How to Clean Popcorn Ceilings

Popcorn ceilings are the bane of many a homeowner. Its texture makes cleaning incredibly difficult. Scrubbing the ceiling will cause the "popcorn" to fall off, leaving your ceiling with unattractive, bare patches of drywall. However, cleaning a texture-sprayed acoustic ceiling it is not impossible.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Vacuum with attachments
• Spray bottle
• Bleach
• Water

1. Before getting down to the nitty gritty of cleaning, determine the age of your popcorn ceiling. If it was sprayed prior to 1980, chances are it might contain asbestos which can be a health problem. If this is the case, it is best to get in touch with a professional to test the ceiling out for asbestos before proceeding. If it was installed after 1980, you can continue with cleaning.

2. Mold and mildew can be a problem for a popcorn ceiling in a bathroom. Dilute bleach into a spray bottle. Spray spots with the solution lightly. Do not scrub it or touch it while it is wet. Allow to dry naturally before repeating. You may need to do this several times for the desired effect.

3. Using a wand attachment on your vaccuum cleaner, attach a soft-bristled brush attachment.

4. Gently and carefully vaccuum the ceiling using your soft brush. Take care not to place pressure on your popcorn ceiling to prevent damaging its texture. When cleaning, pull the brush towards you only.

5. Pay special attention to areas around fans and vents as this is where most of your dirt will accumulate.

6. A discolored or dirty popcorn ceiling can only be effectively brightened using spray-on flat latex paint. A professional can do this in less than one day for not a great cost. Of course, if you have the equipment to hand you can do this yourself.

7. While cleaning, you may wish to repair any cracks within the ceiling. To successfully fix them, use a putty knife to scrape off the texture right down to the drywall paper. Clear a space of 3" wide on each side of the crack. Fill crack with paintable caulk. Coat area with latex primer. To replace the popcorn texture, use an aerosol-spray texture repair kit. Many texture patterns are sold, including "popcorn."

[AutumnLeavz]

on 6/2/2008 very interesting, thanks for sharing!

[AmyJaine]

on 5/1/2008 Very detailed, thanks.