In a crisis, most of your attention is on surfaces at eye level or lower, such as the furniture or flooring in your home. What happens when your eyes go up, you start to notice something frightful, damaged ceiling tiles and what might be lurking under “Oh, no, it’s mold!"
Most likely, what you are seeing is damaged ceiling tiles from a possible water leak or moisture intrusion. If you acted quickly, there might not be mold. If the leak has been slow, you might find a different story. Call Steam Action if the problem is extensive and you need professional mold remediationion
Ceiling tiles are made from plants, minerals, gypsum, clay, or other natural materials. This makes the tiles very absorbent and shows stains easily. There are a few brands made from synthetic products which might not show as many stains from water leaks or moisture intrusion.
Here are a few steps you can take to restore those damaged ceiling tiles. Keep in mind that replacement might be a final option.
Remove Them
Take pictures of your ceiling first, to avoid the frustration of putting a puzzle back together, especially if some tiles are of different shapes and sizes. Vacuum each ceiling tile you removed, extracting as much dirt and debris from each side.
Wash Them
You have to be careful when washing the ceiling tiles. Over-wetting the tile can be a game-changer. Use a spray bottle with warm water and a few drops of dish detergent to mist the tile until they are damp. Then use white cloths to clean both sides of the tile. Allow the tiles to dry. If your stain is very dark, use a little more dish detergent to work out the stain.
Bleach Them
If you still have tiles with stains, try bleaching away the stains. Important: don’t use chlorine bleach. Use household hydrogen peroxide, easily found at a grocery store or pharmacy. Hydrogen peroxide is a safe bleach that will slowly remove stains. Mist the peroxide, using it straight (no dilution) over the stained areas of the tiles, and with a soft brush, work the solution into the tiles. The remaining stains often disappear in a few hours. If you see some progress, repeat the process.
Paint Them
Besides replacement, painting your tiles is an option, but you may lose some acoustical ability since some tiles are designed to absorb sound. It’s a decision you will have to make.
And, of course, for any restoration work, such as cleaning of items that are damaged by water intrusion, call your favorite restoration company, Steam Action. After all, we have over 35 years of experience cleaning carpet, tile, and grout, as well as water damage and extraction, fire and smoke damage and mold remediation.
