How to clean whitewash from floors, walls and ceilings after renovation

Often, after a major or cosmetic renovation, all surfaces of the room remain covered with whitewash stains or a layer of lime dust, even if protective plastic covers and newspapers were used. It just seems like it’s easy to wash off the whitewash.

Despite the fact that the composition is represented by tiny specks of dust, which should be washed off with water without any problems, in practice it is quite problematic to wash off white formations and stains. However, there are several practice-tested methods with which you can quickly and without unnecessary hassle restore the cleanliness of floors, walls and other surfaces.

Means that can be used to remove traces of whitewash from different surfaces

To wash off traces of whitewash and prevent the appearance of cloudy stains on various surfaces, after completing the repair, you can carry out the following manipulations:

Use of vegetable oil. In a bucket or basin, mix warm water and vegetable oil (half a glass of product per 1 liter of liquid). We wipe the floor with the resulting composition; you can also treat the surface of the walls. Then we change the water and this time mix cool water and vinegar in the same proportions. We rinse the surfaces with this product, then wipe them with clean water and leave to dry with good access to fresh air.

Using table salt. To wash off whitewash, which is not just dust or stains, but a dense layer, you must first thoroughly wash the surface of the walls and floor with a mixture made from warm water and dishwashing detergent (no more than a tablespoon of water per basin). After this, wipe them with a solution of table salt (half a glass of fine powder per bucket of liquid). If it was not possible to completely wash away the traces of repair, then add half a glass of 3% vinegar to the prepared salt composition and repeat the manipulation. To complete the procedure, the floor and wall surfaces should be wiped with clean water and dried.

Potassium permanganate solution. It is also able to quickly remove stubborn stains, however, it is better not to use this product for treating varnished surfaces; stains may remain. We dilute potassium permanganate with lukewarm water to obtain a bright pink solution, which we use to wipe the surfaces damaged during the repair process. There is no need to rinse anything off!

Kerosene against stubborn stains. Pour a few tablespoons of kerosene into a bucket of water (for severe contamination, the volume of the active component can be increased to half a glass), stir and wash the problem areas. It is imperative to use clean water after this.

Tip: If, as a result of using any strong-smelling product (for example, kerosene or gasoline), a persistent unpleasant odor remains in the room, then the treated surfaces of the floor and walls should be wiped with a very weak solution of vinegar. Then we just let them dry by opening the windows.

Universal cleaners. Good results are obtained from ready-made products such as Domestos. We dilute it in a proportion of two tablespoons per 5 liters of water and use it to wipe contaminated areas.We wipe the already clean surface several times with clean water.

Floor cleaning products. In cases where the stains remaining from the repairs are insignificant, you can try to wash them with the simplest floor treatment products (Mr. Muscle or Mister Proper). An additional advantage of this approach is the atmosphere of freshness and pleasant smell as a result of the cleaning.

In addition to all of the above, there are specialized products that are designed specifically for removing traces of whitewash from walls and floors. The main thing is to use them strictly according to the instructions, without violating the recommended dosages and adhering to the sequence of actions.

How to wash off old whitewash before starting work?

Usually, at the very beginning of the renovation, it becomes necessary to remove the old layer of whitewash from the ceiling or walls. To carry out such a procedure, it is not necessary to call specialists; you can try to cope on your own. The whole process consists of several stages:

Before removing the whitewash, it is necessary to clear the room of furniture or at least cover it with protective plastic covers. In this case, you won’t have to think about how to clean objects and surfaces from dirt.
There are many ways to remove an unnecessary layer. The most common option is using a sprayer. Using a special or homemade spray bottle, it is necessary to distribute water over the ceiling so that it does not drip, but penetrates the texture of the material, making it loose. We wait 10 minutes and repeat the manipulation. Next, take a spatula and carefully remove the layer of lime from the ceiling. We work quickly until the raw materials dry out again.
There is another effective option for removing whitewash from the ceiling.To implement it, we need a newspaper, which needs to be smeared with a thin layer of inexpensive glue and glued to the ceiling, leaving the ends of the sheet free. As soon as the structure dries to the ceiling, carefully remove it along with the whitewash. In this way we process the entire ceiling, preparing it for repairs.

After cleaning, you need to wash the ceiling from chalk residues using a thick sponge. After the surface has dried, you can begin further processing.