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Cleaning Your Ceiling – How To!

Written by Milan Jara on 17th Mar 2015

Being known as ceiling pros means that we get plenty of questions about damaged or dirty ceilings. The ceiling pictured is actually an easy fix because we would just replace the damaged tile. But what about ceiling stains, holes, and other problems that can come up? As part of our service to our readers, we present the things you can do to clean your ceiling and make it look like new again.

Cleaning Your Ceiling

Cleaning your ceiling!

Step One – Fix the Source of the Problem

No matter what kind of cleaning you are doing to your ceiling, the most important part is to take care of the source of your issue before fixing your ceiling. If your ceiling is water-stained, then find the leak and have it fixed. If your ceiling is scuffed because of an off-balance ceiling fan, then balance the fan before you fix the ceiling. Always fix the underlying problem before taking the time to fix the ceiling.

Removing Water Stains

Removing water stains from your ceiling is actually easier than you may think. All you need to do is mix a solution that is three parts water and one part bleach and then apply that solution to the stain. The best way to apply the solution is using latex gloves and a secure stepping stool or ladder. Stand to the side of the stain as you clean it to avoid splashing yourself and put plastic on your floor as well. After the solution has penetrated the stain for around 20 minutes, use a dry and clean towel to remove the excess solution and the stain goes with it.

Covering Stains

Once you have your roof leak fixed, you now have a great excuse to cover up your ceiling stain instead of cleaning it. Of course, we will recommend putting in a new drop ceiling because it is easy and because that is what we do. But you can also get some wall and ceiling primer that is designed to cover stains and apply it to your ceiling, as well. After a couple coats of primer and a couple coats of your favorite paint, you have a new ceiling.

Holes In The Ceiling

You are not sure how or why little Jimmy propelled pencils into your ceiling, you just know that you are left with a lot of holes. If you have a drop ceiling with tiles, then you can replace the tiles and get rid of the holes. If you have a drywall ceiling, then fill in the holes with a filling compound and let it sit overnight. The next morning, you can sand the filling compound so it is flush with the ceiling, put up a coat of primer and paint, and your ceiling is like new.

Removing Tape Residue

Ah, kids. With their loud rock-and-roll music and their posters of hideous-looking musicians, they can just ruin your ceiling. Tape residue is also not as difficult to handle, if you know how. One technique that we found to remove tape residue is to create a sticky ball of rubber cement and roll that on the residue. The rubber cement picks up the residue and removes it without incident.

If your tape residue comes from decades of music and movie posters and has a little more staying power, then use a sponge to rub baby oil over the residue. After 20 minutes, use a clean towel to remove the residue. Be warned that this method may remove some of your paint, so you will have to do the old primer-and-paint routine afterwards. But let’s be honest – you were going to paint that ceiling as soon as the kids moved out anyway.

A clean ceiling can really make a room sparkle. We recommend that if you do not feel like cleaning your ceiling, then gives us a call and we will install a brand new one for you. If you prefer the DIY approach to ceiling maintenance, however, be safe and always use the best possible cleaning materials.

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