The drywall dust produced during remodeling a home can be extensive. Besides the massive amount of cleaning, health problems can arise in the form of breathing difficulties, so care needs to be taken.
Drywall dust residue can get into the lungs and the eyes, so getting rid of the dust particles from flat surfaces is vital. So, how do you get drywall dust off of concrete? There are various methods for cleaning up drywall dust off concrete or any hardwood floors you may have.
To begin, increase the ventilation in the room where you’re working. Outside-facing fans can also be installed. Then use a broom and dustpan to sweep the concrete floor. Use a vacuum cleaner after that. After that, mop the floor. Finally, thoroughly inspect the floor.
While this is just an overview, you can find in our guide a deep dive into how to get all the dust and drywall mud from concrete, floor tiles, and more to leave your home dust-free and safe to breathe in. (Read Large Gap Between Baseboard And Floor – What To Do)
Why Clean Up Drywall Dust?
The compounds in drywall dust can irritate the throat and airways for a long time.
Over time, the coughing, phlegm production, and breathing difficulties resemble asthma. Sinus or respiratory problems in the workplace might lead to even more significant health issues.
Anyone can be harmed by dry dust. They have a direct impact on the lungs and eyes. Silicosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), lung cancer, and asthma are all diseases that affect the lungs.
Silica is a substance that is exceedingly hazardous to people and is found in a variety of building materials, including sheetrock dust and floor tiles.
How To Clean Up Drywall Dust From Concrete
Here you can find all the steps you need to remove drywall dust from concrete in your garage or your basement.
Put on a dust mask to protect yourself from the particles of sheetrock dust.
The Best Way to Clean Up Drywall Dust
- Ensure the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system is turned off, and the air vents are covered with plastic sheeting.
- With a broom, sweep a large quantity of the drywall dust into a pile on the floor.
- Place a fan at all the windows open and direct it outside.
- Vacuum the floor using the machine’s brush attachment after another 15 minutes.
Wipe Down Surfaces
It’s preferable to clean drywall dust off all surfaces above floor height before cleaning concrete floors. This will keep drywall dust from floating down onto the floor and destroying your hard work.
To prevent drywall dust from moving from these surfaces to the floor, wipe any surfaces above the floor level. (Learn How Long Does It Take Tile To Set)
Cleaning drywall dust off walls and windowsills is easy with a damp microfiber cloth or this
large grouting sponge.
Cleaning drywall dust with a tack cloth is a dry solution.
At this stage, it’s also a good idea to clean the drywall dust from the walls. Drywall dust is so fine that it can cling to walls and cause a long-term mess if not properly cleaned.
Spread Sweeping Compound
Because drywall dust is so fine, sweeping or vacuuming often results in a cloud of white dust filling the air and settling all over your freshly cleaned surfaces.
Spread the sweeping compound on your concrete floor before reaching for the broom to avoid this.
The sweeping compound prevents dust from moving around the room, allowing you to sweep up the drywall mess without spreading it.
Before sweeping, apply this sweeping compound to the concrete.
Dust does not rise into the air and settle in new places because of the sweeping compound.
Dust can be controlled by applying a thin layer of sweeping compound to the concrete.
It’s best to wear gloves when spreading the sweeping compound to avoid it clinging to your hands. However, you don’t need a lot of it. Dust control can be as simple as sprinkling the compound across the concrete floor.
Sweep Drywall Dust
Sweep the entire concrete area using a push broom. Next, sweep a few heaps of drywall dust and sweeping compound. This job is best done using a stiff-bristled, wide-bristled broom. You’ll quickly cover a large area while reducing the amount of dust in the air.
Collect the drywall dust and sweeping compound into one or more heaps with a stiff-bristled push broom.
To keep airborne dust at a minimum, push the broom in long strokes.
Make long, low strokes with the push broom. As much as possible, avoid lifting the broom’s head off the ground while sweeping. This procedure will reduce the amount of drywall dust in the air.
Bag the Dust
Collect the dust and bag it in sealed plastic bags. Instead of sweeping the dust with a dustpan, consider using a trash funnel or dust pan to sweep the sheetrock dust particles directly into a trash bag.
This decreases the amount of labor you have to do while preventing sheetrock dust from becoming airborne.
Fill airtight plastic containers with drywall dust.
Rather than scooping dust, use this garbage funnel to sweep it directly into the bag.
To shut the garbage bag, tie a knot in it. Compared to using the drawstrings offered with some garbage bags, this ensures a better seal.
Twist the top of the trash bag closed and tie it in a knot once the dust has been bagged.
This guarantees that the seal is airtight. Unfortunately, trash bags with drawstrings seldom provide an airtight seal. As a result, some drywall dust may escape into the air when you move these bags.
Vacuum
Now that most drywall dust has been swept and bagged, it’s time to deal with the stubborn leftovers.
A good shop vac will suffice for the latter part of the cleaning process, although when you clean drywall dust in this stage, you’ll now see the drywall dust is extremely fine.
Dust can escape from your shop vac if it isn’t fitted with the right filter and bag. Even worse, fine dust might get into the vacuum motor and ruin it. To avoid this, take the following steps:
Install HEPA filters in your shop vac, to collect drywall dust properly and avoid venting it out with the exhaust. (Learn How To Clean White Doors)
Use this specialist dust bag and the brush attachment to capture drywall dust completely.
A shop vac with a regular filter and bag will not be able to collect drywall dust. The filter will let dust through, but the exhaust will blow it out of the vacuum. Instead, once your vacuum is properly suited, use a bristle vacuum head to clean the concrete floors in your room.
Ensure you wear a suitable dust mask. If some vacuums aren’t suitable to clean drywall dust, not all facemasks will stop the dust.
Mop
After sweeping and vacuuming the floor, there should be very little drywall dust behind. Next, clean the floors with a sponge mop and warm, soapy water for the final cleaning. Any leftover dust residue should be collected in this manner.
The last traces of drywall dust can be collected with a sponge-type mop and warm water with detergent.
If you prefer a dry solution, attach a tack cloth to a pole sander or microfiber pad to clean up drywall dust.
Tack cloth can be used instead of mopping. This sticky cloth does a fantastic job of capturing
fine dust.
It can be attached to a pole sander or a Swiffer-style disposable cleaning mop. To collect dust, use the dry tack cloth. Just remember to keep an eye on the tack cloth. Change to a new cloth once it’s no longer sticky.
Is it necessary to wipe the drywall after sanding?
After sanding, it’s critical to clean the drywall to eliminate the dust before painting. Otherwise, it may cause paint adhesion issues. In addition, the sooner you get rid of this dust, the less likely it will spread throughout the house.
How do you get rid of dust after sanding?
The enemy of a smooth finish is dust. Even if you use an air compressor to blow sanding dust off your item or brush it onto your floor, a wet stain or finish could result.
Instead, use a vacuum with a bristle attachment to adequately capture it once and for all. Alternatively, dust can be removed with a damp cloth.
How do you keep drywall dust out of your house?
Dry Sanding using negative pressure and barrier tape the plastic to the floors, ceilings, and walls to create a barrier between the dusting zone and the clean region.
How do you clean interior concrete floors?
Clean water with Castile soap, Dawn dish detergent, stone cleaners, and mild floor cleaners are all good cleaners.
- Make a solution then apply it to the floor using a wet mop
- Rinse with a clean mop and clean water.
- Apply a concrete sealer to your concrete floors to protect rough surfaces from future stains.
With construction dust, how long does it take to settle?
Particles with a diameter of less than 10m (thoracic) will settle in around 3 minutes. In around 8 minutes, particles with a diameter of 5m (respirable) will settle. Particles with a one-meter diameter can take up to four hours or more to settle.
Is Drywall Dust Toxic?
While drywall dust isn’t poisonous, it does include gypsum and silica, which can irritate your lungs and airways.
Working with drywall dust can cause throat and lung irritation, cough, sinus inflammation, and hypersensitivity pneumonitis, a lung ailment.
The easiest way to avoid these symptoms is to use an NIOSH/MSHA mask that filters out drywall dust particles.
How do you clean a dusty cement floor?
Scrub the area using a scrubbing brush dipped in warm water. Blot the suds with a clean, dry towel or microfiber cloth.
Mix 28 grams of laundry detergent and Trisodium phosphate with 950 ml laundry bleach in 2.8 L of clean, warm water to remove mildew. Scrub the affected area with a gentle brush.
Can You Use a Shop-Vac for Drywall Dust?
A shop vac can clean up drywall dust, but only if it has a special filter and bag. Drywall dust is too fine for standard vacuum filters and bags. Trying to vacuum drywall dust without the right equipment can cause the dust to pass past the filter and out the vacuum’s exhaust port. This will cause even more dust in the air.
A shop vac with a HEPA filter and a dust bag can only vacuum drywall dust.A vacuum with a faulty filter will let drywall dust flow past the filter and out the exhaust port.
Make sure your shop vacuum has a HEPA filter. Then get a fine dust bag for your vacuum. This makes drywall dust easily to vacuum.
How do you get the dust out of the concrete basement floor?
Scrub with a Cleaning Solution Add ¼ cup of ammonia with detergent into a bucket of warm water. Use a nylon brush to clean the floor.
Suppose there is any stubborn dirt? Mix trisodium phosphate (TSP) with the water and then after cleaning, rinse with water.
