How do I Remove Spray-On Popcorn From Ceilings?

Obtain a sample of your popcorn ceiling by spraying a small area with water, letting it sit for 20 minutes, then scrape it off. Place the sample in a plastic bag. You should wear your goggles, respirator, gloves and appropriate clothing when you are taking the sample.

Drop the sample off for testing. Do not do anything further to your ceiling until you have the test results. If you have asbestos or lead-based paint in the popcorn finish, call an asbestos abatement professional to do the job.

Cover the floor, furniture and other fixtures that can't be moved with plastic tarps if testing was negative and you are proceeding with removal. Removing popcorn ceilings creates a lot of dust that will cover everything in the room. Equip yourself with gloves, a respirator, goggles, long pants and a long-sleeved shirt.

Mix 1 cup dish detergent and 5 cups warm water in your large bucket. Fill a spray bottle with the detergent mixture, and spray the ceiling liberally. You want to saturate the surface of the ceiling. This will make scraping off the finish much easier. Allow the detergent solution to sit on the ceiling for at least 20 minutes before scraping the area.

Scrape off the popcorn finish using a scraper or large putty knife. Respray the ceiling if it starts to dry out. Continue to scrape until all of the popcorn ceiling is removed.

Wet a clean cloth in the detergent solution and wipe down the entire ceiling to remove any dust and debris. Clean up the area of all dust and debris, and throw away the tarps.