How to clean drywall dust off floor [ Detailed Answer ]

The drywall dust is often formed inside the walls of homes, offices, and buildings. The dust requires some sanding work to be done, resulting in a huge amount of dust which can be quite irritating for your eyes and skin. If a wall is demolished, that also develops the dust in the surrounding areas.

Since the dust’s consistency is like powder, it can easily spread everywhere in the room i.e. on your floor, on your windows, on your desks, on your walls, carpets, grout lines, doors, etc.

It’s very important to wipe off and clean the dust to avoid future irritation and allergies.

However, you can wipe off the dust from all areas but what about the floor? How to clean drywall dust off the floor? Can i mop laminate floors with bleach? Can you use pine sol on tile floors? Is zoflora good for cleaning floors?

To answer this question, let’s take a look at the details mentioned below.

Table of Contents

Is drywall dust harmful

Construction workers are often the most exposed to dust particles, however, they always wear protective gear including gloves, masks, boots, eye protection goggles, ear defenders, and more. So when comes to an ordinary individual, he/she is without protective gear, which can result in serious issues.

According to the expert, if drywall dust is in smaller quantity, it will not affect your body however, if it’s in large quantity, breathing in that area will result in:

Irritation around eyes
Watery eyes
Coughing
Sneezing
Throat problems
Throat infection
Itchy eyes
Headache
Asthma attacks
Difficulty in breathing
Skin irritation
Allergies

This is why, therefore, it’s recommended to wear a mask, ear, and eye protection to protect your health from any future injuries. It’s recommended to not breathe in such areas.

Now to answer your question, drywall dust itself is not toxic or harmful, since it contains gypsum (calcium sulfate dehydrate). It’s a natural mineral found in sand beds. Similarly, the dust contains calcite, mica, talc, and a smaller amount of silica (silicon dioxide). The silica dioxide results in irritation and health hazards.

So if the dust is in large amounts, it can result in harmful effects, and an otherwise small amount of dust isn’t toxic or harmful.

Can you be allergic to drywall dust

A person being allergic to drywall dust depends upon how much he is exposed to it, and how sensitive is his skin.

For example, children and young teens have sensitive skin as compared to adults. There is a high chance they develop allergies from the drywall dust. Similarly, old adults can also have certain health issues, since their bodies cannot tackle bacteria as easily as in young adults.

Another reason to have allergies is a high amount of exposure. For example, if a worker is too exposed to drywall dust without protective gear, the dust will enter his body through his eyes, nose, and mouth (when he breaths). This will result in irritation, leading to allergies. The reason is due to the production of gypsum and silica inside the drywall dust, which has been reported to be irritating for the lungs.

The symptoms will include difficulty in breathing, itchy eyes, sore throat, headache, and even nose bleed. It’s always recommended to wear safety gear around the drywall dust area and if you in case don’t have it, you can always wear things for protection such as glasses, masks, earmuffs, and more.

Can you vacuum drywall dust

Among one of the most common questions asked regarding drywall dust is “can you vacuum drywall dust?”

It depends on the type of vacuum cleaner you are using. For example, if you are using a regular household vacuum, it’s recommended for it to have a “heavy-duty HEPA filter” otherwise don’t use it. It’s because the dust particles can clog most of the household vacuum filters, resulting in damaging the vacuum. In other words, your vacuum will be destroyed.

To avoid this, it’s recommended to use a Shop-Vac vacuum of 5 gallons, which is professionally designed for eliminating drywall dust off the floor.

The product has a very powerful motor and a good filter that sucks off the drywall dust from the floor in no time. If you can’t find a shop-vac vacuum, it’s recommended to use an industrial vacuum or one with a heavy-duty HEPA filter.

Can drywall dust be wet mop

The answer is yes!!! The drywall dust can be wet mopped. It’s easier to clean drywall dust if it’s sprayed or sprinkled with water, which makes the dust wet and turns into the paint, easy to mop.

To mop the dust on the floor, simply use a wet mop or a wet floor sponge to completely clean off the floor. The floor will look good as new however, the mop or sponge will require a lot of rinsing.

Keep in mind, that one-time mopping won’t do any good. The floor will require mopping more than once to completely clean off the drywall dust from the floor. So what you should do is, clean up the sponge or mop of the floor, bring a bucket of fresh water, put it in the bucket and take it out, put it on the floor, and start mopping again. Keep up repeating the process till you find your floor dust-free.

How to clean drywall dust off floor

There are various types of floors found in our offices, homes, and buildings. Each of those floors requires a different way of cleaning. Some need a lot of water, while others just need a touch of it. Let’s take a look below to find out more.

How to clean drywall dust off wood floors

Drywall dust that occurred through construction work can damage your furnishing and the finish on a wooden floor. To avoid damaging the wood floor finish, it’s recommended to clean drywall dust as soon as possible. Keep in mind that water can damage a wooden floor. Water can cause your floor to:

Weaken
Lose its texture
Damage to the wooden floor
Cause discoloration
Cause wood warping
Wood can break easily if stepped on

This is why it’s essential to not let water stay for too long on the floor or if you used it, dry it as soon as possible to avoid any future damage. So to clean the wooden floor from drywall dust, you should:

Sweep the drywall dust off the floor
Vacuum the dust with a heavy-duty HIPA filter, or an industrial vacuum
Mop the floor with less water and quickly dry

How to clean drywall dust off laminate floors

The laminate floors are often durable, versatile, and can clean easily. The best way to clean a laminate floor that has drywall dust is to first sweep off the excess dust, and later mop the floor with a mop or sponge to be squeaky clean. Make sure to mop the floor twice or thrice to ensure that all the dust is gone for good.

Please note that oil soap can cause the drywall dust to get a muddy texture on your floor. So it’s best to avoid oil soaps usage to clean off your laminated floors.

How to clean drywall dust off vinyl floors

To get rid of drywall dust from a vinyl floor, you should do the following:

Start by using a floor brush to sweep off the dust from your room. Make sure that the brush is soft and not too harsh on the floor
After sweeping, start vacuuming the area with again a “heavy-duty HIPA filter” vacuum, or a shop-vac vacuum. Don’t use regular vacuums.
Now take a bucket of slightly warm water, and start mopping the floor. Repeat the process till the floor is squeaky clean.

How to clean drywall dust off concrete floors

When it comes to a concrete floor, it’s highly recommended to use an industrial vacuum or any great vacuum designed for removing drywall dust off the floor. It’s because drywall can adhere well to the concrete floor, making it hard to remove.

To use a vacuum, you need to fit with a strong filter, and a dust collection bag, so that the dust doesn’t spread around.
Make sure you are wearing a dust protective mask, gloves, eye protection, and ear protection because dust is going to fly a lot around the room due to a concrete floor.
If the dust bag is full, replace it otherwise the vacuum will cause the dust to spread again.
Now after vacuuming is done, use a micro-fiber tack cloth to mop the dust off the floor. Repeat the process till the dust removes completely.

How to clean drywall dust off cement floor

To get rid of dust from a cement floor, you need to spray a lot of water on it so that the drywall dust converts into the mud, and that mud disperses into water.

Now mop the floor with a sponge to get rid of the dust from the floor. Also, make sure to clean the sponge again and again and then began mopping the floor so that the dust turned to mud does not spread everywhere and is cleaned instead.

Conclusion

Drywall dust is not much of a problem when it’s in a small amount. However, when it’s in a larger quantity, it can result in health hazards. Therefore, it’s recommended to clean it off so that your health remains great.

Are you interested to learn how to clean marble floor with baking soda too?