How do you clean off drywall dust before painting?

[@douglasmoore8033]

I do whatever you say. Using your channel I turned my garage into a condo. Never did drywall before. Here in California all walls are typically textured. Following your directions, my walls, ceiling were so good I didn't texture. Now my old garage walls and ceilings look better than my house. I am a tile/stone contractor for 35 years so I did know how to use tools lol. Thanks and continued success!

[@bradlyttle]

I once was pissed off enough after a taper left his sanded interior covered with drywall dust that I refused to deal with it. Instead I just went ahead and spray primed. Bad move. The entire job turned into 3k sq ft new build of sandpaper ceiling and walls. ( I"m a painting contractor who also tapes and muds.) After every sand now I take the extra little time to dust with a soft broom. Sweep it downwards to the floor. Then a quick wet/dry vac of the floor to prevent overspray kick back from floor up the walls. 1 hr of clean up is easy insurance towards an easier/better paint job. Prime/seal is HD Behr. For extra hiding I may add a little leftover paint of finish flat of any brand. The prime/seal job looks like a finish coat. Again, a small investment for a big return. Everyone's happy. Keep the vids coming Ben. All good stuff. ps That old corn broom is too funny!! ha

[@noconspiracytheoriesplease.745]

@Brad Lyttle Great advice!

[@cableguy43309]

I used a leaf blower one time, which I instantly regretted lol

[@johngelfand1298]

hahaha i almost spit out my coffee thats too funny

[@danielfinao]

Why? To dusty?

[@monkeygraborange]

Hysterical, but I can almost understand why you thought it was a good idea!

[@renaissanceman8581]

I was going to jokingly say that. But then I came across you.

[@sexweightsproteinshakes]

Just redirect the floating particles out !

[@Newokie59]

Ben, you so rock! Absolutely love your videos. Straight answers with a bit of humor. You have one of the best DIY channels out there!

[@mrsticker2]

I'm relieved to hear you say that. It's a fools errand to even attempt cleaning all the dust. Thanks for the short and simple video.

[@charitizzle6028]

I'm in drywall dust hell right now, so I appreciate this video very much!

[@adahannamusic]

I am in that hell this week ugh

[@psalm23sheepdog]

That’s a tough call. The last time I didn’t clean the walls, I regretted it. I could see a small cloud of dust rolling in front of my roller and a bunch of dust boogers in the primer. You either spend time dusting or spend time sanding boogers out. On a small job, I like to use a large damp sponge or rag to lightly dust the walls clean. It works great and the walls look beautiful and ready to prime. The key is not to use much pressure and just damp, especially on the mud joints, even the screws.

[@zacharymaneja1207]

Needed this comment thanks! Put me on the move to clean the ceiling in working on

[@axbxa]

I agree with this a lot. There is a happy medium however. Walls in my opinion should be lightly dusted with like you said a damp rag or microfiber cloth. Vacuumed is fine too just being careful with nozzle you use. Primer will work with dust, but if there is too much, you will have issues. It should be almost bare after you take dust off. No noticeable spots imo

[@2ndMorrow]

I use a blower. Doesnt touch the mud but takes down any big dust patches. The painters like that a lot because from time to time there is too much dust in a section and it just cakes the roller and messes up the nap. Spray will trap the dust or launch it to stick on another section, which makes the wall finish less smooth.

[@frankzito1]

Blowers are the business!

[@bradvols]

Same I just blow it off a bit and get on with it.

[@marcuscicero9587]

get a fan in the window for that

[@allaboutinteriors6761]

Ditto 👍

[@NickRgibbs]

If you're in a region where spray prime is standard your blower step is redundant. If you're union or hourly go for it, we love that the place is cleaner. But if you're job rate just take a paint brush (or any soft brush... You can get like 6in wide horse hair brushes that work) and clean out the 3way corners, vacuum out the electrical boxes, LEAVE the protectors on the sprinkler heads and inside the bathroom fans.... Scrape, sweep and your painter will be happy.

[@15thstreet60]

Just a DIY guy in Australia and I use a soft bristle domestic floor broom to remove the bulk of the dust and then using a roller apply a sealer/undercoat designed for new drywall prep before top coating with low sheen acrylic paint on walls and matte white paint with pink coloration for ceilings - this dries to white - just helps to see where paint is already applied if undercoat or ceiling is white and for second coat of white on white as required. Thanks for your informative drywall videos - contain some great tips especially for a novice like me.

[@marianneeversole6722]

I cover a broom with a bath towel and go over the walls. It only takes a few minutes. Not sure how much it helps, but that was the way my late husband taught me. ❤️

[@vancouvercarpenter]

For anyone asking what primers I use. Kilz 2 is great. I use that or Zinnser Bullseye123. Sherwin Williams Multi-surface primer is also good. If you can't smell that heavy ammonia smell in your primer, it's not good enough😂 JMO of course.

[@richardpellis]

I am very surprised to hear this,, but appreciate you covering the subject. On my first attempt at flat walls I didn't dust and used a cheap PVA primer from a big box store. The paint will peel from the wall. Little to no adhesion. So I started lightly dusting walls with a microfiber broom. Also switched to SW Primer Sealer which does a WAY better job filling those sanding scratches you missed. I think Ben would be proud of how well I can, as a DIY guy, skim coat a wall to the point it requires very little sanding.

[@Js-mw9mj]

I primed using kilz and had, removed a stick on hanger(removable type), and it pulled the paint and primer off. I could see drywall dust underneath...

[@c.b.-11]

That's wrong too. Kilz and Zinnsser both affect the sheen of Satin, Eggshell, and Semi-Gloss. Just use drywall primer

[@c.b.-11]

@@richardpellis 💯 CORRECT. I would use a shop vac with the brush attachment to remove dust. If dust was ok they would add it to the paint. 💯Correct on Primer as well. Kilz and Zinnsser are not made to be a drywall primer

[@aaron74]

Ben, you meant Zinsser Bullseye 1-2-3, right? Because Zinsser BIN is a stain-blocking shellac-based primer. You're right, the acrylic primers do smell like ammonia! Ha ha

[@Gallery2Gaze]

I once just forgot to wipe the drywall because I was in a rush. The paint job was as good as any other.

[@InquisitiveOwl365]

I use the really fluffy reusable fake swiffer pad + pad attachment from the dollar tree with their detachable mop handle and wipe from top to bottom to catch any loose dust. Great at catching excess dust and not making dust airborne.

[@matthewsaltzman5573]

I use a shop vac with a bristle head and LIGHTLY vac everything. I've had even good quality primers crack or release from large or heavily sanded areas like butt joints. Or as another guy said sometimes you'll miss the edge of a liftoff or little ridge. But my new favorite primer sealer is Problock from Sherwin. Excellent adhesion, and leaves a finish that I was actually able to sponge off some thinset, wet, and even dried in a couple tiny spots with no apparent damage or staining! Blew my mind!

[@demijebus6831]

That bolt by your left arm had me thinking my phone was damaged. 😂. Thanks for answering the stupid question I had.

[@toddlarue2992]

SAME

[@conradcoolerfiend]

Your options: 1. Only brush out heavy build up. Use high quality primer. Sand after priming. 2. Remove dust (dry mop, leaf blower, etc) if you blow it off you better have a negative pressure blower dumping air out of the room, and full eye/breathing protection

[@conradcoolerfiend]

I love these existential, near-religious, split debates in the construction world. It's the best!

[@derekd1203]

Gay

[@tonymccafferty270]

I always use a feather duster for big areas, I find if you don’t dust off your walls and ceilings they end up looking like 80 grit sandpaper sometimes and it does in some cases affect the adhesion of the paint.

[@damiansoto319]

Me too...guys laugh, I joke around...Housekeeping! Eventually I'll catch em' borrowing it!

[@derekd1203]

Exactly!

[@arkadiuszkrzyszton5006]

Hi, what I do: 1) hoovering a floors, 2) using a leaf blower twice for a walls ( you need to run away from a room for 5 minutes because it's completely dusty everywhere :P), 3) hoovering again, 4) spraying one coat with pva 5) again spraying but wall primer. Offcourse that system works for a bigger surfaces only Regards from Poland :) Really enjoy your videos.

[@raemunroe]

I came here to find out the most efficient way to get drywall dust off of walls....you just saved me a ton of time, mess and headache! Thank you. Love your channel!

[@charleshetrick3152]

Till it peels off a few years later. Please read and follow the manufacturers instructions for wall prep they all say to remove dust and debris.

[@robertknobloch1894]

Don’t follow this advice. I’ve been a drywaller/painter for many years. You have to get most of the dust off. Best way is to wet mop the walls

[@PatEm10]

Needed to see this last week...I put an old t shirt over the wide attachment on my shop vac. Worked great for about 3 widths, then started cutting grooves. I resanded those, then quit. I figured the dust wasn't too bad and just hoped for the best with the primer. Turned out fine. Thanks for all the other videos. They really helped me out throughout my little project.

[@Rokits-realm]

I am getting ready to clean my studio i made and was going to blow it out with a blower and then mod the walls. thank god i looked in here first. ill sweep up and vacuum a little and then paint. Thanks brother for posting this. saved me 2 or 3 hours minimum.

[@CanadzichClan]

Just finished my drywall project, thank you for taking me through it all!

[@NickRgibbs]

We spray and back roll. Blows any excess dust off and the dust that stays becomes one with the paint. Back roll is extremely important, spray alone makes any part of the paper that was sanded stand up and become super rough that needs to be sanded later. Rolling lays it back down also evens out the texture between mud and paper

[@vancouvercarpenter]

Back roll is not just important....it's essential!!!!

[@NickRgibbs]

@@vancouvercarpenter thanks for the response. The only exception to this rule is a projector wall or a white board wall. If it is being finished as drywall it 'ussualy' is level 5 and we spray 3 coats of PVA primer with no back roll, then sand it with the festool you are about to review. 3-4 coats of low sheen for projector or full gloss for whiteboard are sprayed and then we mask off that wall completely and finish ceilings/surrounding walls

[@cubul32]

What is spray and backroll? Not familiar with the terms.

[@wesleyburke7514]

@@cubul32 spraying uses a machine to apply the paint. After you spray using the machine someone with the roller follows behind and rolls the surface just like ordinary painting

[@cubul32]

@@wesleyburke7514 Now I see it. The spray is airless? Turbine? What's the advantage of this over simply rolling. I imagine it would take a lot of masking for the overspray.

[@JST_LV.]

I use your suggestions all the time . You are my go to guy for Canadian useful insight

[@adamdevereaux2459]

I had horrible results in the past with not dusting, and using a “drywall primer” (PVA primer). The paint would never bond right to the paint and was very likely to chip at the interface between the drywall and the first coat. I do wipe off dust- with a soft cloth or dust mop and use a blower also at times. Though now that I sand way less (due to being much better at mudding) it’s less of a problem. However I have one secret weapon now- or rather one success factor. Zinsser GARDZ. I use this as my first coat ALWAYS on new drywall and mud. It’s results in zero texture difference between mud and paper and it eliminates dust as an issue also. Cannot recommend it enough.

[@bay9876]

An artist protecting his work. The zen of dry walling to painting and the beautiful creation.

[@brodyllc]

Thanks for everything you do Ben. Truly. Thanks you , from a young finisher in DET, MICHIGAN

[@andyroberts4089]

I once created a huge amount of drywall dust due to my inexperience and used a leaf blower to get the dust off the walls and all out of the room, which was a garage. It worked awesome.

[@andyroberts4089]

But I’m never going to wipe down the walls again after watching your video. Thanks! When I did, I just used a dry towel.

[@michaelosborn2568]

You just saved me a TON of extra work on my living room renovation! As mentioned, besides the obvious buildups, I’m going to try this in paint process. I removed textured walls and popcorn ceiling in several rooms so far, but the LR is much bigger and I was dreading the dust removal process. I also used just an old, good quality 4” brush on the previous rooms. Took FOREVER!

[@PerfectionHangover]

We just removed popcorn in our vaulted ceilings also. Did you do what he said and prime over the dust? How did it turn out?

[@michaelosborn2568]

@@PerfectionHangover I still gave it all a once-over with my old 4" brush, but I didn't sweat it beyond that. Everything came out just fine. Lightly Sanding your primed / painted walls between coats and a quick wipe down before next coat makes the finished product much better.

[@alanshealy3061]

Thank god I can stop wiping walls down my dad taught me to do that I didn’t think it was necessary 👍

[@georgeobama-biden8670]

hahaha - seriously. i'm stopping too. ben said.

[@battlemasterszone1750]

When you have poor adhesion don’t say we didn’t warn you. Especially if you spray.

[@jessecrawford7390]

I use either an air compressor or a vacuum with the ability to blow air to get the bulk of the dust off, especially on inside corners. Once everything settles I vacuum it up. Makes painting and priming a lot more pleasant in my experience.

[@coopaloop727272]

My basement was completely empty, so after drywall was complete I vaccumed sills, floors and everything I could. Then I used a microfiber mop on the ceilings and walls. I sealed off all ducts and door, then put a powerful fan outside of the basement window, followed by the shop vac hose blowing out the window, and then used an electric leaf blower to get all the dust out. It worked pretty well to be honest.

[@TheHopefulGuitarist]

Dude, thank you for making this channel. You have been helping me out remodeling some rooms in my house. You are awesome 👏🏻 😎

[@f.demascio1857]

The first step to reaching the Zen of Painting: A great Podcast or music playlist.

[@richardwaite1298]

I thought the first step to zen painting was a tim hortons triple triple and some loud classic rock from local radio 😅😅😅

[@yourtechjohn]

We're gonna have a drywall painting montage!

[@chriswest1996]

I like to hear the paint going on. There's a right sound and when it changes it usually means the brush or roller is too dry.

[@AlexiosSurayev]

Doing the same. Just dusting off the corners with the brush and that’s it. I use Dulux Xpert Primer/Sealer and sand it with 100 or 120 sandpaper after it’s dry. Did it for years and it never failed. Thanks for the video!

[@jimgill7524]

I always prewarn clients that they'll compromise the finish. Also the dust helps blend the mud fills texture wise with the board since nicely sanded fills are smoother then the board surface and you can see it in the right light. Hello from Vancouver island neighbor

[@Carpaintry_of_God]

I either use a microfiber dusting rag attachment head on a pole. For a used a soft Bristol vacuum head attachment, (with shop vac, make sure you use bag to stop dust from blowing out the back) approximately a foot long. It's pretty quick you can go as fast as you want just do a quick swipe across all areas. (Again make sure it's soft bristle, and with bristles go all the way around the head. Not just bristles along the back.) I noticed when rolling over drywall stuff just does still come down and mainly gets built up into your roller cover making it harder to get proper coverage.

[@hughbrackett343]

This is my setup as well. I've noticed that even after vacuuming I can wipe dust off with my hand.

[@zenmama4160]

Thanks. I’m doing this now for the first time as I’d been instructed. Thought it would be a cinch. Even with a light sweeping, there’s still tons of dust on walls. Dust on floor cleaned up easily. Was about to pull out hair. Then I thought, let’s KZbin this. Thank you!!! 🙏 😊

[@seantyler7140]

I use a power washer... Just Kidding! Thank you for doing a great job.

[@crasyrob]

Thanks for the video, answered my question, and the zen joke was a total eye roll.

[@Anttiwaltable]

Nice simple straightforward video, thank you

[@ulyanagor867]

Thank you! I just did my first ever skim coating job on my kitchen walls and ceiling (it was a torture/fun/torture of a project, but very satisfactory not to see any more 70s textured & horribly done walls!) And now prepping for painting, which I also have never done before. Was just cleaning my kitchen and then remembered that I still have to do a final dust 🤦‍♀️ I did use a vacuum to take care of major surfaces.. But! Thanks to this vid, I will only go over the ceiling and walls slightly with a brush and go seal and paint away! Next time, I will hopefully be able to hire someone and not do it myself, but then again.. it’s fun (?!) 👀

[@tersooabaagu9943]

Needed this. Was wondering how I'd clean my whole garage. Thanks champ!

[@ajmunn1229]

Any issues? About to prime my garage

[@bonnieashe5400]

Thank Heaven (and you) for this answer! I've been up on a ladder trying to wash off dust from a 9 foot ceiling. I'm 79 and shouldn't be so foolish!

[@gotta-date-with-hate]

Exactly!!. I also have high ceilings so even with a step ladder I can barely reach. I am half your age so I can only hope at 79 I am as youthful as you!!! You go with your bad self!! I am only DIYing it because I have the worst luck hiring "professionals" who do subpar work, hustle me for $$$ and always want 50% payment before they start the job!!

[@caseyrogers935]

Budddy again… once I finish this room i gotta send you the results cause you have basically been the only help I’ve had with it 🤣 thank you brother!! It’s me and you against this room haha

[@zzaa2691]

Thanks. Im not sure your right, but will defiantly use your vides as an excuse not to send hours dusting the wall. Earned your self a like and a new follower.

[@ChannelEleven59]

I totally agree! Cleaning the dust off is a waste of time. However, i HIGHLY recommend a drywall primer sealer.

[@terrybeaud9348]

Thanks so much Ben, for all your advise and expert insight !! :))

[@stonesourG6]

I just have another beer and tell myself not to worry. I use your line... “it will look good from my house”. 🇨🇦😂

[@vancouvercarpenter]

:D

[@semperfi5861]

I use that line, too. I also say "half the nails... half the time!" (As a roofer/framer) Lol 🤣😊🤘

[@bendegros]

I like that one!!!

[@stonesourG6]

@@semperfi5861 that’s a great one!!

[@stonesourG6]

Years ago, when I used to mix paint, at Home Hardware; I would open the can to show people the colour. Explain that it will dry darker, so don’t be alarmed (especially if it was a red)! Then I would tell them not to worry, it will look awesome in the dark!

[@Casual_Stroll]

After patching up nail pops prior to painting I took a vacuum with a brush attachment and got the touch up areas clean by just running the brush attachment over the wall. I let the drywall mud dry for over a day before sanding and vacuuming so I wasn't worried about messing anything up but it's easy enough to do that for a personal project. Paint came out looking nice and cleaning took only a few minutes, so it worked.

[@tonyr8443]

I use to not wipe the dust off the wall, just prime and paint. But I found out that even the best primer don't just stick to dust no matter how well you apply it. Primer is on top of the drywall, looks nice after painting but after it dries you can literally peel all of it off and the dust is still there. This is my professional opinion and experience.

[@mazzg1966]

Ya think that's what Ben said..he likes the drywall sealer better for that reason.

[@kencraft4567]

Cheap paint. Maybe you're sanding too much and leaving a layer, or just having different experiences.. for me, if we've had a call back due to paint, 10/10 it's been when the walls were wiped, or painters didn't wait long enough after the mudders when it was cold. Definitely should give it a light brush and inspect prior to paint though, as Ben said. But hey, different strokes for different folks! Do what works best for you right? Cheers

[@chasewilliams3123]

I’m so invested in this tiny house

[@retired8123]

I've seen a paint job bubble in spots because the walls were dusty when they painted them. Go over it quickly with those big brooms they use to clean dust off hardwood dance floors.

[@Mr.8point5]

I recently started wiping before painting drywall patch jobs but now I'm rethinking it after hearing this.

[@wiredsim]

I suspect the difference has to do with how well you mud in the first place which reduces the amount of dust. in the past on my earlier drywall attempts, I used drywall PVA primer / sealer and when I didn’t dust it off it led to the paint essentially peeling right off, it would not adhere with the dust there. I get that pros probably have way less dust due to their better mudding skills and I’m better now for the projects I’ve done recently (in part thanks to this channel!). But what I’ve found works wonders is Gardz by Zinsser. It seals up the textural difference also, so you can’t tell the difference in the sheen after painting between the paper and the mud.

[@terrygonyon4490]

By chance was it Pittsburg PVA? that stuff doesnt stick and peels right off. Conoco or PPG is the best.

[@wiredsim]

@@terrygonyon4490 Pittsburg and Dutch Boy both. I haven't tried the Conoco.

[@tom_schroeder]

I love advice where less is more. Thanks!

[@libertarian1637]

I like shellac primer; it’s expensive but bullet proof. I typically wipe the walls down with a slightly moistened cloth or vacuum them; I’ve never messes up the walls by wiping them down or vacuuming them. I also like Kilz premium. Both shellac primer, with 2 coats or Kilz premium will seal the walls. This is standard procedure in old construction as it will seal in dangerous things or chemicals like asbestos or meth byproducts; not that this is a thing for everyone to worry about but even with things like VOCs or lead a sealing primer can give peace of mind. As I don’t like keeping numerous paints and primers around and as the cost difference isn’t that much I just use the premium primers for everything. Shellac has the benefit of being useful to fix drywall issues when the paper gets exposed or damaged as well as covering most anything like knot staining in pine wood or even Tabasco staining on walls; shellac also soaks in and penetrates more giving a seemingly better seal. Just be aware shellac will dissolve and be broken down by alcohol so if you have a raging party with alcohol before paint you can actually take the primer off or ruin the seal.

[@jordan4220]

I liked this video mostly because you just saved me from wasting a whole lot of time being OCD.

[@eddiemane6417]

I've always used a wall duster before priming, leaves a smoother surface especially since the primer is sprayed on. I didn't dust off once and the walls felt like sandpaper.

[@stevenking7391]

I’ve been using 3 micro fibre cloths. The neighbours must see this cloud of dust floating through the air, as I waving them about to clean them . Just about finished the whole house , and now you tell me 😊 Could not of had the confidence to do this without your help . Thank you 👍 Great advise like always .

[@erickgonzalez1136]

Good advice. I been painting for the past 6 years in Florida. And I been doing drywall for 5 years now. And I today I use the brush myself to remove and built up corner. Anything that’s harder then a brush always scratch up my mud. The only other way I would remove dust would be by using a lil blower or a fan to knock off and heavy coat that just stuck to the wall for no reason at all. That’s just so when it’s time to paint there’s just a clean smooth surface to work with.

[@candacemildner3096]

im in florida, I need a painter!!!

[@christopherrodriguez9514]

Crazy. Just woke up, laying in bed, thinking about this exact same thing on a room i an finishing up today and this video just comes out. This is so creepy.

[@kozavr]

Big Brother knows everything about you.

[@shizanepimp1]

That's weird aint it

[@giterdun1864]

That's because your dentist implanted the NSA thought recorder chip at your last visit.

[@apophispsycho6186]

@@giterdun1864 lol

[@FrancoDFernando]

Same! I was dreading trying to wipe down the walls with a slightly damp rag....I read to do this, and it messed things up before...glad I saw this

[@nikpilly6747]

As a painter yes only corner build up of the plaster/mud dust I use a small blower zip through the entire house on a new build with windows open just corners and across the floor then vacuum out new jobs I like to use an easy sand sealer primer then use a LED light for defects on trim and walls with a easy sand filler or mud

[@davidw6161]

The thing worth noting is as pro, he has a lot less dust than some of us home pros (lol) that may apply too much mud which leads to extra sanding and more dust than he would have.. a light cleaning doesnt hurt!

[@mazzg1966]

Here in Pennsylvania we can get PVA primer...poly vinyl acetate..I don't know if it is considered a sealer or or just a drywall primer but it does a excellent job without wiping off the walls.

[@Irene-im8xi]

I made some very shallow repairs on drywall using drywall mud. I looked online for advice on what to do before painting. Taking the advice (from a painter and decorator q&a online) I sanded the repairs and then wiped the first wall with a barely damp microfibre cloth. The mud in the repaired areas wiped right off and I had to redo them. Seeing the problem I was creating and looked for more advice and found your video. Really grateful for the sensible and labour saving advice - thank you so much. Edit: Before wiping with the barely damp cloth I had gone over the walls with dry microfibre cloths because of the, probably excessive, sanding I had done earlier. I had most likely already removed a lot of dust by doing that and didn't realise that would have been sufficient.

[@jjdavis7320]

Wow! Thanks for this. You've just saved me a lot of time and work. I was just about to start cleaning off new drywall in preparation for painting. Any recommendations for primer/sealer? Thanks again.

[@gwroman]

Best Drywaller on KZbin

[@mikebennett146]

I do exactly what you do with a super soft brush in the corners. But I also use a large 'swiffer' type mop or some old towels to quickly wipe down the major walls (dry of course) from top down, and then I vacuum the room. I just feel it helps get the bulk of surface dust to the floor

[@battlemasterszone1750]

Exactly, spending a few extra minutes/hours to get a good finish is worth it, painting g over dust is asking for problems and poor adhesion.

[@bstrickler]

I have an evaporative cooler for my house so I set my shop vac to blow, kick the cooler on, open the winow, and blow the walls off with the shop vac. The evap cooler pressurizes the house, and blows it out the window. It's amazing how much dust is on your walls after sanding!

[@waltgzerod5565]

Thank you Thank you Thank you!!! I started priming with Hi-End Primer & did just THAT!! By accident!!

[@MarkWhippy]

I brush it off with a soft broom. It makes rolling the primer much easier and it also shows up places that weren't sanded properly.

[@colejohnson777]

Just used a wide vacuum nozzle on the walls and floor and a swiffer dry mop cloth to clean the walls. Worked pretty good still has some of the sanding dust but no issue when painting.

[@wwsunmoon]

I always use soft Broom to brush it. Doesn't take too much time and you have way less problem later.

[@CybekCusal]

I vacuum them with a shop vac and soft brush attachment and then sometimes a tac cloth gentle wipe.

[@znx848]

Right way to do it most of the time. In Europe is common practice vacuuming or properly brushing the walls before priming them...

[@battlemasterszone1750]

Dark color towels show the dust and you just wipe until they come back clean and the wall feels slick. People are just lazy.

[@dolfinwriter5389]

I did a horrendous job on a shed that I insulated and finished out 20 years ago for a new home office after my son was born and took over my old office 👶 My own work has improved tremendously from watching your videos while getting that house ready to sell for a move out of California, and now renovating our new-to-us house in our new home state, so thank you! I would like to find the sheets you use for your Richards/Hyde vacuum sander. Could you give some more info on those? Name or a link maybe?

[@gordstatham1229]

I usually use a slightly dampened sponge. The painter loves me for it.

[@NickRgibbs]

The trades vary so much from region to region. But West coast Canada/ Vancouver Island....us painters would hate that with the fiery passion of 1000 suns, obviously hoping the extra heat from 999 more suns will dry it quick enough that we can meet out deadline. If @Vancouver Carpenter sees this he knows what I mean. EVERYTHING IS ALWAYS WET!!

[@williamsrmonroe8406]

Me 2👍

[@NaNana-ey6jk]

Thank you SO much for your prompt reply!

[@JtotheRizzo]

I take my shopvac and attach my bristle broom hose attachment and give the walls a quick once over then I hit the floors. It gives me peace of mind but I agree with you - most drywall dust will melt into the primer sealer. I used to think peeling paint was caused by drywall dust. But it was because a regular primer was used instead of a primer sealer.

[@Kevin-xi6ts]

I use a shop vac with a large brush attachment. I get the floor and windowsills at the same time. Then I use PVA primer. Been doing drywall for 40 years.

[@kll815]

I use a large Norwex fluffy dry mop head. It looks like one of those wide floor mop sweepers that janitors use on big floors, but is fluffy microfiber. Its light touch on the wall makes no marks or dents or scratches, the handle moves it smoothly and continuously around without having to start and stop at the edges, and because it is large, it takes less than 20 seconds to do a large wall. Each time I use it or it gets full, I quickly shop vac the pad. The pad goes past the mop head holder by about 2-3”, so that flap bends backward at your 90 degree surfaces (eg wall to ceiling) or over your wall to baseboard surface. Otherwise, is have a designated “dust brush”, an old clean 2” paint brush, to get into small/awkward/recessed corners. I highly recommend. I do recognized it is highly expensive if purchasing for this one job. Mine is an old worn out mop system that I repurposed. I would suggest just buying the fluffy microfibre pad and attaching it to something else, and quite often you can find used Norwex stuff that still works perfectly well or get from garage sales.

[@DistanteInstante]

My opinion is: That applies principle applies only when yhe walss have never been painted before. because when you have to repaint walls the scenario is different especially in a house where there is too much cooking... In cases of repainting a house o or bedroom you MUST clean the walls...

[@kozavr]

It's no surprise the video gets so many likes and just one dislike. Since it tells you that you don't have to do anything about some thing. :)))) Big fan of the channel BTW

[@bobbyz7736]

I used one of the wide floor cleaning mops with the short fiber covers. The mop pieces are like carpet and attach to the mop head with velcro.. I wet it and wring it out then lightly wipe down the wall. It goes fast and collects tons of sanding dust.

[@mickblock]

I used to use a bench brush and fan it over the dusty areas to try and get rid of most of the dust thinking that it would affect the sheen of the final coat but it does not. Then I learned that spreading primer and paint at an even rate is better time spent toward the goal of creating a consists tent sheen. The comment about skim sanding the primer coat sounds good.

[@LuisFlores-dn6jt]

I have in the past been able to peel the paint off with my nail when painting over new dry mud. Now, I paint more slowly on the first coat, and go over the same section maybe 6 times with my roller... 3 up 3 down. I imagine that moves the loose mud around enough and have had no issues since.

[@thehound1359]

Glad I found this. Great information.

[@Ketchupbelongsonsteak]

I use a drywall knife when im detail sanding to get dust out of corners. I have used leaf blower to blow off wall and on primer day it helps keep dust from blowing around and burning my eyes. However...... I rarely do that. Always backroll. My buddy uses a certain type of o'cello mop and wets it down and rinses it out as he goes. I have also used clean water through a airless to blow off the dust as well.

[@andrewacton5885]

I was remodeling a kitchen, the drywall was finished and the homeowner painted over the weekend. I come along next week and start gluing the backsplash subway tiles on with powergrab like usual. When we screwed the outlet plugs into the boxes, the surrounding tiles popped off. Paint was adhered to the back of the tile and a layer of dust was between the wall and the back of the paint. She coulda used cheap paint, or no primer, but I've vacuumed all my drywall with the wide brush attachment ever since

[@suzanneschristie]

This is exactly the video I needed today. We are finally ready to prime our drywall! Thank you so much. :)

[@nickel0eye]

if it took awhile to finish your drywall, an hour to dust your walls and clean up (again) is time well spent!

[@ncnuggets]

I've been watching your videos for quite some time. Can't say I've ever come across anything I disagree with. So with that said, I paint for a living. I also do minor drywall repair. I recently did a little job for my mother, and for the most part, things went well with the exception of a few small spots. Quick run down: Basement staircase walls/ceiling. Basement has excessive moisture from leaks. The old paint on the walls was completely dried out and easily scraped. I applied around 4 skim coats of 45. Waited 3 days. Sanded, and when I applied Zinzer water-based, like I said, the majority went well. However, a few spots did peel off. What, in your opinion, went wrong?

[@bobbycates4647]

Not a painter or anything but just took down an old popcorn ceiling and then used ppg primer for the whole room, without brushing and it pilled in some spots. I was using the wagner 3000 it works really well though. Ive used it on other things!

[@jboyd85]

I setup positive pressure with a carpet blower and a poly tube across from an open door or window, and then go to town with either a leaf blower or a compressed air source and a blow gun. For really large jobs, I'll rent an air mover and set it up at a patio door, and then work back of site towards the door.

[@franklloydriot5933]

I typically vacuum and wipe before the 1st application of mud and then again before primer to remove crap from the drywall that isn’t drywall dust. I also vacuum and wipe patches and fills before priming when there’s a mix of existing, painted plaster or drywall, new drywall and new mud. -for mostly the same reason. Walls get dusty(not drywall dust) and greasy over time. I don’t want my mud or primer to not bond as well because the patch I did was incidentally close to where someone sat in a recliner and smoked a pipe for 30 years. I want as good a bond as possible for both mud and primer. Drywall dust never concerned me because it’s not greasy or legitimately dirty and I think you’re right, it bonds to good primer very nicely.

[@bothfeetin]

Thanks for what you do! I can honestly say that I have a lot more confidence in my drywall work when compared to 10 years ago. I’m always reminded when I walk out into the garage and see my horrendous botch job of a ceiling that I have never reworked 😂. One product that I like using before repairing is a good sealer like Rx-35. Keep the videos going!

[@trevorsaunders206]

Use a shop vac with a softer brush attachment when cleaning. Quick & simple. The majority of jobs (Colorado) we see require texture/mud then paint. Excess dust can prevent the mud from adhering consistently.

[@JonnyDIY]

I been using Kilz 2 exclusively for last 10 years, no issues 👍

[@charleshetrick3152]

I retrofitted a wet material squeegee vacuum attachment by adding the soft bristles from a dust/debris head. The combination works great either because of static of manual agitation or the nice seal from the squeegee all three together are awesome. Yes it’s a time consuming PITA but better than fixing failures from lack of proper adhesion. I’m a general and take about three days between mudders and painters to prep the walls properly. I’ve never come across either one that has a superior prep method. Yes I’ve tried to explain and demonstrate and nobody cares and or can mimic properly so I just do it myself. Part of the effort involves an Oneida Dust deputy and two vacuums pulling in parallel, this keeps the wind velocity up to help spinning out the finer lighter particles.

[@dogsareawomansbestfriend]

I've got drywall dust on every single thing in this house and in closets.. when It'll take me a year to clean it all

[@charleshetrick3152]

@@dogsareawomansbestfriend from vacuuming? Not knowing the full details of your situation one mud crew that I worked with put box fans in the windows and used electric leaf blowers to remove dust from the house before painting.

[@dogsareawomansbestfriend]

@@charleshetrick3152 I just discovered a damp duster works miracles!

[@thecasualcitizen492]

Fantastic information! I needed this. Thank you!