How to Get Rid of Drywall Dust: 8 Tips for Easier Cleanup

Installing new drywall can feel like a fresh start for any room, but dust from cutting the panels and sanding the joint compound can leave behind a daunting mess. Luckily, it’s easy to clean up drywall dust as long as you have some patience and a few helpful tools and supplies. Here are eight simple tips for how to get rid of drywall dust after a renovation or remodel.

1. Make Sure to Wear PPE

Always suit up in goggles, a dust mask, and work gloves before learning how to get rid of drywall dust. This step is essential because drywall dust can pose threats if it comes into contact with your eyes or if you inhale it. Inhalation and repeated exposure can also lead to coughing, difficulty breathing, throat irritation, and increased risk of lung cancer, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Consider wearing disposable coveralls as well to avoid tracking drywall dust from your clothes to the rest of the house.

2. Start by Containing Drywall Dust

Before you start sweeping, sponging, or vacuuming, it’s important to make sure you’re not going to kick up and spread drywall dust to a larger area. Make sure to turn off your HVAC system. If you have a fan, set it up to point out an open window. That way, excess dust will blow right outside.

Tape up plastic sheets in doorways and around the area to keep drywall dust contained to a smaller space for easier cleanup.

3. Pick Up Any Tarps With Care

Whether you DIY drywall installation or hire a pro drywall installer near you, there will likely be tarps around the area. These help keep the dust contained so the particles don’t become trapped in the cracks and crevices of the floor. If there are tarps, be sure to grab each corner and fold it toward the center, carefully entrapping the dust inside the tarp. Then, take the tarp outside or over a large dumpster and open it to get rid of the dust.

4. Brush Walls and Ceilings Carefully

Using a soft-bristled brush, slowly move along the drywall panels on the walls and ceiling to loosen any dust. Don’t forget to brush the drywall corners as well to remove any extra dust. After you brush off the dust, you can sweep or vacuum what falls to the floor.

5. Use a Shop Vacuum With a HEPA Filter

To get rid of large amounts of dust or remove dust that you’ve cleaned off the walls and ceilings, you can use a shop vacuum or any vacuum that has a bag and a HEPA filter. Shop vacuums are the better choice for this chore since they can hold a higher volume, and the HEPA filter will help trap the drywall dust particles rather than spreading them around.

You can use the vacuum hose to remove drywall dust from walls, ceilings, and floors. Just be sure to empty the reservoir regularly.

6. Sweep Floors Slow and Steady

Another option to get rid of drywall dust from floors is to break out a soft-bristled broom, turn on a good playlist, and work slowly as you sweep up the dust. If the bristles are too hard or you sweep quickly, you’ll kick up dust and make it harder to clean. So, make sure to take a slow-and-steady approach.

7. Wipe Down Drywall With a Sponge or Cloth

If your drywall and joint compound is covered in dust, you can also use a sponge or cleaning cloth and some water to wipe up the drywall dust. Make sure to have a bucket close by to rinse out the dust as your cleaning tool gets dirty. Always ring the sponge or cloth thoroughly to keep your drywall from getting too wet.

8. Use a Paint Sprayer With Water

After drywall comes paint, so if you happen to have a paint sprayer on hand for that stage of the reno, it’s time to get creative. You can use water with the paint sprayer and apply a light mist over the walls to help remove drywall dust. Then, once the drywall has dried, follow up by vacuuming the room with a shop vacuum to fully remove the dust.