Sooner or later, any room has to be repaired. To begin work, you need to decide on the materials, colors and decor. Many people still prefer to use such an option as lime whitewash to cover various surfaces. As a rule, it lasts a long time. But how to remove the old whitewash from the ceiling quickly and without much effort? This will be discussed in this review.
Preparatory stage
What is he like? The final result will depend on the quality of the preparatory work. Before removing whitewash from the room, all furniture must be removed. If possible, it is also recommended to remove chandeliers, sconces and shades. The problem is that whitewash settles on surfaces of all types, and it is very difficult to wipe it off, especially when it comes to furniture items with a fabric coating. What to do if it is impossible to take it out of the room? In this case, it is recommended to use plastic wrap, paper or oilcloth. These materials need to cover the surface. The coating is fixed using masking tape.
How to remove whitewash from the ceiling? Before proceeding directly to the removal of whitewash, it is necessary to take care of windows and doorways. Also consider protecting your walls and flooring. On the threshold of the room in which you are going to remove the whitewash, you should put a wet rag. So the dust will not spread throughout the house. To protect the walls and floor, you can also use plastic film or paper.
Protective equipment
Many are interested in how best to remove whitewash from the ceiling? But no matter what method you choose, this procedure in any case involves the appearance of chalk dust. It can have a negative effect on the respiratory tract and mucous membranes of the eyes. Therefore, work should only be done with a respirator and special glasses.
If you chose to remove whitewash in a wet way, you should definitely consider using work clothes and gloves. The fact is that as a result of the work, a weak alkaline solution is formed, which, if it comes into contact with the skin or eyes, can cause irritation.
Materials and Tools
What you need to know about this? The choice of tools and materials is mainly determined by the method of removing whitewash from the ceiling. For the dry method, it is necessary to prepare a putty knife, grinding peel or scraper with a special collector in which the cleaned whitewash will accumulate. A wet whitening method involves the use of water, a spray bottle, paint roller, brush or sponge. Additionally, a scraper and putty knife may also be required.
How to remove whitewash from the ceiling quickly and without dirt with your own hands? In construction stores today you can easily find special tools and solutions that greatly simplify the process of removing the coating from the ceiling.
Dry way
What is its feature? The choice of whitewash removal method directly depends on the size of the room. If the work is carried out in a small room, it is best to use the dry method.
To do this, use a wide metal spatula. With it, layer by layer, whitewash is cleaned from the ceiling. In this case, any irregularities and defects that occur are cleaned using a skin.
The advantages of this method are:
- simplicity;
- no need to purchase additional funds to remove the old coating.
However, the dry method has its drawbacks. It is quite laborious and complicated. In addition, during the work, a huge amount of lime dust appears. Experienced craftsmen know how to eliminate all these shortcomings. On the spatula you can put on a special box. It is realistic to do it yourself or purchase it in a special store. This device helps to avoid the accumulation of dust on surfaces. Also, instead of it, you should use any suitable container in size.
To simplify and speed up the process of removing the plaster can be through the use of a grinding machine. This device helps you find the answer to the question of how to remove whitewash from the ceiling quickly. The reviews of the masters confirm that such a device is ideal for large areas. A cloud of dust can be avoided by spraying whitewash on the surface. After the material has been soaked, it can be easily removed with a spatula or scraper. When using this technology, it is not recommended to soak immediately a large portion of the ceiling. It is best to divide the entire area into several sections and process them in turn. Whitewashing, as a rule, is impregnated in 5-10 minutes. This method is recommended for use in small rooms or on surfaces with a small layer of whitewash. Only in this case you will be able to avoid the appearance of a large amount of dirt.
Want to know how easy it is to remove old whitewash from the ceiling? Experienced craftsmen advise to tap on the old coating with a hammer. This method helps to get rid of whitewash applied in a thick layer. The lagged pieces are then removed well with a conventional spatula.
Wet way
To remove whitewash, you can try using a simple flush. Carry out this procedure with a brush or a hard rag. The main advantage of this method is its high efficiency. However, he also has a significant drawback: flushing whitewash leads to the appearance of a large amount of dirt. To get rid of it, you need to use a washing vacuum cleaner. It should be remembered that lime can adversely affect the condition of a household appliance.
The use of special solutions
Let's dwell on this in more detail. How to remove whitewash from the ceiling quickly? There are special solutions that help quickly and effortlessly remove the lime coating. You can cook them yourself. The choice of components will depend on the type of coating that needs to be disposed of. Cretaceous whitewashing can be removed using a simple soap solution. To remove the lime coating, it is better to use solutions containing acids. Experts recommend preparing small whitening removers and checking their effectiveness in a small area of coverage.
Recipes
Today there are a lot of them. Consider some of the most effective recipes for whitewashing from the ceiling:
- Take 5 tablespoons of soda ash and 2 tablespoons of grated laundry soap and dissolve them in 10 liters of water. The concentrate is applied to the ceiling with a roller or sponge. The product is left on the surface until completely absorbed. When the whitewash swells, it is removed with a scraper or spatula.
- Mix 1 tablespoon of acetic acid and 2-3 caps of bath foam. Dissolve the resulting mixture in 5 liters of warm water. The resulting solution is applied to the ceiling and left on the surface for 10-15 minutes. When the whitewash swells, it can be removed with a hard rag or spatula. Such a tool is suitable even for large areas, but the surface in this case is better to divide into sections up to 5 square meters.
- Pour a 3% solution of hydrochloric or acetic acid into a bucket of warm water. Process the whitewash with the resulting solution, and then remove it with a spatula.
Paste
How easy is it to remove whitewash from the ceiling? The use of a paste helps to achieve amazing results. To prepare this substance, you need to mix 1 liter of water and 2 tablespoons of starch. First, the powder is best dissolved in a small amount of water, and then pour into the remaining volume until a liquid jelly forms. The paste is evenly applied to the ceiling surface with a soft cloth or brush. The composition is left for some time until the whitewash is completely saturated. The uniqueness of this substance lies in the fact that after solidification it turns the entire layer of whitewash into a crust, which is then easily removed with a spatula. If the paste has been prepared correctly, after its application there will be no dirt and dust left.
Remove whitewash with newspapers and glue
What does that require? One of the easiest ways to remove whitewash is to use glue and newspapers. This method can significantly save time on subsequent cleaning of the room. The bottom line is that old newspapers are attached to the ceiling with a simple inexpensive adhesive. At the same time, one edge of the paper should be left untouched so that after the adhesive has dried, it can be pulled. The uniqueness of this method lies in the fact that it allows you to leave almost the entire layer of whitewash on paper. The remaining coating is easy to wash off with warm water and a spatula.
The use of industrial compounds
What is their feature? As an alternative to homemade whitewash removers, special industrial compounds can be used. Today they are sold in any hardware store. How to remove whitewash from the ceiling without dirt? It is enough to simply apply a little special agent to the surface and after it has completely dried, scrape off the surface with a spatula. The uniqueness of this method lies in the special structure of the solution. After complete drying, it changes color. Therefore, the wizard will easily determine when it is time to remove the whitewash. Also, industrial products usually have convenient packaging with a spray bottle. This creates added convenience during application.
Final stage
What is he like? Now that you know how to remove the old whitewash from the ceiling, it's time to talk about the completion of work. Whatever removal method you choose, at the end the ceiling should be flushed in any case. To do this, use clean water and a sponge. To determine the quality of the work, it is enough after a surface has completely dried to simply hold it by hand. If there are no traces of whitewash, then the whitewash removal was carried out qualitatively.
Alternative methods
Are they effective? Very often, novice masters in search of an answer to the question of how to remove whitewash from the ceiling, decide to use alternative methods. In practice, they are used quite rarely, but in an atypical situation they can be very useful.
These include:
- whitening with a normal or washing vacuum cleaner;
- creating a cardboard peel on the ceiling;
- use of a grinding machine.
If you decide to remove whitewash from the ceiling with a vacuum cleaner, then here you should first of all take into account the choice of the suitable mode. When using conventional technology, as a rule, apply the mode of supply of a stream of air. It evenly distributes water on the surface with whitewash. Subsequently, the layer of lime can be easily removed with a sponge or spatula.
To remove whitewash, you can also use a washing vacuum cleaner. A full tank of water is collected in a household appliance. After that, it is turned on and brushed along the calcareous layer. The vacuum cleaner will spray water. A layer of whitewash absorbs it. This method is considered the fastest and cleanest. However, this method can lead to clogging and damage to the household appliance. This is due to the aggressive properties of the lime mortar, which is easily able to damage the rubber elements of the vacuum cleaner.
The simplest and most effective alternative method of removing whitewash from the ceiling is to use a grinder. When using this device, one of the most important factors is the correct equipment. The master must wear protective clothing, a respirator and glasses. It is also recommended that you tightly close the room and cover the furniture. After that, the grinding apparatus is turned on and is passed by the disk over all whitewashed surfaces.
Conclusion
Long gone are the days when removing the whitewash from the ceiling seemed an impossible task. Today it is quite simple to do this, you just need to choose the best way and complete all the preparatory work. In this article, we examined how to remove the whitewashing of the ceiling by quickly washing, what is the dry method, and also examined alternative methods involving the use of a grinder and a vacuum cleaner.