dirty spots on flocked ceiling

[Doug]

Our house has a white flocked ceiling, which is pretty nice. In the areas right around the ceiling HVAC vents, the flocking has gotten discolored over the years, partly because of dust that can be vacuumed off, but partly because of dust or stain that will not come off that easily. What are my options?

I'm pretty sure I can't just wash this stuff. Much too delicate. I really don't want to scrape it off and reapply. Partly the bother, and partly because any freshly flocked spot will almost certainly look mismatched. No, I DO NOT want to redo the whole ceiling!

Light touch-up with flat spray paint? Spray on some bleach? Similar concerns about mismatching, but there are strategies for trying to make it blend in with the rest of the ceiling. I'm not looking for perfection, here. Just a cleaner ceiling.

[Steve B]

What you want to do is impossible. You will not get a monochrome ceiling no matter what you do. It will still be spotty, and soon you will have moldcicles hanging down.

If it was me, I'd have the texture removed. Spray lightly with water, let sit for a few minutes, and scrape. Messy, but you don't have to fool with it ever again. You could spray it with an airless, but you're just covering over a problem.

Whatever you do to what's up there right now, is just going to seal it in, possibly creating mold problems down the line. It's time to take it off. It is a messy job, but not expensive, and if you want to save $$, you can do it yourself easily with just a few tools.

Steve

[norminn]

You might be able to remove the dirt with either a kneaded or a gum eraser - both are gentle, not abrasive. Available at art stores and some stationery stores.

I would not try spray paint - if anything, and you are good at mixing colors, try some acryllic craft paint in small bottles from craft stores (white is rarely REALLY white) - mix it and dab on lightly with a blunt brush well squeezed out.

[benick]

"No, I DO NOT want to redo the whole ceiling!"

I guess we're done here.....

[Mark]

Try one of those Mr. Clean cleaning sponges. Don't know if it will work, but they seem to do a great job on most other things so it probably won't hurt.

[SteveBell]

I get clients asking about that all the time. I've found only two solutions:

1) Spray paint the entire ceiling. You'll never match both the color and texture of the popcorn. Spraying is the only practical method--all the others will cause the popcorn to come off. 2) Remove the popcorn, replace it with normal texture, then paint.

[hrhofmann]

Is "flocked" the same as what is called "popcorn" ceiling?

[Doug]

It's the stuff with big bumps. Sure ... "popcorn".

Actually, I tried a hand spray bottle of full strength laundry bleach, and I was not displeased with the result. It's not clean, but the stain is lighter. On the impact/effort scale, it rates pretty high. I'm wondering if a second application will make any difference.

[hrhofmann]

I was going to suggest that 2 sprays would be better than one.

[tpettigrew]

Best and easiest way to get rid of stains in a popcorn sprayed ceiling is to mix 25% bleach with water and spray it lightly onto the stained area. Let dry and wait for results. If there’s still some evidence of stain, retreat as necessary. Caution: Cover furniture or anything in the mist area as it is bleach and will affect colored material. But, it is the best way to remove stains from popcorn ceilings without damage the ceiling.