How to Clean Dropped Ceiling Panels

Dropped ceilings are made of lightweight mineral fibers.

Also referred to as a drop or suspended ceiling, a dropped ceiling is composed of a 2 x 2 foot or 2 x 4 foot grid, with panels that drop into predetermined sections of the grid. This secondary ceiling is versatile enough to disguise electrical wiring, pipes and ductwork, without the permanence of a permanent ceiling. In fact, dropped ceiling panels easily pop out anytime you need to make repairs. Most standard dropped ceiling panels are made of lightweight mineral fibers. However, you can also purchase dropped ceiling tiles made of tin or vinyl. To keep your dropped ceiling looking its best, you will need to clean it several times a year.

Things You'll Need

• Drop cloths
• Dust mask
• Goggles
• Thick work gloves
• Vacuum with brush tool
• Dry sponge
• Dusting cloth
• Spray bottle
• Water
• Dish soap
• Soft cloth

Instructions

1. Cover the floor below the dropped ceiling panels with a drop cloth. Throw a few drop cloths over your furniture, as well. Cleaning dropped ceiling panels can get a bit messy, so you will want to protect your floors and furniture from whatever may fall from the ceiling while you clean.

2. Put on a dust mask, goggles and a pair of thick work gloves. The dust mask will reduce the amount of dust and pollutants that you breathe in during the cleaning process, and the goggles will protect your eyes from falling residue. A pair of thick work gloves will protect your hands from sharp edges that you may encounter while cleaning.

3. Attach a brush tool to your vacuum's hose, and vacuum the porous dropped ceiling tiles. Vacuum each of the drop panels and the suspension grid in between. Do not apply a lot of pressure during the vacuuming process. Excessive pressure can force the tile up, causing it to crack or break.

4. Clean stains from porous dropped ceiling panels using a dry sponge. A dry sponge is a sponge made of natural rubber. Found in most hardware stores, the dry sponge cleans hard surfaces that cannot withstand liquid cleaners or water.

5. Wipe down tin dropped ceiling panels with a dusting cloth. Dropped ceiling tiles made of tin are easy to dust, and cleaning is also a snap. Fill a spray bottle with water and add a few squirts of dish soap. Spray the tin drop ceiling panels with the soap solution and wipe them down with a soft cloth.

Tips & Warnings

• Remove rust from tin dropped ceiling panels with fine steel wool.

• Clean vinyl dropped ceiling panels in the same manner as you would tin.

• If you do not have drop cloths, you can sheets, blankets, tarps or plastic sheeting.

• Clean and dust heavily soiled panels by removing them first.

• Never spray or use any type of liquid cleaners or solvents on porous dropped ceiling tiles. Water stains, mold and mildew can develop.

References

• Mrs. Clean USA: How to Clean Ceiling Tiles
• Ceiling Cleaning Answers: The Basics of Dropped Ceilings

Resources

• Health Guidance: Cleaning Room Ceiling Tile