Buckland Plants

Clean Up Your Old Popcorn Ceiling

When the time comes to clean up a dirty ceiling in your home, or when you need to replace that old, worn out one, the first thing you’ll think about is getting rid of your popcorn ceiling. However, a popcorn ceiling doesn’t have to be as unsightly as you might think, and you can make it look brand new again in a very short amount of time.

The first thing that you need to do is decide whether you’re going to try to deal with the problem yourself, or if you’re going to use an old method that’s available from a hardware store. While this may be easier on your wallet, it’s not always going to be a quick fix for most situations. If you take the time to hire a contractor and use standard, non-reactive methods, you might expect about 20 hours of work on average to get rid of and reinstall your popcorn ceiling; however, if you try to do it yourself, the job will take a few weeks.

Popcorn ceiling removal can be done by hand, with a pair of metal shears, or even with a vacuum cleaner. The first option is best for people who don’t mind taking some time off of work, since it’s often a rather difficult job to complete. On the other hand, it’s also not always the most effective method, so if you’ve got more time to spare, consider the second option. As mentioned, the first option is very time consuming, and while it does remove some of the popcorn that’s stuck underneath the ceiling, there are plenty of areas that you won’t be able to reach with your fingers. It can also damage the underlying materials underneath the ceiling, such as paint and/or wallpaper. The second option, however, is safer and more effective, and doesn’t leave any visible marks, unless you accidentally break a tile in the process.

Before you begin the job, it’s a good idea to have everything ready. Make sure you have the tools you need to reach the area in question, including a bucket to collect the popcorn once you’ve reached the area where you’ll be working, a bucket full of water, an old rag, and an old tablecloth, and a plastic bag. You should also have access to an old towel and a ladder for cleaning up the popcorn mess once it’s all dry.

Once you’ve collected the tools and have your bucket ready to go, set up your workspace as you’d like, and get started cleaning. Take a couple of buckets and fill them with water to make sure the area is completely saturated with water. If there is a lot of popcorn to be removed, pour in more than two. If there are only a few pieces to get rid of, you might not need to fill the buckets, but it’s always better to be prepared.

Make sure to clean up any spills immediately, so they don’t collect. Be sure to clean up the mess before anyone gets to it, because if you leave the popcorn in the air or on top of the surface, the mold can spread to other parts of the ceiling, creating a big mess. Start by carefully removing any pieces of popcorn from under the ceiling. Next, use a cloth to wipe up any spilled popcorn, then scrub up any water and wipe away with a paper towel. After that, dry the area using the paper towel to keep any moisture from the paper from collecting on it.