The vinyl floor user knows the pain when their expensive floor gets dirty by drywall dust or mud. Getting rid of those drywall mud is not easy, like doing other jobs by closing your eyes. Here you have to follow a set of instructions until it’s completely removed. Actually, there is no particular answer to the question. But nothing to worry about; we found some most common and workable methods and organized them in a simple way.
Besides vinyl floor cleaning, we also cover how to get drywall off the floor, how to clean drywall dust off the plywood, or how to clean plaster dust off laminate floors. So, if your problem is similar to any of these and you have struggled for a long time, then you came to the right place.
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How to Get Drywall Mud off Vinyl Flooring
Evidently, if your floor is already dusty in some way, you should be patient and look for a solution. If you get panicked and do random things, then it would be worse than before.
Try the Vacuum First
Initially, a vacuum is a good option. If you haven’t used a vacuum yet, then give it a try. Drywall dust is very tiny dust, and it won’t remove quickly. You shouldn’t try the regular vacuum because the drywall dust can easily clog into the machine (motor) of your vacuum. So we recommend using a special vacuum which is designed only to clean drywall dust. It will easily remove 95% dust without messing up. Therefore this vacuum uses the easy clamp system for quick cleaning. After all, the dried mud will come out very quickly in the vacuum machine.
Be gentle with the floor. Don’t drag the vacuum very fast. Take your time. If the dust is not removed typically, then don’t push it. Vacuum the place and remove dust as much as possible, then try some other method if it’s needed. So we believe the vacuum is a good solution of how to clean up dried drywall mud.
Apart from that, people often ask how to get dried drywall mud out of carpet? Whatever you are planning, as long as the dust is dry, use a vacuum first.
Whipping/Mopping can be a good option.
Did you ever try the paper towel to clean the dust from the vinyl floor? Hope not. Alright, your floor is messed up, but drywall mud then whipping is a good way to go. Honestly, it’s a time-consuming way, but if you really love your beautiful vinyl floor, then you have to sacrifice things. Alright, here you need vinegar as a cleaner and a paper towel. If you don’t have vinegar at home, then you can try MR. Clean or pure lemon oil. Kitchen tissue would be ok as a replacement for paper towels.
Now on that particular place where the dust cling, gently whipping by your paper towel with the liquid. Don’t use too much vinegar on your vinyl. Too much vinegar can destroy the floor’s natural color. Use that a little amount and whipping slowly.
Apply TSP (trisodium phosphate)
Many people are successful in using this TSP to get rid of drywall mud. This TSP liquid is a very hard cleaner when dilution is perfect. You have to know the quantity of TSP before applying. TSP needs to dissolve with warm water. Initially, people take 4 quarters of warm water for a spoon full of TSP (This mixture is for heavy cleaning). For normal use, you need to take more water against one spoon TSP.
It’s an excellent cleaner for plaster dust, so if you ask how to clean plaster dust off laminate floors, don’t miss this TSP method anyway. However, it will also be a good solution for drywall mud and dust. If the dust is not totally dry, that’s ok. You can use this in any situation.
Do the Scrape
Drywall joint material is terrifying for your newly set up vinyl flooring. If it’s already dirty, don’t be upset. It’s possible to clean and make it be like before. Scrapping is an excellent method to apply here. For the best scrapping experience, you really should go for a plastic or steel paint scraper. This is a cheap tool, and the price is not more than $10 at the super shop.
Don’t use this if the palace is wet or not dried enough. When it seems a little clear and dry, then scrape it gently. Don’t rub too vigorously; just go with a normal flow. If you think it’s not working, then stop scraping. Let’s try something else. But as we know, most people get better results this way.
Managing the mess
Honestly, cleaning or removing drywall mud is not a hard job. When the floor is flat and normal, cleaning is easy. The problem gets worse when the floor is custom made or something fancy than normal. In this case, the mud can quickly get inside the floor layer. When the floor is vinyl or laminate, then the problem is excruciating.
If anything happens like this in your house. Always try to make that palace quickly and stop walking or moving through the area. If you keep moving through the area, the mud will crush under your shoes, and it will become a tiny particle that will be way too hard to remove. So avoid the place. Keep the window open so that the palace gets more air to dry the mud or particles. Don’t be panicked; use any of the following methods from the top. If it’s not working, then try another. The mud is not going to live your vinyl floor forever.
What You’ve Missing
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In order to clean drywall dust and residue from your floor, you can use a soft bristle brush along with a vacuum. Remember, never apply any liquid or cleaner before vacuuming. Because this will make the dust removal process difficult. Normally, a vacuum cleans 90% of the dust.
How to clean plaster dust off laminate floors
Three ways you can clean plaster dust easily. They are swiping, vacuuming, and mopping.
For swiping you can use a broom to remove the bigger pieces. Don’t swipe too hard, it’ll ruin the plaster.
Next, you can use a regular vacuum for this task. Simply, do a wet or dry vacuum cleaning to lethal dust. You should use some additional filters to avoid health problems around your household. The best places to use a vacuum are door frames, window beams, or any surface where you find any dust.
Lastly, you should go for mopping. The vacuum won’t remove dust entirely. That’s why dust mopping or dry mopping will solve the problem. You should apply the dust mop on the surface of the microfiber. Don’t use water directly. It’ll cause a problem to remove dust later on.
How to clean drywall mud off subfloor
Well, you found drywall mud all over your subfloor. What you’ll do is the concern.
The easy solution is to scrap the flush of the surrounding area directly, it’ll solve the problem. Furthermore, utilize a vacuum for the thinset used; it might be under the concrete surfaces. It’s important to fasten your plywood properly. Use 6″ on the perimeter and 8″ in the middle of the panels for this. You can use screws for better results.
Wrap Up
There are a number of possibilities to remove dust and drywall mud. Mostly wiping, vacuuming, and mopping are popular methods. Anyways, this was an insightful article on how to get drywall mud off vinyl flooring. Besides, we tried to cover additional parts for your convenience. Feel free to share your thoughts.