It is very offensive when, literally immediately after the renovation, the neighbors from above drown you. How from the ceiling so that it turns perfectly white again?
The main reason for the appearance of yellow spots after flooding is not completely dry floor slabs. Even if the plaster dries out completely, yellowish streaks may still remain. In addition, reinforcement can begin to rust in floor slabs, making the stains even brighter.
Of course, the best way out of this situation is to present an invoice to a neighbor for damaged repairs. However, it often happens that you have to independently eliminate the consequences of the flood. How to remove rusty stains and how to remove yellowness?
Removal of yellow spots after flooding
The first thing to do if you are flooded is to turn off the electricity in the dashboard. You don't know how far the water is from the wiring. After that, they begin to remove yellowness.
The first method that can be used is mechanical stain removal. This option does not require the use of chemicals and is completely safe. You will have to clean off the paint, putty with a spatula, remove the wet plaster. All damaged surfaces should be carefully cleaned.
After cleaning, you need to wait a little until the ceiling is completely dry. After that, a primer is applied and the ceiling is covered with a finishing filler. All defects on the filler are sanded with sandpaper. It remains only to paint the dried-up ceiling again.
If you plan to whitewash the ceiling, it is best to apply two coats of whitewash after the flood. You can just whiten a yellow spot in two layers, but only if it is small.
Can . You can use whiteness or any other product that contains chlorine. Many even use the Duckling toilet product.
In order to remove yellow spots with bleach, you must:
- Clean the surface from damaged finishing materials with a spatula.
- Pour whiteness into a container, prepare sponges.
- A sponge soaked in bleach should gently wipe off the yellowness, moving from the edges of the stain to its center.
- When the sponge turns red, it needs to be washed or changed.
- When the ceiling dries out after processing, finishing work can begin.
Preparations for removing yellow spots
Some other products can be used instead of bleach. Which also effectively remove yellowness.
For example, diluting 250 g of copper sulfate in a liter of water, even rusty streams can be removed. They must work with gloves, wiping the traces of the flood with sponges. Many owners use warm copper sulfate in such cases. To do this, it is necessary to dilute 500 g of vitriol in 5 liters of water and warm the solution to 70 degrees.
If copper sulfate does not work, then 250 g of grated laundry soap, as well as 40 g of drying oil, are added to the solution. The stains are rubbed with the resulting solution.
More dangerous, but the most effective method is the treatment of stains with hydrochloric acid. A 3% hydrochloric acid solution should be warmed up to 40 degrees, and then rinsed with them.
You can also use a homemade mixture to remove traces of the flood:
- Mix 2 parts of chalk and part of citric acid.
- Part of the pharmacy glycerin and a little water are added to the resulting mixture.
- The mixture is thickly applied to stains on the ceiling and left on for 40 minutes.
- All that remains is to rinse the ceiling with warm water and repeat the procedure again, if necessary.
Fight rust
To get rid of rusty streaks after the flood on the ceiling and walls, copper sulfate is again useful. The agent is poisonous, therefore it is necessary to work in personal protective equipment and with open windows.
Bright red stains can be removed. You will need:
- Copper sulfate 10%.
- Brown laundry soap 72%.
- Bone glue.
- Drying oil.
- Sponges or brush.
You should grate the bar of soap. And then mix the shavings with 250 g of vitriol. 200 g of glue and 50 g of drying oil are also added there.
Before work, you need to carefully clean the drips to the possible depth. Then the prepared mixture is applied with a brush or sponge to stains.
You can do it easier if rusty streaks appear on the ceiling. For this, the affected area is treated with vitriol, then primed, putty, painted over with paint. It is best to use oil paint, which forms a thick film. Rust will not come through this film again. If the ceiling was painted over with water-based paint before the flood, then you can use it for repairs.
Plastic and stretch ceilings
PVC ceilings are susceptible to mold. The voids are ideal places for fungi to spread. A temporary measure, if it is necessary to remove yellowness and mold from a stretch ceiling, is a household bleach with chlorine such as Whiteness. Such products help to quickly clean surfaces, and their fumes inhibit the development of fungi. But completely with the help of bleach on a stretch ceiling, you cannot get rid of traces of mold and yellowness. There is only one way out - to repair the ceiling. For the rest, polymer ceilings are very unpretentious, and they can simply be washed even with a dishwasher or washing powder.
Drywall
If the plasterboard ceiling is flooded, then first you need to clean the surface with coarse sandpaper as deep as possible. The surrounding objects must be covered, as a lot of dust will fly.
Then, using a spatula, apply a medium viscosity starting filler. After it dries, the finishing mixture is applied. When the ceiling is completely dry, it must be sanded. This time, grinding is done with the finest sandpaper.
When the surface is perfectly smooth, it needs to be primed. But doubts can arise when it comes to painting. An excellent solution is to paint the entire ceiling so that there are no streaks. But many owners repaint only the area damaged during flooding. At the joints of the ceiling and walls, brushes should be used so that there are no islands left that are not covered with paint.
Stains after painting
Sometimes, after the repair, it may turn out that the yellowish stains still remain. Most often the decision is made to paint the surface again. But it doesn't really solve the problem. How to neutralize errors in work and what are their reasons?
If the paint was too thick, it could lie unevenly. It is necessary to choose a liquid paint that will lay down in a thin and even layer. If the work was carried out too slowly, then the paint could harden before the second layer lay. This makes all the joints between the strokes very noticeable.
If the roller was too fluffy, the paint layer might not lay evenly. It is necessary to select only high-quality tools for the job. Poor painting may also be caused by a poor-quality primer.
If the work was carried out in poor lighting, then it may turn out that they were performed poorly. It is necessary to illuminate well the work site. Do not apply paint in only one direction.
To correct the errors, you can grind all the flaws with fine sandpaper. Grind until the surface is flat.
You can reapply the finishing mixture and then repeat light sanding. It is necessary to prime for painting twice. After priming, paint over the ceiling twice so that yellowness and rust does not appear.
Prevention
It is necessary even during the overhaul to make sure that the ceiling is well insulated and check how far the pipes go. It is imperative to monitor the condition of pipes and sewers, and replace them in a timely manner. The simplest solution is a plastic ceiling or stretch ceiling that is easy to clean.
You should not allow clogging of ventilation, and you should also organize your life so that there are no various incidents.
Living in an apartment is always associated with the risk of being flooded by neighbors upstairs. Of course, not all owners face such problems, but if the apartment is already flooded, then you have to figure out how to eliminate the consequences of this unpleasant factor. The most visible part of the problem is the appearance of streaks or damage to the ceiling. How to remove stains on the ceiling after flooding an apartment will be discussed in this article.
Whitewashed concrete floor
An ordinary concrete floor slab very often acts as the main ceiling in an apartment. The finishing material in this case is whitewash. Repairing the ceiling after the flood under such conditions will be quite problematic, but still possible.
To remove yellow spots on the ceiling after flooding, you can use one of the following methods:
- Mechanical repair of the ceiling;
- Chemical repair;
- Combined method.
The latter option is quite relevant - flooding often leads not only to the appearance of stains, but also to other damage, therefore, a complex of operations may be required to restore the ceiling finish. Of course, before removing the smudges on the ceiling, you need to consider the available methods used in such cases.
Mechanical repair of the ceiling after flooding
Restoring the ceiling after flooding is carried out as follows:
- Before removing streaks on the ceiling after flooding, you need to assess the extent of the damage. If, as a result of flooding, the putty or plaster crumbled, then this coating layer must be removed. The resulting bubbles are broken with a hammer, and all flaking elements are removed with a spatula. Stains that have reached entire areas of the coating will also have to be completely scraped off or cut down. The cleaned ceiling must be left to dry completely.
- There may be metal elements in the floor that has leaked. Of course, the exposed fittings located next to the rust must be repaired and must be separated from the ceiling trim. It is recommended to tap the concrete gently with the sharp edge of a hammer to find delamination.
- The metal elements found as a result of the inspection must be cleaned with a steel brush or sandpaper to remove rust from the ceiling. In the future, the metal is covered with two layers of paint, and it is advisable to choose compositions that can neutralize rust. Protection of the floor reinforcement will prevent further stains on the ceiling, which can occur due to moisture remaining in the concrete.
- When the paint hardens, the damaged areas of the ceiling must be primed. For this, different formulations are suitable - for example, an aqueous latex solution in a 1: 3 ratio. In the absence of visible metal parts, the repair technology does not change - the ceiling is still primed, since in the future it will be covered with a fine finish, for which the structure must have good adhesion.
- To eliminate potholes and dips in the ceiling structure, you can use moisture resistant leveling compounds made on the basis of cement. A good option for such a composition would be tile adhesive. In any case, the composition is prepared for work in accordance with the instructions attached to it and applied in layers to the ceiling. After applying each layer, you need to give it a setting time, but you should not wait for the final hardening.
- After preparing the ceiling, it remains only to carry out the final work, covering the ceiling with a fine finish. As a rule, gypsum putty is used for this. It is applied in several (usually two is enough) layers, smoothed out and remains in this form until it dries. In the future, it will be necessary to sand the coating so that it is as even as possible.
- Before you paint over the smudges on the ceiling, it will need to be primed again. Of course, in order to completely eliminate stains and uniform coverage, the ceiling will have to be covered with several layers of paint, the amount of which directly depends on the saturation of the composition.
As can be concluded, the repair technology is quite complicated, and such restoration will require a lot of effort and financial costs. But these disadvantages are compensated by the high quality of such repairs.
How to remove stains on the ceiling chemically
If there is a high-quality waterproofing of the floor in the apartment from above and if the flooding was eliminated as soon as possible, then it will be easier to solve the problem with the damage to the ceiling. The fact is that under these conditions the risk of damage to the finish is not so high. That is why it is likely that there will be only red spots on the ceiling and characteristic stains from the damage.
You need to understand that washing the ceiling from stains is not one operation, but a whole range of measures. The problem is that the characteristic yellow spots that appear on the ceiling after flooding are not uniform damage, so it will not be possible to find a universal solution to this problem. When deciding how to fix a leak on the ceiling, it should be borne in mind that a mechanical repair method is more effective, but with the help of chemistry, you can achieve the correct result.
The technology for removing stains on the ceiling by a chemical method consists of the following stages:
- Before removing leaks on the ceiling, you need to remove a layer of paint from the ceiling surface. Since the ceiling is already wet, this operation requires minimal effort. It is not worth hoping that the wet paint is not damaged - its structure is guaranteed to be destroyed when exposed to water, and in the future the coating will simply peel off, so it will be much safer to completely renew it.
- The dried ceiling must be degreased in order to remove various oils from the surface that have got into the ceiling along with water. For this operation, you can use any suitable composition - for example, a nitro solvent. Degreasing will make it possible to remove dirt on all layers of the structure, and not just on its surface. A clean rag cut is fine as a solvent application tool.
- Further, the prepared ceiling needs to be rid of coloring pigments, due to which smudges appear on the ceiling. Any household cleaning product will do. The main condition is that the substance must contain chlorine. Since chemistry discolors any colors, you need to make sure that the floor does not suffer from the dripping agent before work. The ceiling is cleaned with a sponge. It is not worth keeping a sponge soaked in bleach for too long in one area - as a result, the putty may begin to crumble, and the ceiling will have to be updated.
- At some point in the work, the stain will stop losing color. As soon as this happens, you will need to stop the operation and leave the ceiling soaked for about an hour - thanks to this, the chlorine will finish interacting with the stain. This is an important point to consider before whitening yellow spots on the ceiling.
- After an hour, the ceiling can be washed further, but this time you need to use ordinary detergents - for example, laundry soap or washing powder. This operation allows you to solve two problems at once - firstly, to remove all the usual pollution from the ceiling, and secondly, to wash out the chlorine remaining on the ceiling.
- The last stage of work is rinsing the ceiling with clean water. You can use a sponge or a piece of foam rubber as a tool. At this stage, it is necessary to completely remove all residues of detergents from the ceiling surface.
Of course, the result of cleaning the ceiling will not be immediately noticeable. It will take a couple of days to completely dry the structure. In addition, the likelihood of complete removal of yellow spots using the chemical method is minimal, at least in one step. However, if you mask the damaged area with paint of the correct color, then you can postpone more radical methods until the next full repair. That is why it is necessary to choose the right paint before painting over the leak on the ceiling - even a temporary solution should be of sufficient quality.
Plasterboard ceilings and stains after the flood
For arranging ceiling structures, moisture-resistant drywall sheets are often used, designed for use in conditions of high humidity. However, if we are talking about flooding, then even protected sheets cannot remain intact - gypsum tends to absorb water, so the structure will have to be repaired. There is no unequivocal answer to the question of how to remove stains from the drywall ceiling after flooding.
If the volume of water was not very large, and the ceiling structure did not interact with it for long, then the repair technology will directly depend on the finish of the plasterboard ceiling:
- Paint... The wet paint layer must be removed before it dries. You need to work carefully - the sharp edge of the spatula may well damage the drywall sheet if it is not handled carefully enough. The dried finish is primed with a water-latex solution, and a plaster putty is applied on top of it (after the next hardening). Next, the coating needs to be sanded, primed and covered with new paint. It is worth remembering that even with the correct paint, the damaged area will still be noticeable.
- Ceiling wallpaper... When the ceiling is flooded, the wallpaper glued to it usually peels off and becomes covered with red spots. It will not be possible to restore their original appearance by any methods, from an attempt to simply remove the stains and ending with replacing the damaged area. The simplest solution is to return the dried wallpaper to the repaired plasterboard ceiling and paint it.
Sometimes plasterboard ceilings are used without finishing. Of course, such situations are extremely rare, but you also need to be aware of them. In case of flooding, the primary concern is to restore the original technical characteristics of the drywall, not its visual data.
Understanding how to remove rust from the ceiling after a leak, you need to immediately pay attention to the most obvious way to solve the problem - a complete replacement of the damaged sheet. However, you can also replace a separate piece of drywall, for which you first have to cut out the damaged area and fix wooden blocks (or metal profiles) on the ceiling, to which you can attach a patch.
The patch is cut in such a way that after installation there is a gap of about 5 mm around the entire perimeter. Having secured this piece with wedges, you need to align it with the rest of the ceiling structure. A special mixture is used to fill the joints along the perimeter of the patch. After the mixture has completely solidified, the wedges are removed, and all remaining irregularities are sealed with putty.
Repair of PVC tiles
PVC tile itself has good water resistance, therefore, ceiling flooding will not affect performance. This statement does not apply to the visual side of the issue - spots on tiles appear in the same way as on other materials. It will not work to wash the tiles, since the dirt is absorbed into it due to the low density of the material.
However, you can get rid of the problem even in this case - all you need is to perform the following series of operations:
- First, you need to thoroughly wash the tiles using foam rubber and detergents (compounds with chlorine can also be used);
- Then the tile is primed with a latex compound, due to which a protective film layer is formed on the material;
- When the primer is dry, the tiles can be painted over with a suitable color of water-based paint.
The technology is quite simple and almost completely copies the algorithm for the usual painting of ceiling tiles. To understand the details, it is worth studying the article on this topic.
Repair of stretch ceilings
It also happens that the stretch ceiling was flooded by neighbors, and something needs to be done about it. Stretch ceilings, although they are considered one of the most resistant to leakage, are still susceptible to water. Even if the volume of water was not very large, and all the consequences of flooding have long been eliminated, yellow spots on the stretch ceiling can still appear. The fact is that traces of water do not appear immediately, gradually appearing on the canvas.
The most common conditions look like this - a special elastic film is used as a canvas, and the reason for the appearance of red spots is the ingress of water from the apartment from above. The simplest way to repair damage is to use a suitable stretch ceiling cleaner. Such products are available in a variety of formats - gels, sprays, various solutions, etc. The cleaning agent must be used strictly in accordance with the instructions.
If there is no opportunity to use such funds, then you will need to think about how to whiten the ceiling using available means. For example, you can make a swab out of gauze and cotton wool. Such a tampon is moistened in a 10% solution of ammonia, after which they need to wipe the stain with an approach to clean areas. To complete the work, you will need to wash the entire ceiling with ordinary detergents - then the surface of the ceiling will look uniform.
Another good option is soda ash. It is diluted with water to a 5% solution, after which the resulting composition is applied to the contaminated areas of the ceiling. The dried solution is washed off the ceiling surface with warm clean water. However, if we are talking about the use of a film ceiling for cleaning, then most suitable means will do - you can not use only aggressive compositions. It's all about the smooth surface of the stretch ceiling, which is quite easy to clean.
If a fabric cloth was used to arrange the ceiling, then the cleaning process from stains may be delayed. The list of acceptable products is the same as in the case of film materials - but they can only be applied and washed off with soft-bristled tampons. Detergents must be designed for delicate work. To get rid of very strong dirt, it would be better to replace the canvas or contact a specialist.
Conclusion
Ceiling flooding is a serious problem and can cause the characteristic yellow spots to appear on the ceiling surface. There are several ways to solve this problem, so before you eliminate the stain on the ceiling, you need to take into account the features of the floor and finish. If the overlap itself remains intact as a result of leakage, then the problem will be of a purely cosmetic nature, therefore, it will be possible to get rid of it both by rather radical methods and using temporary methods that only allow masking the damaged areas.
The most sophisticated interior of the room loses its appearance when yellow spots appear on the light background of the ceiling. Usually their appearance is associated with water leakage through the ceiling as a result of some kind of accident. In apartment buildings, neighbors sometimes drown, and in private, the roofing loses its tightness over time. Since most people are not interested in the causes, but in eliminating the consequences, it is worth considering in detail how to get rid of yellow spots on the ceiling of a room.
Where to begin?
First advice: do not rush to conclusions, be patient and follow this algorithm:
- Make sure that the cause of the stain has been removed and that water does not leak through the ceiling.
- Investigate the nature of yellow spots and choose a remedy. Do not rush to paint over them right away.
- Perform removal and, if necessary, finishing work.
If the place where the yellow spot appears continues to damp, then the moisture flow is clearly not stopped. It does not have to be flooding; for the appearance of a visual defect, water dripping onto the overlap is enough. Such leaks are often observed in the corners of the bathroom and toilet, where the water coming from the neighbors has already made its way. The same with the leaking roof of the building, moisture can seep inside in small portions in inconspicuous places.
It is not bad when the stain is dry and has yellowish edges. Perhaps he can be easily defeated with folk remedies. It is more difficult if rust appears on the ceiling, then you have to work hard so that yellow stains do not appear after some time. There are also fatty spots, but they have nothing to do with leaks.
FOR REFERENCE: RUST COMES FROM THE REINFORCED FRAME OF THE COVERING PLATE, IN CONTACT WITH MOISTURE AND AIR
Defect elimination methods
A dry, yellow-edged stain can be removed with a caustic bleach called Whiteness. Putting on rubber gloves and wetting a piece of foam rubber with "Whiteness", you need to thoroughly blot unsightly stains on the ceiling. Then let the surface dry and, if the result is positive, repeat the operation 2-3 times, sometimes it helps a lot and the stains disappear.
Surface cleaning
Bleach won't help with rust or fungus. The issue will have to be resolved drastically, up to repainting the entire surface. Applying paint in one place is advisable for a recent renovation, otherwise the difference between the new and old coating will become noticeable. The procedure is as follows:
- cover furniture and household appliances with plastic wrap;
- clean the spot where the stain appears with a spatula, removing a layer of paint and putty to the plate itself;
- process rusty stains on the stove with a solution of copper sulfate or citric acid and wait until the iron oxide dissolves (the stains change color);
- wash off the acid with water and dry the treated area well.
TIP: WHEN PERFORMING WORK IN THE AREA OF CHANDELIERS OR OTHER PLACES WHERE THE ELECTRICAL WIRING IS IN, TURN OFF THE ELECTRICITY IN THE HOUSE
Ceiling putty
After drying, it is necessary to apply an antifungal primer Ceresit CT99 or similar with a brush using a brush, followed by a deep penetration primer (Ceresit CT17). The time interval indicated on the package must be maintained between applications. And the last step is to carry out finishing work by applying a layer of putty and new paint. Before painting, the cured putty is leveled with sandpaper.
By painting the part of the ceiling where there was a yellow spot, you risk getting a new defect and here's why. A conflict between the new and old paint is possible, as a result of which the coating may swell and peel off at the contact boundary. Hence the recommendation: clean off the old paintwork over the entire area and re-paint the ceiling with a roller. Another option is to paste over the surface with wallpaper or polymer tiles.
Other types of ceilings
The previous section describes how to remove flooding or leaking stains from a standard concrete floor covered with putty and paint. But now in apartments ceilings are trimmed with other materials:
- suspended plasterboard systems;
- stretch ceiling;
- plastic panels.
Ordinary drywall absolutely does not tolerate contact with moisture and must be replaced after it gets wet. The moisture-resistant version of the material is also not designed for water to flow onto it. Worst of all, the accumulated water leakage occurs at the junction, which is why 2 adjacent sheets have to be changed. But take your time, it is better to first cut out the material that has become unusable. Check to see if a small piece of drywall can be inserted in its place by screwing it to the jumpers between the profiles of the suspension system.
IMPORTANT: DRYING AND PROCESSING THE CONCRETE BASE UNDER THE CLADDING IS ALSO NEEDED, OTHERWISE THERE WILL APPEAR FUNGUS IN THE SPOTS
Removing rusty stains from plastic can also be difficult, but changing one or more panels is not difficult. The main thing is to match them to the color of the old ones, for which the panels must be thoroughly washed. There will be no leakage stains on stretch ceilings, but after elimination of the bubble, the material may deform and not return to its original state. Here you cannot do without the help of specialists, they will correct the tension cover or replace it entirely.
Situations often happen when various yellow spots or stains appear on the ceiling or walls.
We find out the reason for their appearance
Before removing the blemished spots on the ceiling surface, you need to find the reason for their appearance. The way to remove them will depend on this. This can be damage to the roof on the roof, high humidity, dampness, poor ventilation or lack of it, but most often this occurs after flooding by neighbors from the upper floors.
In our case, the batteries were disconnected in the middle of winter. The risers are plastic, and the neighbors did not notice that a pipe was leaking at their junction. We see the result in the photo.
We use chlorine-containing products - checked by the editors
So, we had to remove the yellow spots from the ceiling surface after water leaks from the upper floors. The simplest method was chosen - bleaching with "Whiteness" or another chlorine-containing agent.
Ideally, it is necessary to carefully clean the area from the top layer of plaster with a spatula. Then, after complete drying, finishing work will be required.
But in our case, this was not needed, the whitewashing did not "lag behind", the stain was even, smooth, it only remained to whiten it. Here is our step-by-step algorithm of actions.
Pour "Whiteness" into a convenient small container, moisten a foam sponge in it.
Apply with the soft side to the stain, fixing for 5-10 seconds. Walk like this over its entire surface.
Wait until the area is completely dry and repeat the procedure again. As soon as the sponge becomes dirty, it must be replaced.
The method is quite laborious, but you can do it slowly, we stretched it out for almost a week. Processed - allowed to dry, the next day in the morning and in the evening walked "White" again, etc.
After the first treatment, and even the second, third, it seemed that this method did not work. But gradually the stain began to lighten.
A specific smell, yes, was present, especially in the early days, but passed quickly.
On a note: after processing the ceiling, do not open the vents or windows for ventilation, everything can dry out with stains and you will have to eliminate them as well.
We remove water stains mechanically
To get rid of them, you can resort to a mechanical method by following these steps:
- Clean the layer of whitewash, paint, plaster from the problem area with a spatula to the main coating.
- Wipe the cleaned area with a damp cloth and wait until the ceiling is completely dry.
- Remove any irregularities with sandpaper.
- Remove any existing dust with a brush.
- Apply a layer of primer with a roller.
- After the area has completely dried, apply a layer of putty.
- After the ceiling has dried, clean it with sandpaper, prime it again if necessary, and paint or whiten it.
To remove the yellow spot from the ceiling, everyone chooses the right method for themselves. As you can see, in some cases you can cope with a similar problem yourself.
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