See more of my DIY Home Cleaning Tips here: ruclips.net/p/PL63TJ6Vqtnfwsx68tqzDNPgbslRDU1DYa You can see the written steps for this here: www.abbottsathome.com/how-to-fix-water-stains-on-ceiling-leaks/
Hi. Thank you very much for the idea! Have you tried to paint the spot you treated with bleach? For example, you decided to repaint the ceiling year after it was treated with bleach? I'm afraid the bleach may remain for a while and interfere with new layer of paint. Thank you and good luck!
@@АртемЕфимов-ы8з I have painted over these spots, but it's generally years later. So, I'm not sure if the results would have been different right away. If in doubt, you can always seal the area with a good primer before painting. :)
I can't comment on the method as I haven't tried it yet but I notice you're replying to comments & questions 2 years after posting the video & I want to commend your dedication & helpfulness to your viewers, especially on this type of video that will help people for many years ahead. It's rare to see that on RUclips these days, so hats off to you for taking the time!!
@@AbbottsAtHomejust want to reiterate that person's comment! I see stuff months or years later and want to ask a question but it's so rare anybody will never reply after the first few weeks!!! ❤
@@AbbottsAtHomeYOU ARE A VERY SPECIAL YT’ER!! It is RARE to see any YT’er answer any questions as quickly as you do or even at all. Thank you. ❤ It says more about YOU and what you DO than anything at all. ❤❤
We've been looking at an old water stain on our bathroom ceiling for 2 years, trying to figure out how to fix it without re-popcorning the whole room. THIS IS AMAZING. I treated it twice and the next morning, after it dried, the stain was completely gone. Thank you SO much!
Aaaccckkk! I have removed popcorning from entire ceilings, as well as spraying repairs. i suggest using drywall texturing instead, and of course taking advantage of opportunity to forever.remove popcorning when ceiling repair is warranted. You can easily clean painted drywall texture with long handled rushing. You cannot clean the popcorn stuff, only redistribute it on yourself and surfaces below.
I've been dreading painting the entire ceiling and listening to the wife about it for over a year. lol I actually just got out of bed and did this at 3:13am and I watched the stain disappear. I am at a loss for words. I'm not going to say anything to the wife and say I painted it 5 months ago and tell I've been wondering why she's been asking me to paint it when I already did it. Thanks for a fixed ceiling and a good prank!
And old clothes you don’t mind ruining! Plus a mask rated to protect you from breathing in bleach, especially if you use a lot and if the window is not open.
@@jhourieton the goggles issue. make sure it's the liquid kind. Some goggles are open and safety glasses won't help much. A divers mask might be better. I've done stains with a bleach rag without spraying and put it on a flat mop holder and just dap the stain. And your not under the stain area either. 73
I came home from vacation to a 1 foot square water stain on my kitchen ceiling after 6 inches of rain fell while I was away. The ceiling is 56 feet long without a break. I couldn't imagine priming and painting that whole area. I contemplated trying hydrogen peroxide, but luckily saw your video first. I used a 50/50 mix of distilled water and household bleach from an unopened container. Two coats of your solution about 3 hours apart. STAIN IS TOTALLY GONE! YOU'RE MY NEW HERO! No rubbing required. Thank you
Excellent demonstration. I used to be head of an ACE Paint Dept. Yes, 1 part Bleach to 3 (or 2) parts Water is also useful for removing mildew stains {1 to 3}. For Worse Water Stains (like from a flood, or roof leak), with serious brown stains then the bleach and water fix may not work, tho it will lighten the stains. If so don't just paint over them. The stain will soon come through. Seal the stain area with Kilz (not Kilz 2, that's water based. You need oil based to stop a water stain.) Or use BIN; that's shellac based, and quick drying. BIN will seal over most anything. Has a strong odor though (But clears with good e.g., fan ventilation). Clean up for BIN is denatured alcohol.
I seriously thought I was gonna have to paint entire living room ceiling . decided to search youtube for a miracle fix and here it was. I could literally watch the large brown stain disappear in front of my eyes without having to damave the joint compound texture. I am ever so grateful.
I'm not sure how the algorithm managed to recommend a 3 year old video, but I'm glad it did. I don't have any water stains, but this is invaluable information anyway. Great job!
Every once in a while, RUclips decides one of my older videos deserves a boost. I'm glad it was finally this one's turn. Most people will have to deal with a water stain sooner or later. Thanks for the nice comment. :)
Great fix, I can say it works too, I've done it twice before. One word of advice to ppl, test your sprayer well with just water before you commit to using it with the beach solution. Some cheap sprayers dont want to spray properly angled up like this, and some send out large droplets among the fine spray even if they do. A big droplet can get away from you, wrecking fabrics or other surfaces if they react badly to bleach. Good advice to lay out cover sheets under this work to catch overspray!
Can't believe people don't know this, bleach has been my go to for decades anytime there's stains, mold, algae, interior and exterior. Only thing, never overuse as it's so corrosive to metal, paint, any surface. I almost always dilute, leave on 10-20 minutes depending on the stain, algae, mold, then RINSE thoroughly. Use gloves and glasses! You did a great job pointing out all the steps in preparing and preventing problems.
I hired a painter to paint over a small water stain on the ceiling. He told me that in order to make it looking right, he needed to paint the entire ceiling in the (large) great room. Thank goodness, he rescheduled on me! Since I was tired of looking at the stain, I started looking for other options and came across this video. I am now elated that he cancelled as this video saved me $1000+! Because the ceiling is taller, I used an extension pole and foam roller to roll the bleach water onto the stain. It took 6 rolls but the spot is completely gone. I also tried this on a water stain on a wall. I still have a few more rolls before it is gone but it is greatly faded at this point. The wall in that room is an off white and this method had no adverse effects on the paint color. However, as mentioned, since bleach is involved, this method may have an impact on your paint. Thank you for posting this video!
OMG, I am so eternally grateful for this video!!! I've been going out of my mind recently as my neighbour's nasty brown water leak devastated a better part of my hallway and some of the master bedroom - the hallway will need renovating as the damage is significant, however I've been really stressed about the bedroom where it's only a small part of the ceiling affected and pain in the butt having to paint it all...I've just finished applying layers of mist in the affected area and it's GONE!!! Tears of joy have now replaced tears of frustration, as there will be no painting required. Thank you
Worked like a charm on my (unpainted) popcorn ceiling, I'm pleasantly surprised! Few safety tips though: - Wear gloves and make sure to cover your head, skin, and face (especially eyes) with a shield since you are spraying bleach overhead. - Wear a shirt which you don't mind ruining from spot discoloration. - Hold a piece of cloth nearby the sprayed area to absorb suspended mist. - Allow for proper ventilation to minimize inhalation. - Cover the nearby furniture if important. Good luck!
This worked relatively well, even on a light beige wall 👌 I used 1 part bleach, 4 parts water though and was relatively conservative to account for the fact the wall wasn't white
It worked! Several stains I sprayed. And one was in a weird place/corner. I dabbed it with a cloth. It worked just using a soaked cloth, too. Thank you a million times for putting out this video.
This worked incredibly well for me, too. I had to treat the spots again on a second day but they are gone. Thank you so much! And you've eliminated my dread of any future water stains!
I just wanted to say thank you from the bottom of my heart for sharing this cleaning tip! My 7yr thought it was a good idea to fill cups of water and throw them during bath time…long story short it had left the ugliest stains on my bathroom ceiling. So your cleaning tip worked like a charm, my bathroom ceiling looks brand new! The trick is to layer like you said. Thank you again ❤️
This worked great. On many of the home inspections I do there are old water stains on ceilings from leaks that were repaired long ago. Even when there is very little damage the discoloration looks bad. If you've fixed the source of the leak and you only have some staining, I recommend trying this. I had a leak from my ridge vent during high winds and rain a couple of weeks ago that left a yellow stain on the ceiling. A few sprays of bleach water and the stain was gone! Thanks for the tip!
Thank you so much for this video! We had a big water stain in our master bedroom ceiling due to my daughter’s carpet getting wet from upstairs. We are getting ready to put our home on the market and this stuff saved our sanity! We thought we would have to paint our whole ceiling. Thank you again!! ❤️
THANK YOU! IT WORKS GUYS! I was already starting to look up ceiling paint. Figuring out how to paint after balancing grad school and work. But this method WORKED. Literally in seconds! TRY THIS! Saved me money and time!!
You are a lifesaver! We had a bad storm recently and had a roof leak that went through the ceiling of my bedroom. My bedroom smelled like a swimming pool for awhile but this worked like a charm! Thank you so much!
WORKED SO WELL! Non-popcorn ceiling but the kitchen sink had a leak that cause water damage on the basement bathroom. Let it dry out for a while… honestly just kept forgetting to pick up a spray bottle. Worked almost instantly on most of the spots. The darker ring one will probably need another round or 2. Thank you so much for the easy DIY fix! 😊
Dear @AbbottsAtHome: Y - O - U are a Godsend! I truly mean that. I was considering painting over a few spots on the ceiling caused by rain 🌧 due to less-than-proper-diligence by roofers laying new shingles; it just happen to rain 🌧 the second day of their working, and, most unfortunately, they neglected to cover certain sections of the roof properly before leaving. Smh. Alas! THANK YOU MOST TRULY!❤
Like others, cannot thank you enough, saved me time and money, after replastering a damaged ceiling I had painted it 3 times and stain kept coming through the emulation, I was about to use a pva mix, thank goodness I didn’t, tried this and bang, the stain was gone. Be careful of inhaling a bleach mist but 10/10 for results! Now my wife will not be annoyed at me 👍
Thank you so much for this video. We had two 3 feet long water stains from Hurricane Sally. We knew painting would not work. I watched your video and immediately mixed up the bleach solution. Let it dry over night and the next morning our ceiling was completely void of staining. Now it is completely white.
Fantastic! I had a HUGE terracotta stain on my bedroom ceiling where I had left the attic window, in the room above, open overnight (it rained heavily - duh!) and the plaster marks came through badly. I tried this trick you suggest, with bleach and water. I had to do it about 4 times, (leaving a couple of days in between every time for the bleach/water to dry properly) because the stain was so dark and extensive. I has now completely disappeared and you would never know the stain had been there. Thank you so much! I was thinking I would need to completely repaint the whole ceiling - now I know!!
Wow! What a great tip. I am visiting my granddaughter right now. I can't wait to get home and try this on my living room ceiling. Thanks for the tip and the video.
Speaking in UK paint names here, you could put numerous coats on a waterstain and it will still show through. You need stainblock or an undercoat on the stain first and then paint. This is a good quick fix for a white ceiling.
Thank you SO much! I had some water damage after Storm Elsa and after calling our roofer, wanted to see about fixing the staining on our ceiling myself. This worked like a charm. So greatly appreciate you posting this video!
I love that this video was able to help you! We went through a crazy week with Hurricane Harvey. Luckily our home had limited damage but my husband helped many neighbors gut houses and cut up trees that damaged roofs in our area. Hurricane winds are wild! Thanks for the comment. :)
Hurricane Matthew with 82 mph wind gusts (clocked 0.7 miles down river from my house) drove rain through a roof vent, which resulted in a 30" x 40" dark oval stain on my vanity popcorn ceiling. I applied undiluted 3% hydrogen peroxide four times to this stain to remove it. The advantages of 3% peroxide over bleach are no odor, no worries about drips harming carpets and no mixing. The disadvantage is that more applications may be required as it is weaker than bleach, although 12% and 34% peroxide solutions are available retail which would require dilution before application. As with any overhead work, protective glasses should be worn. Thanks for this video!
Thanks for the comment. I'm planning on trying Hydrogen Peroxide and OxiClean the next time this happens. Hopefully it works just as well as bleach always has. 👍
I’ve done this and worked great. I rented an apartment that the tenants had run the air conditioner while keeping windows open. The humidity condensed on the cold ducts and dripped onto the drywall. The landlord was super grateful because she was going to have a contractor replace the drywall. It wasn’t damaged. She was so amazed that she gave my first month free.
This worked perfect! Thank you so much !! I’ve had water stains in my ceiling for a few years and thought it’d cost so much to fix and this took care of it!!!
Thank you for this helpful tip. It really does work. I had a massive water stain on my ceiling. It took the whole day to remove bit in the end ot worked. Much appreciated for the tip.
this works if you use a fine mist and do it in multiple sessions and don't soak the water stained ceiling. I super soaked my popcorn ceiling and it bubbled and the popcorn texture peeled off. It works, just be careful!
ok I am appreciative of this video..just an added tip. I used it like she said...but the stain did not look like it was fully coming out. I then added soapy hot dish water and sprayed the bleach on and used a white mr clean sponge. Came totally off! was so happy! of course ours was a white ceiling. I did not scrub heavily for obvious reasons.
This is a bad idea…bleach should never be mixed with dish soap. This will create toxic fumes which is extremely dangerous to your eyes, lungs and in some cases cause death.
Very likeable tutorial. Everything explained accurately and succinctly and no distracting muzak... All I will add is that this method does the same job on black mould in bathrooms and kitchens. Will keep even a damp shower-room mould free, and in that case, early treatment and maintenance gives consistent and permanent results.
I’m so glad I found your video. My 170 Lt water tank leaked into my ceiling so I have a huge water mark in my bedroom. I’m going to get the tank replaced and then try your method, I really hope it works and will do an update to let everyone know how it goes.
thank you, it worked fairly well. I can still see a faint yellow mark and I did it a few times. I also did 50/50 and then dabbed neat bleach on it with a cloth. I’ve just painted over with a stain stop paint and it looks as good as new. Thank you so much.
If someone does plan to paint the ceiling, best thing to do is to seal the area where the stains are. Kilz make a product called Upshot which is basically a primer in a can that can spray upward. It’ll go on yellowish, but you paint over it and won’t have to worry about those stains seeping through.
After over a year of looking at the stain and procrastinating because I knew I had to paint the whole ceiling, I ran across your video and gave it a try. 3 days and multiple coats of bleach and water mix, the stains are gone! Thanks for posting!
Happened to come across this video , was a game changer, saved me from trying to paint with upshot or similar product which usually leaves an area you can see. I used a lens cleaner (very small atomized spray ) spray bottle that worked awesome, used 50 -50 solution. Its a 2 oz bottle but worked great no heavy drips. Did 3 applications , let dry an hour in-between. Thank you so much for that info much appreciated. Certainly worth a try by someone before painting.
I’ve done this method years ago and it truly does work 👍we had a shower leak in upper floor that cause a stain on my main floor ceiling and this trick really works 👍
Protip: This will not work with expires bleach lol. I finally realized this after 5 coats smh. Worked perfect with new bleach though. Who woulda thought
@@AbbottsAtHome Yeah my first clue should have been the horrible vinegar-like smell. Any normal person would have realized it was expired but not this guy! Lol
THANK YOU, THANK YOU! It works perfectly. I had a faint yellowish water stain in my slightly popcorn ceiling. I did 1/3 bleach 2/3 water. Worked perfectly. Yes, as someone mentioned, wear eye protection. My spots were close to the wall so I hung up a plastic sheet.
My ac lines were sweating and stained my kitchen ceiling, almost called for a repair person but I’m going to try this first looks very promising. Thank you!
Hi Stephanie, I am planning to use the bleach + water solution for ceiling water stains. Question: what is the recommendation in regard of the waiting time from the moment that have the stains and the momento to apply the solution? Thanks Gelacio
I had 2 random light water stains on flat, white ceiling so I sprayed them w this light bleach solution and they're gone! Thanks for great tip - it worked fab w only a little paper towel dabbing to stop any drips where I sprayed too heavy. Easy peasy.
Excellent video, I think most of us have not thought or tried this! However on the flip side one unspoken reason for not being able to get rid of water stains is in the case where the source of the water stain is not eliminated. If there is a small water leak that is not properly repaired. Whether it is a very small plumbing leak (toilet seal) or an actual roof leak. You can use your technique, or completely repaint however, if the water is still leaking the stain will prevail and eventually worsen.
Thanks, this method works very well. I did two treatments on a popcorn ceiling stain. Now the stain is invisible in normal light. I can just barely see where it was if I shine a bright flashlight directly on it. I used about 1/3 chlorine to water mixture. I'm glad I didn't try painting it.
Unreal!!!! Had to deal with a dark leak stain around a corner of a skylight I had to replace....stipple ceiling. Like it was never there! Thank you, thank you.
I was doing this with my water stained popcorn ceilings but wasn't sure if I was going it correctly. Thank you for jusatifying what I did!!! Awesome! Thanks so much!!!!
That is an easy and cost-effective fix. I'm a properties painter-decorator, handymen and i'll use this method all the time. Good explanation all the way.
We’ve had a stain from an old roof leak for years. Some Handyman company wanted to charge $2000 to cut out the part of the ceiling that was stained, replace it and paint the entire vaulted ceiling. Scaffolding and all… I was going to address it when the kids were gone and we were going to sell. But I’m going to try this today and see what happens. I’ve already painted it with Kilz twice with no luck. Thanks for the video!
Hi!! The KILZ on top actually seals the stain in. So, I don’t think the bleach will work. But, in case you don’t know, KILZ primer is a great for making sure paint sticks to a surface. But primer is opaque. So, it doesn’t hide stains. The top coat of paint does that. I hope that helps. 👍
Wow this was a revelation. I was about to get ready getting quotes for ceiling repaint when I saw this. I actually just used Clorox bleach and it works just as well. Thanks!
thank you for this simple solution...my water damage just happened, so i am drying it completely with fans before i do this...thank you thank you as i will be putting my house on the market soon!!!
Great D.I.Y. tip.. I used an old allergy nasal spray which emits a very fine spray. It only holds about 1 oz. But using a 50 / 50 mix I'm blown away how within minutes this worked.👍
A few questions on stain removal: [1] What brand of bleach did you use? [2] How many times did you have to spray the ceiling (and the time interval between the successive sprayings)? Thanks in advance!
I have the same problem. I have purchased stain cover and new paint. Thank goodness I haven’t done the repaint. I sure hope this works on my RV. Thanks for this.
Welcome to the good side of RUclips. A helpful person giving great advice for free without trying to sell you some expensive product, annoying ads or music or gimmicks! Love it! I had actually tried this method before on mould and water stains and i can confirm it works a treat. You are also correct on just dabbing the surface, do not be tempted to wipe away the stain as this will just embed the mould into the ceiling and it will be almost impossible to remove. If possible dont even dab the surface, just spray on the bleach and leave it alone. Great video.
Spraying the stain with a mix of bleach and water works like a charm. Did this several years ago on a water stain. Took a couple applications, as I didn't want to soak it. Can't tell there was ever a strain there.
If you get popcorn wet it can change the look of the texture in that spot and even get it to fall or peel off in spots, if it’s wet enough. For water stains on popcorn, if you’re willing to risk damaging the popcorn, I’d just very lightly mist the stain with 50/50 bleach and water. Just a light mist, let dry, and repeat until it’s gone. It will take longer but hopefully barely letting it get wet will prevent damaging the popcorn texture. But, again, it’s risky. So, decide if it’s worth the risk before trying. 👍
@@AbbottsAtHome I did exactly as you indicated above on several stains in my popcorn ceiling. It worked nicely. It's important to follow these instructions closely to avoid damaging the popcorn texture. Like you said : "light mist, let dry, and repeat until it’s gone." Thanks for the great tip!
Nice tip. If you are going to repaint the ceiling it take 3 coats to cover a water stain. Or I use spray paint one coat. On stains, paint ceiling next day. And most ceilings are flat paint.
Thank you! It worked! I have old white fiber ceiling tiles and 4 tiles in the middle of the living room had a large water stain. I think someone had spilled something in the bedroom above as the are no pipes over there. Anyway, the first day I used the trick I didn't think it was going to work because the stain didn't go away within minutes like with your situation. But because removing and replacing is not an easy job, I kept trying several times a day for about 4 days in a row and I can barely see the stain anymore! So it also works on ceiling tiles too! I wanted to add pictures but I guess this platform doesn't allow them...?
I’m looking forward to trying this on my living room ceiling where I have a number of water stains. Though have become quite fond of the one that looks like the man in the moon!!!
See more of my DIY Home Cleaning Tips here: ruclips.net/p/PL63TJ6Vqtnfwsx68tqzDNPgbslRDU1DYa
You can see the written steps for this here: www.abbottsathome.com/how-to-fix-water-stains-on-ceiling-leaks/
Hi. Thank you very much for the idea! Have you tried to paint the spot you treated with bleach? For example, you decided to repaint the ceiling year after it was treated with bleach? I'm afraid the bleach may remain for a while and interfere with new layer of paint. Thank you and good luck!
@@АртемЕфимов-ы8з I have painted over these spots, but it's generally years later. So, I'm not sure if the results would have been different right away. If in doubt, you can always seal the area with a good primer before painting. :)
@@AbbottsAtHome Thank you! :)
Thank you! Worked perfectly on a very dark stain about 12”” in diameter as well as several smaller and lighter stains.
@@kevinstuart2517 Nice! So happy to help!
I can't comment on the method as I haven't tried it yet but I notice you're replying to comments & questions 2 years after posting the video & I want to commend your dedication & helpfulness to your viewers, especially on this type of video that will help people for many years ahead. It's rare to see that on RUclips these days, so hats off to you for taking the time!!
Thanks! So nice of you to notice. 😊
@@AbbottsAtHomejust want to reiterate that person's comment! I see stuff months or years later and want to ask a question but it's so rare anybody will never reply after the first few weeks!!! ❤
@@Firemedic2105 I''m always happy to help when I get a chance. :)
@@AbbottsAtHomeGood on ya! Hell yeah!
@@AbbottsAtHomeYOU ARE A VERY SPECIAL YT’ER!! It is RARE to see any YT’er answer any questions as quickly as you do or even at all. Thank you. ❤ It says more about YOU and what you DO than anything at all. ❤❤
We've been looking at an old water stain on our bathroom ceiling for 2 years, trying to figure out how to fix it without re-popcorning the whole room. THIS IS AMAZING. I treated it twice and the next morning, after it dried, the stain was completely gone. Thank you SO much!
You’re welcome! So happy it helped!
I treated my popcorn ceiling in bathroom doing what she said…gone!!
Thanks for commenting on trying this on old stains! Just what I was wondering.
I would have taken advantage of this to remove the popcorn ceiling.
Aaaccckkk! I have removed popcorning from entire ceilings, as well as spraying repairs. i suggest using drywall texturing instead, and of course taking advantage of opportunity to forever.remove popcorning when ceiling repair is warranted.
You can easily clean painted drywall texture with long handled rushing. You cannot clean the popcorn stuff, only redistribute it on yourself and surfaces below.
I've been dreading painting the entire ceiling and listening to the wife about it for over a year. lol I actually just got out of bed and did this at 3:13am and I watched the stain disappear. I am at a loss for words. I'm not going to say anything to the wife and say I painted it 5 months ago and tell I've been wondering why she's been asking me to paint it when I already did it. Thanks for a fixed ceiling and a good prank!
Timing is everything! So happy to help. Good luck with your prank! :)
How did your prank go?
😂
😂 👏🏾
Wonderful video! Thank you. One note - wear goggles when sprying bleach water above you and cover any colored rugs/carpet below. 😊
goggles yes! and maybe a ball cap or scarf to protect your hair...
And old clothes you don’t mind ruining! Plus a mask rated to protect you from breathing in bleach, especially if you use a lot and if the window is not open.
@@jhourieton the goggles issue. make sure it's the liquid kind. Some goggles are open and safety glasses won't help much. A divers mask might be better. I've done stains with a bleach rag without spraying and put it on a flat mop holder and just dap the stain. And your not under the stain area either. 73
That’s two notes
@@ronb6182using the sponge mop etc., is a great idea, especially if you have a larger area to cover!
I came home from vacation to a 1 foot square water stain on my kitchen ceiling after 6 inches of rain fell while I was away.
The ceiling is 56 feet long without a break. I couldn't imagine priming and painting that whole area. I contemplated trying hydrogen peroxide, but luckily saw your video first. I used a 50/50 mix of distilled water and household bleach from an unopened container. Two coats of your solution about 3 hours apart. STAIN IS TOTALLY GONE! YOU'RE MY NEW HERO! No rubbing required. Thank you
Aw, thanks!!
Excellent demonstration. I used to be head of an ACE Paint Dept. Yes, 1 part Bleach to 3 (or 2) parts Water is also useful for removing mildew stains {1 to 3}. For Worse Water Stains (like from a flood, or roof leak), with serious brown stains then the bleach and water fix may not work, tho it will lighten the stains. If so don't just paint over them. The stain will soon come through. Seal the stain area with Kilz (not Kilz 2, that's water based. You need oil based to stop a water stain.) Or use BIN; that's shellac based, and quick drying. BIN will seal over most anything. Has a strong odor though (But clears with good e.g., fan ventilation). Clean up for BIN is denatured alcohol.
She cautioned against this on non-white paint. I'd've figure most pigments would not be responsive to bleach. Thoughts?
Good tips. I'm a fan of Zinsser's BIN shellac primer and a few others. A good primer is a must when those stains won't go away. 👍
I seriously thought I was gonna have to paint entire living room ceiling . decided to search youtube for a miracle fix and here it was. I could literally watch the large brown stain disappear in front of my eyes without having to damave the joint compound texture. I am ever so grateful.
That's so cool! Thanks for letting me know. I love how many people this helps. :)
I'm not sure how the algorithm managed to recommend a 3 year old video, but I'm glad it did. I don't have any water stains, but this is invaluable information anyway.
Great job!
Every once in a while, RUclips decides one of my older videos deserves a boost. I'm glad it was finally this one's turn. Most people will have to deal with a water stain sooner or later. Thanks for the nice comment. :)
Great fix, I can say it works too, I've done it twice before. One word of advice to ppl, test your sprayer well with just water before you commit to using it with the beach solution. Some cheap sprayers dont want to spray properly angled up like this, and some send out large droplets among the fine spray even if they do. A big droplet can get away from you, wrecking fabrics or other surfaces if they react badly to bleach. Good advice to lay out cover sheets under this work to catch overspray!
Good advice! Thanks!
Can't believe people don't know this, bleach has been my go to for decades anytime there's stains, mold, algae, interior and exterior. Only thing, never overuse as it's so corrosive to metal, paint, any surface. I almost always dilute, leave on 10-20 minutes depending on the stain, algae, mold, then RINSE thoroughly. Use gloves and glasses! You did a great job pointing out all the steps in preparing and preventing problems.
Thanks! Good tips too. :)
I hired a painter to paint over a small water stain on the ceiling. He told me that in order to make it looking right, he needed to paint the entire ceiling in the (large) great room. Thank goodness, he rescheduled on me! Since I was tired of looking at the stain, I started looking for other options and came across this video. I am now elated that he cancelled as this video saved me $1000+! Because the ceiling is taller, I used an extension pole and foam roller to roll the bleach water onto the stain. It took 6 rolls but the spot is completely gone. I also tried this on a water stain on a wall. I still have a few more rolls before it is gone but it is greatly faded at this point. The wall in that room is an off white and this method had no adverse effects on the paint color. However, as mentioned, since bleach is involved, this method may have an impact on your paint.
Thank you for posting this video!
Nice!!! Clever idea with the roller on a pole. I'll have to remember that if we ever get a leak in our 20' high living room ceiling again. :)
OMG, I am so eternally grateful for this video!!! I've been going out of my mind recently as my neighbour's nasty brown water leak devastated a better part of my hallway and some of the master bedroom - the hallway will need renovating as the damage is significant, however I've been really stressed about the bedroom where it's only a small part of the ceiling affected and pain in the butt having to paint it all...I've just finished applying layers of mist in the affected area and it's GONE!!! Tears of joy have now replaced tears of frustration, as there will be no painting required. Thank you
You are so welcome!! I’m happy to help. 😊
Worked like a charm on my (unpainted) popcorn ceiling, I'm pleasantly surprised! Few safety tips though:
- Wear gloves and make sure to cover your head, skin, and face (especially eyes) with a shield since you are spraying bleach overhead.
- Wear a shirt which you don't mind ruining from spot discoloration.
- Hold a piece of cloth nearby the sprayed area to absorb suspended mist.
- Allow for proper ventilation to minimize inhalation.
- Cover the nearby furniture if important.
Good luck!
Glad it worked for you!!
This worked relatively well, even on a light beige wall 👌 I used 1 part bleach, 4 parts water though and was relatively conservative to account for the fact the wall wasn't white
It worked! Several stains I sprayed. And one was in a weird place/corner. I dabbed it with a cloth. It worked just using a soaked cloth, too. Thank you a million times for putting out this video.
I’m so happy it helped you Stuart!!! Thanks for the kind comment. 😊
This worked incredibly well for me, too. I had to treat the spots again on a second day but they are gone. Thank you so much! And you've eliminated my dread of any future water stains!
Fantastic, Chris! So happy to help. :)
I just wanted to say thank you from the bottom of my heart for sharing this cleaning tip! My 7yr thought it was a good idea to fill cups of water and throw them during bath time…long story short it had left the ugliest stains on my bathroom ceiling. So your cleaning tip worked like a charm, my bathroom ceiling looks brand new! The trick is to layer like you said. Thank you again ❤️
LOL, I feel your pain. My kids had fun throwing slime at my ceiling one day. I ended up with tons of dirt stains to clean off So, happy to help. :)
I was seriously doubtful this would work but it’s a miracle of simplicity
Well said. :)
WOW!! This method removed my ceiling stains 100%. I am so happy to have come across this tip. Thank you for posting
Yay!!! So happy to help. Thanks for the comment. 😊
This worked great. On many of the home inspections I do there are old water stains on ceilings from leaks that were repaired long ago. Even when there is very little damage the discoloration looks bad. If you've fixed the source of the leak and you only have some staining, I recommend trying this. I had a leak from my ridge vent during high winds and rain a couple of weeks ago that left a yellow stain on the ceiling. A few sprays of bleach water and the stain was gone! Thanks for the tip!
Thanks for the helpful comment!!!
Thank you so much for this video! We had a big water stain in our master bedroom ceiling due to my daughter’s carpet getting wet from upstairs. We are getting ready to put our home on the market and this stuff saved our sanity! We thought we would have to paint our whole ceiling. Thank you again!! ❤️
So happy to help! I hope you sell fast. 🤞
THANK YOU! IT WORKS GUYS! I was already starting to look up ceiling paint. Figuring out how to paint after balancing grad school and work. But this method WORKED. Literally in seconds!
TRY THIS! Saved me money and time!!
Thanks for letting us know!
Holy smokes, this is the best fix! I like to use products on hand, and this is one that not only works, but is easy to do. Thank you!
You're welcome. :)
This definitely earned you a subscriber. 59 years old and I've never heard of this until right now. Thanks!
Glad I could help!
Worked perfectly and saved me a lot of hassle. Thanks!
You're welcome!
You are a lifesaver! We had a bad storm recently and had a roof leak that went through the ceiling of my bedroom. My bedroom smelled like a swimming pool for awhile but this worked like a charm! Thank you so much!
Glad I could help!
WORKED SO WELL! Non-popcorn ceiling but the kitchen sink had a leak that cause water damage on the basement bathroom. Let it dry out for a while… honestly just kept forgetting to pick up a spray bottle. Worked almost instantly on most of the spots. The darker ring one will probably need another round or 2. Thank you so much for the easy DIY fix! 😊
You’re welcome!
Dear @AbbottsAtHome: Y - O - U are a Godsend! I truly mean that. I was considering painting over a few spots on the ceiling caused by rain 🌧 due to less-than-proper-diligence by roofers laying new shingles; it just happen to rain 🌧 the second day of their working, and, most unfortunately, they neglected to cover certain sections of the roof properly before leaving. Smh. Alas! THANK YOU MOST TRULY!❤
I hope it helps! Good luck. :)
Like others, cannot thank you enough, saved me time and money, after replastering a damaged ceiling I had painted it 3 times and stain kept coming through the emulation, I was about to use a pva mix, thank goodness I didn’t, tried this and bang, the stain was gone. Be careful of inhaling a bleach mist but 10/10 for results! Now my wife will not be annoyed at me 👍
☺️ So happy to help!!
Thank you so much for this video. We had two 3 feet long water stains from Hurricane Sally. We knew painting would not work. I watched your video and immediately mixed up the bleach solution. Let it dry over night and the next morning our ceiling was completely void of staining. Now it is completely white.
Fantastic! So happy to help. :)
Thank you. This worked really well on my popcorn ceiling.
You’re welcome!! 😊
Fantastic! I had a HUGE terracotta stain on my bedroom ceiling where I had left the attic window, in the room above, open overnight (it rained heavily - duh!) and the plaster marks came through badly. I tried this trick you suggest, with bleach and water. I had to do it about 4 times, (leaving a couple of days in between every time for the bleach/water to dry properly) because the stain was so dark and extensive. I has now completely disappeared and you would never know the stain had been there. Thank you so much! I was thinking I would need to completely repaint the whole ceiling - now I know!!
You're welcome! Thanks for sharing your steps. :)
Wow! What a great tip. I am visiting my granddaughter right now. I can't wait to get home and try this on my living room ceiling. Thanks for the tip and the video.
You're welcome and good luck!
Speaking in UK paint names here, you could put numerous coats on a waterstain and it will still show through. You need stainblock or an undercoat on the stain first and then paint. This is a good quick fix for a white ceiling.
thank you, worked in my kitchen after a tub problem
Fantastic, you're welcome!
Thank you SO much! I had some water damage after Storm Elsa and after calling our roofer, wanted to see about fixing the staining on our ceiling myself. This worked like a charm. So greatly appreciate you posting this video!
I love that this video was able to help you! We went through a crazy week with Hurricane Harvey. Luckily our home had limited damage but my husband helped many neighbors gut houses and cut up trees that damaged roofs in our area. Hurricane winds are wild! Thanks for the comment. :)
Hurricane Matthew with 82 mph wind gusts (clocked 0.7 miles down river from my house) drove rain through a roof vent, which resulted in a 30" x 40" dark oval stain on my vanity popcorn ceiling. I applied undiluted 3% hydrogen peroxide four times to this stain to remove it. The advantages of 3% peroxide over bleach are no odor, no worries about drips harming carpets and no mixing. The disadvantage is that more applications may be required as it is weaker than bleach, although 12% and 34% peroxide solutions are available retail which would require dilution before application. As with any overhead work, protective glasses should be worn. Thanks for this video!
Thanks for the comment. I'm planning on trying Hydrogen Peroxide and OxiClean the next time this happens. Hopefully it works just as well as bleach always has. 👍
This works great! I thought for sure I was going to have to paint the whole ceiling. Thank you so much!
Glad I could help!
This really did work. Just did it. And like she said it didn’t take long.
Thanks for sharing!
Oh my goodness! Thank you so much for this video ❤️I was preparing for painting and then I came across this video! Worked like a charm!
I Love that this video is saving so many people from the pain of repainting their ceilings. 🕺🕺
I’ve done this and worked great. I rented an apartment that the tenants had run the air conditioner while keeping windows open. The humidity condensed on the cold ducts and dripped onto the drywall. The landlord was super grateful because she was going to have a contractor replace the drywall. It wasn’t damaged. She was so amazed that she gave my first month free.
I love this! You both did the nice thing and it paid off. She saved money and you got free rent. ❤️
Thank you sooo much for this video!! I thought I would have to repaint the area, but using this method the stains disappeared in minutes!
Glad I could help!
This worked perfect! Thank you so much !! I’ve had water stains in my ceiling for a few years and thought it’d cost so much to fix and this took care of it!!!
Glad I could help!
Thank you for this helpful tip. It really does work. I had a massive water stain on my ceiling. It took the whole day to remove bit in the end ot worked. Much appreciated for the tip.
Glad it helped!
Just did this on my water spots and wow! This worked fantastically!! Thank you for showing me this!
You're so welcome!
this works if you use a fine mist and do it in multiple sessions and don't soak the water stained ceiling. I super soaked my popcorn ceiling and it bubbled and the popcorn texture peeled off. It works, just be careful!
Yep, going slow with light coats is the best option. Thanks for sharing. 😊
I'm so surprised how well this works. Had a 2' x 4' area of brown stains on my ceiling and this method did the trick! Thank you so much for sharing!
You're welcome!
ok I am appreciative of this video..just an added tip. I used it like she said...but the stain did not look like it was fully coming out. I then added soapy hot dish water and sprayed the bleach on and used a white mr clean sponge. Came totally off! was so happy! of course ours was a white ceiling. I did not scrub heavily for obvious reasons.
This is a bad idea…bleach should never be mixed with dish soap. This will create toxic fumes which is extremely dangerous to your eyes, lungs and in some cases cause death.
You're a good person for helping so many people. God bless you!
Aw, thanks! I'm happy to help. :)
To avoid spraying bleach on your furniture use a large round lampshade as a shield and spray through the hole in the shade
I love that idea!
Could also use one of those plastic shields they put on pets after surgery i bet.
I have been looking at a water stain in my guest bathroom wondering what was I going to do to fix it. Thanks to you the stain is gone, thank you.
Woo Hoo! Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for this tip! Took a few applications but worked like magic and easier than painting and having to deal with mismatched colors.
You're welcome. Any time I can avoid painting a ceiling I'm a happy homeowner!
Very likeable tutorial. Everything explained accurately and succinctly and no distracting muzak... All I will add is that this method does the same job on black mould in bathrooms and kitchens. Will keep even a damp shower-room mould free, and in that case, early treatment and maintenance gives consistent and permanent results.
Thanks!! And, yep, works on moisture mold too.
Wow! I tried. Worked like a charm! Thank you so much.
I’m so glad I found your video. My 170 Lt water tank leaked into my ceiling so I have a huge water mark in my bedroom.
I’m going to get the tank replaced and then try your method, I really hope it works and will do an update to let everyone know how it goes.
Good luck!
thank you, it worked fairly well. I can still see a faint yellow mark and I did it a few times. I also did 50/50 and then dabbed neat bleach on it with a cloth.
I’ve just painted over with a stain stop paint and it looks as good as new.
Thank you so much.
If someone does plan to paint the ceiling, best thing to do is to seal the area where the stains are. Kilz make a product called Upshot which is basically a primer in a can that can spray upward. It’ll go on yellowish, but you paint over it and won’t have to worry about those stains seeping through.
Good advice. Thanks!
You probably just saved my marriage!! This worked like a charm! Thank you so much!
Glad I could help!
Was just about to cutout the drywall! Thank you :)
So, so happy you saw this first! 😊
Such a wonderful idea, thank you so much for taking the time to filming and post this to share with everyone.😊❤
You are so welcome!
Thank you so much for this. Worked brilliantly and saved us the job of painting the whole ceiling! Very happy 🙂👍
Yea!!!! So happy to help Sue.
It’s insane that I’ve gone this far in life without knowing this. This should be taught in schools! lol
100% agree! 😅
After over a year of looking at the stain and procrastinating because I knew I had to paint the whole ceiling, I ran across your video and gave it a try. 3 days and multiple coats of bleach and water mix, the stains are gone! Thanks for posting!
Thanks, Ash! I'm so happy it worked!
Happened to come across this video , was a game changer, saved me from trying to paint with upshot or similar product which usually leaves an area you can see. I used a lens cleaner (very small atomized spray ) spray bottle that worked awesome, used 50 -50 solution. Its a 2 oz bottle but worked great no heavy drips. Did 3 applications , let dry an hour in-between. Thank you so much for that info much appreciated. Certainly worth a try by someone before painting.
Happy to help!
Thank you so much, works so well 👍👍
Thanks! 😊😊
This does work..... I fixed a popcorn ceiling about 20 years ago.. Lifesaver.
Thanks for sharing! :)
Thank you so much for this! You saved me tons of work.
Yay! So happy to help. :)
Nice two piece crown molding... I enjoy seeing people take pride in their homes...
Thanks!!
I’ve done this method years ago and it truly does work 👍we had a shower leak in upper floor that cause a stain on my main floor ceiling and this trick really works 👍
Thanks for sharing!
Protip: This will not work with expires bleach lol. I finally realized this after 5 coats smh. Worked perfect with new bleach though. Who woulda thought
I had no idea bleach expired. Good tip!
@@AbbottsAtHome Yeah my first clue should have been the horrible vinegar-like smell. Any normal person would have realized it was expired but not this guy! Lol
Hahaha your comment just saved me. 😂 I just about planning to use some old expired bleach. Because don't want to waste it. Thanks
THANK YOU, THANK YOU! It works perfectly. I had a faint yellowish water stain in my slightly popcorn ceiling. I did 1/3 bleach 2/3 water. Worked perfectly. Yes, as someone mentioned, wear eye protection. My spots were close to the wall so I hung up a plastic sheet.
You’re welcome! Good idea protecting the wall with a plastic sheet. Thanks for sharing!
My ac lines were sweating and stained my kitchen ceiling, almost called for a repair person but I’m going to try this first looks very promising. Thank you!
Good luck!👍
This worked like magic at my mom’s house. Thank you so much! This saved a ton of money on painters.
So happy to hear!!!!!
Hi Stephanie, I am planning to use the bleach + water solution for ceiling water stains. Question: what is the recommendation in regard of the waiting time from the moment that have the stains and the momento to apply the solution? Thanks
Gelacio
I recommend repairing the leak, then let the ceiling completely dry, then treat with the bleach water mix.
The definitive solution to water marks on ceiling? Have tried a few variations before finding this. The most effective and least messy. Thank you.
You're welcome!
Nice work
Thanks
I had 2 random light water stains on flat, white ceiling so I sprayed them w this light bleach solution and they're gone! Thanks for great tip - it worked fab w only a little paper towel dabbing to stop any drips where I sprayed too heavy. Easy peasy.
Fantastic!!! Thanks for letting us know. 👍
Excellent video, I think most of us have not thought or tried this! However on the flip side one unspoken reason for not being able to get rid of water stains is in the case where the source of the water stain is not eliminated. If there is a small water leak that is not properly repaired. Whether it is a very small plumbing leak (toilet seal) or an actual roof leak. You can use your technique, or completely repaint however, if the water is still leaking the stain will prevail and eventually worsen.
Yep, you have to find the source and fix it first or it will just come back. :)
Thanks, this method works very well. I did two treatments on a popcorn ceiling stain. Now the stain is invisible in normal light. I can just barely see where it was if I shine a bright flashlight directly on it. I used about 1/3 chlorine to water mixture. I'm glad I didn't try painting it.
Fantastic! So happy to help. :)
Hi great tip I want to try it. Did you let the wet spot completely dry from the water damage before treating it with this bleach solution?
I would let it dry out before treating. Make sure the source is fixed. And, let the ceiling dry out before spraying with bleach water. 👍
Unreal!!!! Had to deal with a dark leak stain around a corner of a skylight I had to replace....stipple ceiling. Like it was never there! Thank you, thank you.
You’re so welcome!!!!! I’m so happy to help. 😊
Were your stains recent? I was wondering if the bleach solution would work on an old stain? I have one that's 3 years old.
I've used this on really old stains. It still works, as long as the stain doesn't have paint over it. :)
I was doing this with my water stained popcorn ceilings but wasn't sure if I was going it correctly. Thank you for jusatifying what I did!!! Awesome! Thanks so much!!!!
Glad I could help!
That is an easy and cost-effective fix.
I'm a properties painter-decorator, handymen and i'll use this method all the time.
Good explanation all the way.
Thanks!! I'm so happy to help!
We’ve had a stain from an old roof leak for years. Some Handyman company wanted to charge $2000 to cut out the part of the ceiling that was stained, replace it and paint the entire vaulted ceiling. Scaffolding and all… I was going to address it when the kids were gone and we were going to sell. But I’m going to try this today and see what happens. I’ve already painted it with Kilz twice with no luck. Thanks for the video!
Hi!! The KILZ on top actually seals the stain in. So, I don’t think the bleach will work. But, in case you don’t know, KILZ primer is a great for making sure paint sticks to a surface. But primer is opaque. So, it doesn’t hide stains. The top coat of paint does that. I hope that helps. 👍
@@AbbottsAtHome Ahhh.. Good to know! Thank you so much for the response and advice!
Wow this was a revelation. I was about to get ready getting quotes for ceiling repaint when I saw this. I actually just used Clorox bleach and it works just as well. Thanks!
Happy it helped!
thank you for this simple solution...my water damage just happened, so i am drying it completely with fans before i do this...thank you thank you as i will be putting my house on the market soon!!!
Happy to help! 😊
Great D.I.Y. tip.. I used an old allergy nasal spray which emits a very fine spray. It only holds about 1 oz. But using a 50 / 50 mix I'm blown away how within minutes this worked.👍
Thanks. Good idea using that sprayer!!!
A few questions on stain removal: [1] What brand of bleach did you use? [2] How many times did you have to spray the ceiling (and the time interval between the successive sprayings)? Thanks in advance!
I have the same problem. I have purchased stain cover and new paint. Thank goodness I haven’t done the repaint. I sure hope this works on my RV. Thanks for this.
I hope it worked. :)
Welcome to the good side of RUclips. A helpful person giving great advice for free without trying to sell you some expensive product, annoying ads or music or gimmicks! Love it! I had actually tried this method before on mould and water stains and i can confirm it works a treat. You are also correct on just dabbing the surface, do not be tempted to wipe away the stain as this will just embed the mould into the ceiling and it will be almost impossible to remove. If possible dont even dab the surface, just spray on the bleach and leave it alone. Great video.
Thank you!!
Thanks so much! This worked for me. And I am a long time handyman who used to think I knew everything
So happy to help!!
Spraying the stain with a mix of bleach and water works like a charm. Did this several years ago on a water stain. Took a couple applications, as I didn't want to soak it. Can't tell there was ever a strain there.
Thanks for sharing!
Has anyone tried this with popcorn ceiling? Can they verify the results?
If you get popcorn wet it can change the look of the texture in that spot and even get it to fall or peel off in spots, if it’s wet enough. For water stains on popcorn, if you’re willing to risk damaging the popcorn, I’d just very lightly mist the stain with 50/50 bleach and water. Just a light mist, let dry, and repeat until it’s gone. It will take longer but hopefully barely letting it get wet will prevent damaging the popcorn texture. But, again, it’s risky. So, decide if it’s worth the risk before trying. 👍
Just did it with popcorn ceiling and patience and a light hand using the spray is the trick.
@@AbbottsAtHome I did exactly as you indicated above on several stains in my popcorn ceiling. It worked nicely. It's important to follow these instructions closely to avoid damaging the popcorn texture. Like you said : "light mist, let dry, and repeat until it’s gone." Thanks for the great tip!
@@ottdog1952 You're welcome!!!
Works great on popcorn ceilings
I tried this ! Works like a dream. Thank you!!!
You’re welcome!!
Thank you, this worked perfectly. You would never know there was a stain and so easy.
Awesome! You’re welcome!
Nice tip. If you are going to repaint the ceiling it take 3 coats to cover a water stain. Or I use spray paint one coat. On stains, paint ceiling next day. And most ceilings are flat paint.
Great tip!
Thank you! It worked! I have old white fiber ceiling tiles and 4 tiles in the middle of the living room had a large water stain. I think someone had spilled something in the bedroom above as the are no pipes over there. Anyway, the first day I used the trick I didn't think it was going to work because the stain didn't go away within minutes like with your situation. But because removing and replacing is not an easy job, I kept trying several times a day for about 4 days in a row and I can barely see the stain anymore! So it also works on ceiling tiles too! I wanted to add pictures but I guess this platform doesn't allow them...?
No, no pictures on YT. But thanks for the update! So happy it worked. 👍👍
Holy smokes!!! I just saw this video and I’m definitely going to try this on the water spot we have!! Thank you!
You're welcome!
This absolutely works. Thank you!
You're welcome!
I’m looking forward to trying this on my living room ceiling where I have a number of water stains. Though have become quite fond of the one that looks like the man in the moon!!!
ha ha. Just be sure to say goodbye to him first. :)
I tried your video. It's really perfectly working. Thank you for your video!! 👍
You're welcome!