No noise and dust, or how to quickly and easily remove whitewash from the ceiling

Serious indoor renovations often involve removing old whitewash from the ceiling. Removing a layer of chalk or lime is a rather laborious process.

To avoid a large amount of dust and dirt, you can use both a special wash and homemade methods available.

We will tell you more about how to remove whitewash from the ceiling in this article.

Preparatory work

Regardless of which method of whitewashing will be chosen, the room must be prepared.

At this stage, you should take out the maximum possible number of furnishings, especially it is important to clean upholstered furniture and carpets... If some furniture cannot be taken out, it must be securely covered with polyethylene, fixing the covers with tape.

To reach the ceiling, you will need a stepladder, and for work you will need tools, the choice of which is determined by the amount of work and the method chosen to remove the old whitewash.

It is advisable to isolate the room in which the repair will be carried out from other rooms as much as possible. You also have to put a wet rag on the doorstep.

How to remove with improvised means?

Using the tools at hand, you can carry out all the necessary work with high quality. Not only mechanical action will be used, but also solutions.

Dry method

Mechanical whitewashing is one of the simplest methods, which does not require either experience in carrying out such work or special knowledge. This method is convenient for processing a small area in a short time.

To work you need the following tools:

• putty knife;
• small hammer;
• sandpaper.

After that, take up the spatula.... They pry off a layer of whitewash and peel off. The remaining small fragments are finished with sandpaper. If you have a sander, you can do without sandpaper, hammer and spatula.

Wet method

Experts advise using the cleaning method with the addition of liquid for rooms with an area of ​​10 m² or more. With this approach, dust will be generated much less, and the work itself will advance faster.

You will need the following tools:

• metal spatula;
• bucket;
• large brush or roller.

Instead of a bucket of water and a brush, you can use a spray bottle to dampen a layer of whitewash on the ceiling.

Processing process:

1. Moisten a section of the ceiling (up to 2 meters in diameter) with a spray gun or a brush.
2. Repeat the process on another section of the same area.
3. Return to the first wetted area and clean the ceiling fragment with a spatula.
4. Repeat the steps until the entire ceiling is clear of whitewash.

How to remove the whitewash from the ceiling, the video will tell you:

Homemade solutions

Depending on what the ceiling was whitewashed your solution is selected:

• for the chalk layer - soap solution;
• for the lime layer - acid.

Vinegar and gel

Preparation of the product:

1. Pour 1 teaspoon of vinegar into a small container.
2. Add ½ cup of shower gel.
3. Pour 5 liters of warm water into a bucket.
4. Add the gel-vinegar mixture to the water.
5. Mix.

Soap

Preparation:

1. Grate 50 grams of laundry soap.
2. Combine shavings with 30 grams of baking soda.
3. Add baking soda and soap to a bucket of water.
4. Stir.

Paste

The use of paste allows you to qualitatively clean the ceiling from whitewash. The disadvantage of this method is the need to prepare the composition at home.

For the solution, you must prepare:

• a large metal vapor or other metal container that can be put on fire;
• a spatula with which you can stir the preparation paste;
• starch (at the rate of 40 grams of powder for each liter of water).

If starch is not available, it can be replaced with wheat flour at the rate of 70 grams per 1 liter of water.

Cooking procedure:

1. Pour the required amount of water into the container.
2. Put the pan on fire.
3. Boil.
4. Add gradually measured amount of starch or flour, stirring continuously.
5. Bring the mixture to thickening, removing lumps.
6. Cool down.

The finished paste, after it has completely cooled down, is applied with a large brush to the whitewash. Drying on the surface of the ceiling, the paste forms a crust. An alternative option is to buy a ready-made paste mixture from a hardware store.

Special wash

In addition to improvised means, special preparations can be used to remove whitewash from the ceiling. Mortars can remove both lime and chalk.

When choosing a specific drug, it is necessary to take into account what means the ceiling was whitewashed. Washes are intended for cleaning after renovation. They quickly and efficiently remove whitewash in a manner similar to the wet method.

ALFA-20

Alpha professional remover is produced in containers that are convenient for carrying out even major repairs. In addition to lime, the preparation allows you to wash off the remains of concrete cement splashes, rust, dirt from various types of surfaces.

The tool is diluted according to the instructions, using only in a diluted form... Since the drug is a chemical, aggressive effect, the use of personal protective equipment is mandatory. Price for 5 liters - from 600 rubles.

PROBEL

An effective product in concentrated form suitable for removing whitewash from ceilings and walls. It is an effective remover by acting as a solvent. PROBEL is diluted according to the instructions, does not have a pronounced odor, does not foam. Price for 5 liters - from 600 rubles.

12 recommendations

Expert advice will help in carrying out repair work and allow you to avoid unpleasant situations:

1. Whitewash removal methods, especially dry ones, should preferably be used with personal protective equipment - gloves, respirator, polyethylene cap.
2. It is not necessary to buy special washes in canisters. If the ceiling area is small, then you can purchase a container of small volume.
3. If it is not known by what means the whitewashing was carried out - lime or chalk, this can be determined by a fairly simple method. Pure water is sprayed onto the ceiling from a spray bottle. If it absorbs quickly, then chalk was used to whitewash. Otherwise, lime.
4. For wet processing, it is convenient to use spray containers up to 1 liter, as a large and heavy bottle will be more difficult to hold in your hand.
5. A perfect whitewash remover is not necessary in all cases. If you plan to glue wallpaper or apply water-based paint, then you can do with high-quality cleaning.
6. If, after finishing work, whitish solutions still remain on the rag, the surface must be further processed using a damp sponge or wet rags.
7. If there is mold on the ceiling, it must be removed with special directional solutions. And only after obtaining a satisfactory result, you can start applying a new coating.
8. When using a dry or wet method using a spatula, you can purchase a special box from a hardware store that is put on the tool. This will prevent dust and removed coating from flying out during work.
9. If the processing area is very large, then it is better to purchase or rent a grinder, which will significantly save time and reduce labor costs.
10. Applying a new layer of whitewash on top of the old is an acceptable solution, but only in cases where the thickness of the existing coating is small.
11. Clothing for repair work should be of dense fabric, have long sleeves and legs.
12. The choice of a bench or step-ladder should take into account the height of the ceilings and the height of the worker, who should freely reach the ceiling without bending over or reaching for it.

Conclusion

You can remove whitewash from the ceiling yourself using simple home remedies. Special washes, selected according to the type of whitewash, can speed up the treatment process.