How to Clean Drywall Dust and Joint Compound

Drywall allows you to build soundproof walls with speed. But expediency does come at a price. The super-fine drywall dust that results from sanding cured joint compound is hard to clean up. In addition, joint compound is difficult to clean, whether in wet or dry form.

But a few techniques minimize the work and the mess of cleaning drywall dust on the ground or on drywall. Plus, there are ways to clean joint compound in three stages of drying: freshly wet, half-set, and dried and hardened.

How to Clean Drywall Dust on the Ground

Fine drywall dust on the ground is easily disturbed. Work carefully to avoid kicking up the dust and distributing it throughout the house.

• If the drywall dust is on plastic sheeting, slowly fold the edges of the sheeting inward. Grab the top of the folded sheeting and take it outside, either to shake out the sheeting or to dispose of it.
• For drywall dust on the floor, sweep up large sections of the dust with a soft-bristled broom. Do not sweep vigorously. Carefully sweep the dust into a dustpan and dispose of it in a bin outside.
• To vacuum drywall dust, place the vacuum outdoors, if possible, and run the hose inside. Shop vacuum hose extensions in 10- and 15-foot increments are available.

How to Clean Drywall Dust on Drywall

Drywall gets dusty throughout a home remodel project. Since painting comes last in most projects, that unprimed, unpainted drywall on the walls has accumulated a fine layer of sawdust, drywall dust, and other debris.

Drywall is faced with paper. Paper does not respond well to cleaning with water. This is the key issue with cleaning drywall's outer surface. Not only that, when you apply water to drywall dust, the dust begins to harden.

So, begin with dry-cleaning methods before proceeding to liquid-based, damp methods:

• With your dust mask on, lightly brush the dust off the walls with a soft broom or hand brush. Move somewhat slowly from top to bottom. Sweep the dust from the floor afterwards and before the next step.
• Wearing a dust mask, clean the drywall with the wide nozzle and/or brush nozzle on your shop vacuum. Start at the top and work downward. Do not press too hard. Keep the pressure light to avoid embedding the dust into the porous surface of the paper.
• For small areas, use a tack cloth to very lightly wipe off debris. Pressing too hard on the tack cloth will embed wax in the drywall paper, so go easy. Once the wax has become embedded, it is extremely difficult to remove.
• Wet a drywall sponge and then squeeze it out. The sponge will feel almost dry in your hand. Begin at the top of the drywall. With gentle pressure, pull the sponge in downward strokes. Rinse out and squeeze the sponge frequently. Change out the water when it begins to get murky.

How to Clean Wet or Semi-Wet Joint Compound

As long as the joint compound is wet or even beginning to harden, it can be cleaned off with water. If the joint compound has hardened, water will not help: it must be sanded or scraped. So, speed is important when cleaning up wet drywall mud.

• Start fast Have a paper towel or cloth rag with you at all times to clean up the mess. Do not let dropped drywall compound sit for more than a few seconds before wiping it up.
• Use warm water. For goopy, semi-wet drywall mud, you still have a grace period where you can possibly use water for cleaning. Once the joint compound has been allowed to harden, water will have a greatly reduced effect.
• You can soak tools in hot water for about 10 minutes. All-purpose joint compound is water-soluble, so the mud should easily shed off, though you may need to use a brush.
• Lightly rub off with a warm, damp cloth.

How to Clean Dried Drywall Joint Compound

Cleaning dried drywall joint compound, or mud, is tough. After all, drywall mud is intended for the long term. Joint compound is designed to help cover and keep seams secure for many years.

Drywall compound that has fully dried will not soak off. You can soak the surface or your tools for days and still the drywall compound will not effectively soak off.

At this point, sanding or scraping is your only recourse. If this is a drywall tool, use another drywall tool or a putty knife as a scraper.

If this is a delicate surface such as a floor, try gently tapping the dried mud from the top with a cloth-wrapped hammer or a rubber mallet to break it up. Then scrape from the side with a plastic implement.

3 Tips for Avoiding Drywall Joint Compound Mess

Use a Drywall Mud Pan

Eliminate the problem before it starts by keeping everything clean. Using a mud pan is the easiest way to limit drywall mud mess.

If you are in the habit of taking drywall mud straight out of the bucket, you may be surprised by how much easier (and cleaner) it is when using one of these elongated pans designed for the shape of drywall knives.

Scoop Less Mud

You might be in a hurry to get the mudding job done. But scooping up large amounts of drywall joint compound will work against you.

Learn to not over-apply drywall mud. After all, the more mud you apply, the more mud you will need to sand down later on. If the drywall sheets are properly installed—flat on the studs and with narrow seams—you do not need to use much mud.

Cover Surfaces

When painting, most painters will use dropcloths by default; it's just assumed that paint will drip. But drywall mud is thick enough that it's easy to scoop up mud and cleanly deposit it on the wall—most of the time.

For those times when mud drops off of the drywall knife, use a canvas drop cloth to cover surfaces that may get slopped on. Unless you're mudding the ceiling, you only need to sheet the two or three feet in front of the wall.