How to Get a Ceiling Sample of Asbestos

In many homes from the 1970s, ceilings have a textured appearance, known as "popcorn." This popcorn texture is no longer desirable, and many homeowners want to remove it in favor of smoother textures. One risk of removing the popcorn texture is the possible presence of asbestos, a carcinogen that's harmful to the respiratory and cardiac systems in the body. Taking a sample should be done with caution to prevent any possible inhalation of asbestos.

Face mask
Gloves
Eye protection
Spray bottle
Water
Liquid detergent
Putty knife
Zip-lock bag

Instructions

- 1
  Protect yourself from possible asbestos exposure by using a face mask, eye goggles and latex gloves.
- 2
  Add a few drops of liquid dish detergent to a water bottle and fill it with water, shaking gently to combine ingredients.
- 3
  Spray the ceiling in various areas around the room to get an accurate sample. Wet the areas thoroughly.
- 4
  Scrape a 1-square-inch section of the wet popcorn using a putty knife. Scrape the popcorn sample into a zip-lock plastic baggie and seal. Repeat the procedure at the other sprayed locations on the ceiling.
- 5
  Send your results to an asbestos consulting and testing center to confirm whether your ceiling contains asbestos. Find a laboratory by contacting The National Institute for Standards and Technology or your local health department, or use the yellow pages. There is usually a fee for testing asbestos samples.
- 6
  Wait for results. Even if the results are negative, take two more ceiling samples from different locations in the room to confirm the results. This will allow you to be sure there is no asbestos anywhere in the popcorn.

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