How to remove a water stain on a ceiling. How to remove stains from leaks on the ceiling. Concrete floor with whitewash

How to remove a water stain on a ceiling.  How to remove stains from leaks on the ceiling.  Concrete floor with whitewash
How to remove a water stain on a ceiling. How to remove stains from leaks on the ceiling. Concrete floor with whitewash

The ceiling may seem like an inconspicuous surface only at first glance. In fact, with his appearance The perception of the entire interior of the room is connected. Therefore, the coating must be kept clean. But there are situations that do not depend on us, and it may appear in the apartment yellow spot rust may form on the ceiling after flooding by neighbors. For such cases, there are many ways that you can use to restore the ceiling to its original appearance.

Causes of stains on the ceiling

Unsightly drips on ceiling surface may arise suddenly, ruining the impression of general finishing and repairs. But, before you take action, you need to try to find out the reasons for the appearance of yellow spots on the ceiling. The most common are:

  • damaged roof structure is a problem for those people who live on the upper floors of high-rise buildings. The result is the presence of unsightly smudges on the ceiling;
  • dilapidated pipeline and communication systems;
  • neighbors with top floor who had the temerity to forget to close the taps and flooded you;
  • excessive humidity, dampness in the room;
  • lack of normal ventilation.

Under the influence of these circumstances, yellow stains and ugly spots appear on the ceiling, and sometimes fungus and mold appear. All this creates a favorable environment for the spread of dampness throughout the apartment and the accumulation of condensation in large quantities.

Therefore, it often arises actual question How to remove a yellow stain from the ceiling if it appears.

Types of stains and methods of removal

After you manage to solve the problem with the factor that caused the stain and eliminate it, you can move on to eliminating the stain itself.

The method of dealing with it depends on the type of stain and the cause of its appearance.


Usually, after a leak, rusty and wet blots do not affect the entire ceiling surface, but only certain areas on it.

The algorithm of actions in such a situation will be as follows:

  • first you need to remove rust from the ceiling, to do this we clean the dirty area;
  • using a spatula, remove the layer of paint and plaster to the base;
  • leave the ceiling for a while to dry completely;
  • clean the surface sandpaper, carefully smoothing out all irregularities;
  • remove dust with a dry paint brush;
  • apply the primer with a roller deep penetration to improve the adhesion properties of the ceiling with the finishing mass;
  • again leave the area to dry;
  • putty, dry, clean the surface with sandpaper.

Now all you have to do is paint or whitewash the restored area, depending on the finishing method.


A grease dissolving product removes this type of stain well. Prepare the following solution:

  • water – 100 ml;
  • ammonia – 1 teaspoon;
  • gel, dishwashing detergent or other liquid - 1 teaspoon.

You must proceed as follows:

  • clean the dirty area down to the plaster or drywall;
  • apply the prepared product to the oily area, wait a few minutes;
  • rinse well with a wet sponge and dry the surface;
  • Apply a layer of primer to the area and paint oil paint;
  • leave for a day to dry;
  • seal the repair area with acrylic putty, dry, sandpaper, prime again;
  • Next, paint the surface with paint that matches the shade of the entire ceiling.

Stains after painting


If, after completing the repair, you see that the ceiling is painted unevenly, you should not rush to whiten the surface and apply coloring composition new layers. This will not improve the situation, but will only worsen the situation.

There may be several reasons why stains form on the ceiling after painting:

  • you applied the paint too slowly, so the treated areas had time to dry while working;
  • low-quality materials were used and fluff from a roller or brush is visible on the surface;
  • the ceiling was unevenly primed;
  • the paint was applied in only one direction.

To correct finishing flaws, you must:

  • sand the ceiling with fine-grained sandpaper until completely level;
  • apply a layer of putty, let it dry and sand again a little;
  • Cover the surface with two layers of primer.

Next, you can begin repainting the ceiling. To ensure that your efforts are not in vain, it is necessary to ensure good lighting in the room where the work is being carried out and an optimal level of humidity. You need to move the roller in different directions, then there will be no ugly stripes.

Moisture stains


If the yellowness on your ceilings is the result of a leak, stain removal is carried out as follows:

  • Use a spatula to free the contaminated area from the finishing material;
  • wipe the stain with “Whiteness” bleach using a sponge;
  • wait completely dry. If the stain was not removed the first time, repeat the procedure;
  • prime the affected area with the solution copper sulfate, level with hydrophobic putty;
  • After 24 hours, treat the surface with a primer, and after drying, paint the area where the work was done.


If somehow drops of champagne get on your ceiling, do not rush to take radical action and clean the painted coating. Try proven ones traditional methods. These include:

  • mixture of ammonia and table salt;
  • industrial stain removers;
  • delicate bleaches for clothes.

Using all these tools is very simple. It is necessary to blot the unsightly stain with a sponge soaked in the solution and wait a few minutes until it dries. Usually, after the first use of this technique, not a trace remains of the splash drops. If your attempts are unsuccessful, you will have to fork out for a cleaning spray, which is used to remove stubborn dirt, or redecorating damaged area. To do this, you need to clean the stain, plaster the area where it is located and paint over it or whitewash it. When this approach does not bring the desired result, you will need to repair the entire ceiling.

How to remove yellow stains from the ceiling

Unfortunately, such a nuisance can happen not only with traditional painted or whitewashed ceilings, but also with other more expensive finishing methods. Therefore, removing yellow spots from such surfaces must be done very carefully so as not to harm the decorative coating.


There are many ways you can use to remove stains from hanging plasterboard ceiling. These can be household stain removers, improvised means in the form of bleach or ammonia, re-painting, etc. If the use of all these methods does not bring the desired result, you will need to repair the area affected by the stain:

  • clean it with coarse sandpaper;
  • coat the treated area with medium viscosity;
  • then apply a layer of finishing putty;
  • After the finish has dried, sand the area with fine-grained sandpaper and prime.

Now you can paint the entire ceiling or limit yourself to the area where the stain was located.


First of all, you need to deal with . If you have fabric ceilings, then, after drying, you can paint them suitable paint. However, in in this case You will need to apply at least five layers of paint.

You can use dishwashing liquid or a solution of water and laundry soap.

When the above methods do not help, experts advise removing the stain using a solution soda ash. It must be applied to the stained area, left to dry, and rinsed with water. Repeat the procedure several times until the contamination is completely eliminated.

Plastic ceilings

They are made from polymer materials, therefore, it is allowed to use the same methods for them as for PVC film. Particular attention must be paid to the joints between adjacent panels. This is where bacteria most often accumulate and mold develops. Any stains that appear in these areas can be bleached with “Whiteness” and rinsed well with warm water.

Rules for caring for foam ceiling tiles

These products are easy to care for. An ordinary sponge is enough soapy water. However, it is important to remember that only laminated surfaces can be washed with this method, and simple foam panels must be wiped with a dry sponge or vacuumed. It is prohibited to use various types of solvents in care, for example, compositions containing gasoline or acetone.


These two unpleasant phenomena not only look unsightly on the ceiling surface, but can also pose a serious threat to health. First of all, you will need to find out the cause of the bacteria, eliminate it, and also establish ventilation in the room.

To remove mold or mildew, you will have to completely clean the affected area from the finish and disinfect it with special antifungal drugs. Then whitewash with an antifungal primer and restore the original finish.


To prevent the appearance of stains on the ceiling in the future, the following preventive measures are necessary:

  • even during repairs, ensure high-quality waterproofing ceiling, level and degrease the base surface;
  • regularly check the condition of the water supply and sewerage systems;
  • Monitor the performance of the ventilation, eliminate malfunctions and blockages in a timely manner.

Well, of course, no one can be protected from such a nuisance as a flood from the top floor. But, if incidents have already happened to you, and the neighbors living above you have repeatedly flooded your home, do not spend money on repairs on your own. Contact higher authorities and demand that the culprits pay for the repair work.

Of course, you will choose the appropriate option for removing the yellow stain on the ceiling yourself, taking into account the method of finishing and Construction Materials that were used during the renovation. Most importantly, do not forget that the first step in deciding this issue you need to find the source of your problem.

Yellow stains from water leaks - how to eliminate video

Yellow spots on the ceiling after flooding cause unpleasant aesthetic discomfort. This is not a common occurrence, but it does happen. What can ruin the ceiling covering? Why might they appear? What needs to be done to return the ceiling to its previous appearance?

  • Flooding may be caused by neighbors living on the floor above who left the water tap open. Or their dilapidated plumbing may have failed.
  • For residents last floor The cause of the leak may be a leaky roof allowing rainwater to pass through.
  • Often in old houses, a flood is caused by a completely rusted pipeline in the interfloor ceiling.
  • If the kitchen or bathroom is not equipped with a ventilation hood, stains appear from oil soot and damp fumes.

As you can see, there are many reasons, but the result is the same - stains have appeared and they need to be eliminated.

On the ceiling after a flood may form

  • Oil stains after painting the ceiling surface with oil paint.
  • Traces of rust if moisture stained from rusting pipes laid inside the interfloor ceilings.
  • Dirt in the form of mold and mildew.

How to remove yellow stains on the ceiling?

There are many tricks to get rid of stains on the ceiling. You just need to determine the reason for their appearance and choose the best way how to get rid of them.

The simplest way is mechanical.

Suitable for light stains with yellowness resulting from moisture leakage from neighbors above. What needs to be done for this?

  1. Clean the affected surface from old paint, putties and plasters. Wipe the cleaned area with a damp cloth. When everything is dry, apply a deep penetration primer using a roller.
  2. Take with a spatula finishing putty and distribute required amount over the entire surface of the treated area.
  3. When the product has set, sand the area until the unevenness is completely eliminated. And repeat priming.
  4. After complete drying, paint the prepared part of the ceiling with suitable paint. If part is painted and the color is different, then the entire ceiling must be covered with the same paint in two passes.

To protect yourself from injury during work, be sure to turn off the power and wear gloves and a dust mask.

Stain removal method: chemical

You will need the following available tools:

  • any cleaning product containing chlorine;
  • clothing for dirty work, rubber gloves;
  • several foam sponges;
  • a roller for painting and a reservoir for preparing the solution.

Let's start removing the stain

  1. First of all, you need to remove the coating destroyed by moisture.
  2. Then we soak the sponge in a chlorine-containing liquid (remembering to wear gloves) and carefully treat the yellow stains, pausing for several minutes. We repeat this procedure several times. The sponge should be changed as needed.
  3. After allowing the treatment area to dry, we carry out finishing work.

A good, dirt-removing effect is achieved by normal heating at 40 degrees. hydrochloric acid in a 3 percent solution.

How to remove stains of different origins?

Rusty stains

Appear as a result of coloration of moisture in yellow due to leaking rusted and burst pipes in the ceilings between floors. The process being eliminated will require the preparation of the following materials:

  • latex gloves;
  • brush, foam sponge and roller;
  • bone glue;
  • drying oil;
  • a piece of laundry soap;
  • 10% copper sulfate.

Take 250 g of copper sulfate. Grate a bar of soap on a fine grater. Pour 40 g of drying oil into the prepared dish, place bone glue, add vitriol and soap shavings. Mix everything thoroughly. The product is ready for use.

Processing stages:

  1. We soak the previously cleaned surface with the prepared mixture.
  2. Prime the area with a deep penetration primer.
  3. Next you need to cover the area with putty.
  4. Paint the treated stain with oil paint.
  5. After painting the ceiling with oil paint, you can also whitewash it with emulsion.

It is important to create a durable film that will prevent the rust stain from appearing. Otherwise, very soon you will see him again in the same place.

Oil stains

You will need:

  • Medium size spatula;
  • A piece of foam rubber;
  • Brush;
  • Paint roller and tray;
  • Container for paint;
  • Fat-dissolving agent.

To prepare a fat-dissolving agent, take any liquid with the property of neutralizing fat, ammonia and water in the following proportions: one teaspoon of the product and ammonia per 100 grams of water. Everything is mixed. The second method is a mixture of kerosene and ordinary soapy warm water.

Steps to remove an oil stain.

  1. The contaminated area is cleaned to plaster or drywall.
  2. If the surface is covered with paint, remove it with a spatula. Then neutralize the oil stain with a grease dissolving agent.
  3. With a sponge soaked in warm water, thoroughly wash the treated area. When everything is dry, cover the area with a deep penetration primer using a roller and brush.
  4. After complete drying, apply several layers of oil paint.
  5. After 24 hours, apply acrylic putty, dry and clean with fine-grained emery cloth. Once again prime and paint with the same product that was used to paint the rest of the undamaged ceiling. If the difference in color is noticeable, it is advisable to apply paint to the entire ceiling surface.

Elimination of yellow stains on different types of ceiling coverings.

Yellow blots can appear not only on a painted or whitewashed ceiling.

What to do if the stretch ceiling is dirty?

  1. First they deal with the water poured under tension covering. It is carefully drained.
  2. Next, decide on the paint that will have to be used under this type canvases. Ceiling covering on tissue based stained 5 to 10 times.
  3. PVC coating can be cleaned detergent for dishes or a banal soap solution.

If the contaminated area cannot be washed, you can try a 3 percent solution of soda ash. It is applied to the dirty area, allowed to dry and washed off with water. Repeat the procedure until the desired result.

How to treat a plasterboard ceiling?

GCR can not only be damaged by moisture, but also severely deformed. Therefore, if the affected surface is large, you will have to replace this sheet with a new one.

Don’t rack your brains if trouble with flooding looms ceiling panel PVC. Simply wipe the stained area with a wet cloth.


A timely and competent approach to eliminating such a nuisance as yellow stains on your ceiling will completely solve this problem. It is more important to find out what contributed to this. And eliminate them to avoid relapse. Talk to your neighbors. Repair the roof. Call housing and communal services workers to check the condition of pipelines and repair them in case of malfunction. Well, if you have trouble with flooding, take note of the advice in this article. And you will succeed.

Video on removing yellow spots

Situations often occur when various yellow spots or stains appear on the ceiling or walls.

We find out the reason for their appearance

Before removing stains from the ceiling surface, it is necessary to find the cause of their appearance. The method of removing them will depend on this. This may be damage to the roof, high humidity, dampness, poor or no ventilation, but most often this happens after flooding by neighbors from the upper floors.

In our case, the batteries were turned off in the middle of winter. The risers are made of plastic, and the neighbors did not notice that a pipe was leaking at their junction. We see the result in the photo.


We use chlorine-containing products - verified by the editors

So, we had to remove yellow stains from the surface of the ceiling after a water leak from the upper floors. The simplest method was chosen - bleaching with “Beliznaya” or another chlorine-containing product.

Ideally, use a spatula to thoroughly clean the area from the top layer of plaster. Then, after complete drying, finishing work will be required.

But in our case this was not necessary, the whitewash did not “fall behind”, the stain was even, smooth, all that remained was to bleach it. Here's ours step-by-step algorithm actions.

Pour “Whiteness” into a convenient small container and moisten a foam sponge in it.


Apply the soft side to the stain, fixing for 5-10 seconds. Walk like this over its entire surface.


Wait until the area is completely dry and repeat the procedure again. As soon as the sponge becomes dirty, it must be changed.


The method is quite labor-intensive, but you can do it slowly, we stretched it out for almost a week. We treated it - let it dry, the next day in the morning and evening we went over it with “Whiteness” again, etc.

After the first treatment, and even the second, third, it seemed that this method was not working. But gradually the spot began to lighten.

Yes, there was a specific smell, especially in the first days, but it passed quickly.

Note: do not open vents or windows for ventilation after treating the ceiling; everything may dry out with streaks and you will have to remove them as well.

We remove water stains mechanically

To get rid of them, you can resort to mechanical method by following these steps:

  1. WITH problem area Use a spatula to clean the layer of whitewash, paint, and plaster down to the base coating.
  2. Wipe the cleaned area with a damp cloth and wait until the ceiling is completely dry.
  3. Use sandpaper to smooth out any uneven surfaces.
  4. Use a brush to remove any existing dust.
  5. Apply a coat of primer using a roller.
  6. After the area has completely dried, apply a layer of putty.
  7. After drying the ceiling, sand it with sandpaper, prime it again if necessary, and paint or whitewash it.

To remove the yellow stain from the ceiling, everyone chooses for themselves the right way. As you can see, in some cases you can cope with this problem yourself.

This may come in handy: .

Leaks on the ceiling, formed after flooding with water from the upper floor or a leaky roof, are, unfortunately, not uncommon. The ceiling immediately loses its aesthetic appearance and requires repair. Before starting repairs, it is imperative to eliminate the cause of water leaks, otherwise the repairs made may be in vain, and the next rain may ruin all the work.

I also had the fate of doing repairs to eliminate smudges on the ceiling near the window as a result of a roof leak. Finally the roof was repaired and renovations could begin. This is what the ceiling looked like before the renovation.

First, you need to use a narrow metal spatula with a blade width of 4-5 cm to remove the damaged paint or whitewash to the plaster. Before work, the working edge of the spatula must be sharpened like a knife blade, with a block or sandpaper. Then the work will be easier. The steel plate of the spatula should be thin and elastic, bending during operation, as in the photo.

If the plaster moves in places, then it is necessary to remove it too. There is a simple repair rule: everything that does not adhere well to the wall during its repair must be removed. If there are cracks on the surface to be repaired, but the plaster is holding firmly, then they must be expanded, that is, a rectangular groove with a depth of at least 5 mm should be made along the crack line. If the crack is simply erased and painted over, then after a while it will appear in the same place again.

Since after removing the whitewash the plaster had to be removed in some places, it was decided to first apply a layer of Rotband. This is an excellent leveling solution, which is recommended to be applied in a layer of 5 to 10 mm thick; it adheres well to the ceiling surface, is moisture resistant, and is suitable for leveling walls even in bathrooms. Although the recommended application layer is indicated by the manufacturer from 5 mm, as my experience has shown, Rotband, even when applied with a thickness of 1 mm, lays down perfectly and holds tightly. There were also traces of rust in several places on the wall. I didn’t have copper sulfate or other chemicals on hand, so I hoped that with the help of Rotband it would be possible not only to level the walls and ceiling, but also to get rid of rust stains.

But expectations were not met and in several places after the Rotband hardened, traces of rust stains appeared. While Rotband was liquid, the rust moved through the water into its layer.


The question arose again of how to get rid of rust stains. I came to the idea that if you cover the rust spots with a waterproof film, then the surface of the wall can be puttied with water putty without fear of rust stains penetrating into it.

I had PF paint and some epoxy resin available. I decided to use epoxy resin, since after a couple of hours after application it hardens and the repair can continue.

It is difficult to apply epoxy resin to Rotband, as it is very thick. But if after mixing the components you add a little acetone to the epoxy resin and mix it, then it becomes quite fluid and well absorbed by porous materials. All that remains is to paint over the rusty spots with a brush. If you dilute any paint or varnish of the NC or PF type with an appropriate solvent to a liquid consistency, then they are also suitable for isolating rust stains, but it will be possible to continue the repair only a day later, after the applied coating has completely dried.

After covering the rust spots with epoxy resin, they showed up even more, but were now securely covered with a waterproof film. After the epoxy resin has hardened, you can begin finishing putty these places without fear reappearance rusty spots.

Bye epoxy resin hardened, the obvious bumps and protrusions of the rotband on the surface of the walls and ceiling were removed with sandpaper.


By doing repair work on local areas of the ceiling, when removing a layer of paint, when sanding, to prevent the spread of dirt and dust throughout the room, I place a tray ( plastic cover from an old record player). It’s true that it’s not so convenient to work with, but almost all the dirt remains in the tray.

If you wish, you can not buy a new one, but make your own cornice to your liking, as described in the article on the site

Floods and even minor leaks caused by excessive rainfall, failure of plumbing system or the carelessness of neighbors above - a serious test for the ceiling. Even the most modern coatings cannot cope with moisture, reacting negatively even to short contact. You can independently remove stains on the ceiling from leaks in several ways without replacing the coating with new ones.

Mechanical action - simple and reliable

A simple method to get rid of leak stains on a plasterboard or plasterboard ceiling. decorative plaster- with a spatula. The method does not require the use special means, is considered quite fast, effective and safe for coating.

To remove stains, use a spatula and gently remove upper layer finishing, being careful not to damage the base. The treated area is additionally wiped with a sponge soaked in water and allowed to dry.

Apply several layers to the prepared surface. soil mixture deep penetration, also giving them time to dry. The next stage is finishing with putty, followed by leveling and sanding. The sanded area is re-primed, dried and painted with paint to match the color of the main coating. If the shades after finishing the area being restored and the main ceiling are different, it makes sense to re-coat the entire ceiling with a new layer of paint. Maximum effect This can be achieved if you paint the ceiling in two layers.

You can also use a special grinding tool that removes the paint layer.

You can do it even easier if the stain is from a leak small sizes. The area of ​​contamination is washed away, primed and whitened in two layers.

Aggressive cleaning methods

After a serious flood and the ceiling has completely dried out, it is worth trying to remove deeply ingrained stains with chlorine-containing products. Their advantage lies primarily in accessibility and efficiency.

To prepare the product at home you will need:

  • White (can be replaced toiletry product with chlorine or bleach);
  • protective gloves;
  • foam sponges;
  • container for stirring.

The procedure begins by cleaning the ceiling from old layers of finishing with a spatula. Clean the treated area with a sponge soaked in white, always using rubber gloves. To enhance the effect, apply the sponge to the stains and stains for at least 5 seconds, after which the procedure is repeated. Sponges painted rusty are replaced with new ones.

This scheme is continued until the spots become barely noticeable. After this, the ceiling is given time to dry, the room is ventilated and finishing work is completed.

You can replace bleach or toilet cleaner with chlorine with hydrochloric acid heated to 40 degrees. Treat stains with a solution similar to chlorine.

Copper sulfate in the fight against rust - how it works

When painting over stains on the ceiling using previous methods does not work due to the serious consequences of a large-scale accident in multi-storey building, worth a try effective remedy based on 10% copper sulfate. To prepare it you will need:

  • copper sulfate;
  • laundry alkaline soap;
  • drying oil;
  • bone glue;
  • brush or foam sponges;
  • protective gloves.

Just as in previous cases, areas requiring repair are cleaned of a layer of paint or plaster. The mixture prepared from the above ingredients is poured into a convenient container and the stains are treated using a sponge or brush. As soon as the surface of the ceiling becomes white again, it is primed, puttied and finished.

To prevent stains from appearing again, a waterproof film is created on their surface even after treatment with vitriol.

In case of tension fabrics The solution to the problem is to call a specialist. The master will drain the water and clean the canvases, returning them to their original appearance.