Sheetrock dust can be a homeowner's worst nightmare. The fine drywall dust can become suspended in the air for long periods of time, coating every surface in your home. Tile and Grout can be a real challenge to effectively clean due to the porosity of the grout joints. Sheetrock dust is water-soluble, and becomes impossible to see once the floor is wet. During mopping, the water solubilizes the drywall dust, and soaks deep into the porous grout. The ONLY thing that can evaporate is the water. The sheetrock dust remains trapped deep within the grout.
"The floors looked great when wet, but when they dry the haze is right back!"
So if simply mopping the floors proves to be ineffective, what's the correct method & cleaning solutions? Glad you asked, because today we'll be covering professional approaches you can try without the expensive equipment generally utilized.
CONTROL AIRFLOW: make sure to close all windows, turn off fans & the AC to prevent the dust from becoming airborne as much as possible.
LARGE PARTICLE REMOVAL: using a soft bristled broom, gently sweep up as much as possible, careful not to create clouds of dust.
VACUUM: vacuums have exhaust ports that can redistribute fine particles during vacuuming. you'll want to use a shop vac with a fine dust filter or HEPA filter. They have attachments available for the exhaust port that will collect any fine particles that try to escape.
APPLY CLEANING SOLUTION: using a neutral PH cleaning solution, work in small areas of about 25-50 sqft, so that your solution doesn't dry before it can be extracted.
AGITATE THE GROUT: using a stiff nylon brush, thoroughly agitate each grout joint to loosen the emulsified sheetrock dust.
EXTRACT THE DIRTY SOLUTION: BEFORE your cleaning solution dries, you'll want to extract the standing water and completely dry the floor. The idea being that the dust is "suspended" in the water, and must be removed before the water evaporates and leaves the sheetrock dust trapped in the grout AGAIN! The best method to extract and dry is with the use of white terry cloth towels that can be purchased in large bundles at any local hardware store. Just make sure to thoroughly dry the area you just worked in before moving to the next.
You may need to repeat this process. There are many different types of grout and manufacturers, so if the hazing persists you may need to seek the help of a local professional.
Wanna see how the pros do it?