How to Clean Drywall Dust from Wood Floors – Easiest Options

You’ve finished masterfully installing or fixing drywall and now you’re stuck with drywall dust everywhere – all over your hardwood floors. 

Drywall dust is a common issue after renovations or repairs, and cleaning it from hardwood floors can be challenging due to gaps and cracks.

If left to sit the dust could cause damage to your floor. In this comprehensive guide, you’ll learn: 

• The easiest and safest ways to remove that drywall dust from your wood floors
• Common problems that drywall dust on wood floors can cause
• How to avoid getting drywall dust everywhere in the first place when working

Before You Start Cleaning: Precautions

• Protect your respiratory system and eyes: You might want to wear either a ventilator or a disposable mask that covers your nose and mouth and open multiple windows to protect against inhaling harmful silica particles in drywall dust and to protect your eyes from drywall particles.

First: Initial Clean-up of Large Particles and Chunks

• To start wipe off the ceiling and walls with a damp rag: Start at the top and work down so that all the dust and particles end up on the floor. No sense cleaning the floor if you’re just going to let more dust fall down from the walls or ceiling.
• Use a broom to sweep up the bulk of the dust: Sweep the room thoroughly into a dustpan, but try to do it without raising too much dust. Get rid of the largest chunks of drywall.
• Use a vacuum with a soft-bristled brush attachment and – preferably – a HEPA filter: The HEPA filter will help ensure the dust doesn’t just escape from the vacuum as you clean up. If you don’t have a HEPA filter the finer dust might pass right through your vacuum and back into your room. Ideally, use a wet/dry Shop-Vac. The bristled brush will help you get into the crevices. Vacuum the space, starting from the edges and corners.

If possible let the dust settle – so to speak – for a while, perhaps up to an hour, before moving on to the next step. No sense having to have to clean twice. 

Second: Clean up the fine dust left over

If you’ve still got stubborn drywall dust after using a broom and a vacuum, continue to clean the remaining dust using one of these options: 

Do’s:

1. Option 1: Microfiber cloth: Use a dry microfiber cloth to clean the floor. Microfiber cloths are better than regular cloths for cleaning drywall dust off wooden floors due to their ability to capture and hold debris. Repeat the process if needed.
2. Option 2: Dryer sheets: If you don’t have a microfiber cloth, dryer sheets can do the trick in a pinch. 
3. Option 3: (Slightly) Damp mop: Mop with just water that is appropriate for wood floors but be sure the mop is just barely damp, NOT wet. First off, if the drywall dust gets wet it will create a pasty residue. You also should avoid getting your wood floors too wet in general because it might damage them, so you MUST dry them off with a dry rag immediately so that no moisture remains sitting on the wood.

Dont’s:

1. Wet Mop: Per the above, you should only use a very slightly damp mop to grab the remaining fine dust. A wet mop that leaves too much moisture on your floors or drips everywhere could do water damage. Getting the drywall dust wet will create a pasty residue that can
2. Steam cleaner: There are steam cleaners available that are said to be made for wood floors, and they can be used — IF your floors are still sealed and aren’t damaged. It is risky to use these if your floor isn’t well sealed and in pristine condition because otherwise, it could damage your wood with moisture.

Frequently Asked Questions