should be done after spreading the rice. And often, salt could/should/may be spread especially in areas like the toilet and kitchen. But again, do remember that too much salt is acidic and can discolour marble and wood .....
Imagine this: If I do add "salt" into the procedure, there are always some who do not know the consequences - and even mistake sprinkling salt into new homes! Here, as I mentioned, try sprinkling salt onto parquet flooring.. and behold... one may get white spots on parts of the flooring...

Quote

On 1/3/2011 4:26:18 PM, Anonymous wrote:
Dear mr lee, thanks so much
for the comprehensive intial
house opening ceremony guides.
It helps me a lot. I am
intended to carry out the
ceremony tomorrow and the
renovation will start on wed.
But I still have doubt: 1.
After how many days can we
remove the offering items
(fruits, angpaw, etc), can we
discard the offerings to bin?
2. Is salt cleansing necessary
since my flat is old flat and
the previous owner had
occupied for 24yrs? 3) if I am
intended to carry out salt
ceremony, what is the step of
doing it? Is it done prior to
spreading the rice? Thanks so
much for ur kind advice.
Regards, Lin.

Dear mr lee, thanks so much for ur prompt reply. I will take note on the offering items. And also thanks for advice when to carry out the salt thingy. I will follow per ur guide and carry it out after the spreading rice. And my existing flooring is made of tile and furthermore we are hacking and changing the entire house flooring. Btw, does salt event signify cleansing of the house? And when carrying out the salt spreading, is there any wording that we need to say? Thanks so much. Have a nice day.

In my opinion, it is not necessary to say anything when sprinkling salt.

Quote

On 1/3/2011 6:05:56 PM, Anonymous wrote:
Dear mr lee, thanks so much
for ur prompt reply. I will
take note on the offering
items. And also thanks for
advice when to carry out the
salt thingy. I will follow per
ur guide and carry it out
after the spreading rice. And
my existing flooring is made
of tile and furthermore we are
hacking and changing the
entire house flooring. Btw,
does salt event signify
cleansing of the house? And
when carrying out the salt
spreading, is there any
wording that we need to say?
Thanks so much. Have a nice
day.