Popcorn ceilings can become grimy and dusty over time.  Cleaning your popcorn ceiling can be a grimy and time-consuming job. But you can do this task with the proper precautions. Read these tips on how to easily and safely clean popcorn ceilings.

 
Many homes constructed in the last century featured textured ceilings also known as “popcorn” ceilings. This was achieved by spraying a stucco mixture onto the ceiling, a style popular at the time which also served to insulate sound.
 
As with any ceiling, popcorn ceilings need cleaning at least once per year. The bumps easily trap dirt and dust leading to a potential source of allergens. So, it checking it from time to time is important.
 
What’s more, if you’re someone who suffers from home allergens, it probably doesn’t help to have all that dust literally hanging over your head.
 
CAUTION: If your home was built prior to 1980 asbestos is a serious concern. Consult with Fun Guy Inspections about scheduling a test PRIOR to beginning any type of cleanup.

Steps for Cleaning your “Popcorn Ceilings”

Step 1: Prep the room 
Start by prepping the room by covering the entire room, including the furniture and floor, in drop cloths or a plastic tarp.
Next, gather all your tools and materials

  • You’ll need a vacuum/broom, a lint roller, spray bottles with cleaning solutions, sponges, ladder.
  • Wear a face mask (I know, we are tired of hearing about masks!), goggles, and gloves to shield yourself from cleaning fluid and falling debris.

Step 2: Remove the dust and cobwebs
Use a vacuum and gently remove dust and cobwebs from the ceiling’s surface while touching the surface as gently as possible. You can use a feather duster instead but this will also stir up more airborne contamination.  Try rolling a lint roller or sponge for more difficult debris.

Step 3: Deep-clean stains
Stains on the ceiling can be caused by water, mildew, smoke, or grease. For these areas, you’ll need to apply a liquid cleaning solution.

Start by testing a small area of the ceiling to make sure the solution does not damage your ceiling, works properly, and dries without discoloration.

For stains caused by water, smoke, or mildew:

  • Mix (4 parts water:1 part bleach) one-part bleach with four parts water in a spray bottle.  You can also try a dish soap for grease-based stains
  • Mist the test area and lightly dab it with a sponge, then wait a couple of hours to see if the stain comes out and that the ceiling does not appear discolored after drying. If it doesn’t, add more bleach to the spray bottle and try again in another area.
  • Make sure you don’t wet the ceiling too much or it may start to deteriorate.
    Let dry overnight, with fans blowing to speed up the drying process and the windows open for ventilation.
    To attack grease stains:

…and remember, IF you are concerned about Asbestos please test before you or a loved one are potentially put in harm’s way.  For more information call us at 866-674-7541 or email robert@funguyinspections.com

On January 18, 2021   /   Asbestos Testing