When repairing walls of your home, there comes a time when you need to apply drywall mud on them. But drywall mud leaves hard, rough, and jagged edges on the wall, making them look unprofessional. In addition, when sanding drywall mud of your home, it releases lots of dust that can cover your entire home in dirt, which can cause loads of problems for your home, your family, and the items there. It can irritate your eyes, nose, and respiratory tract, damage electronics, and cover the entire home with a thick layer of dust. But there are ways through which you can reduce the amount of drywall dust from the walls. You can do so by using a sponge instead of sandpaper when smoothing your drywall mud. The use of a sponge for smoothing walls is called wet sanding. This process softens the mud of the wall to dampen the dust and keep it under control. You can get these sponges through any hardware store, but if it is unavailable in your area, then a kitchen sponge with an abrasive side can also do the trick.
Follow these steps to make your drywall mud smoother:
- First, you need to let the drywall mud dry out. Then place a bucket of warm water on the floor beside the drywall patch or seam. Now, you need to dip the sponge in the water. Take it out and bring it to a semi-dampen state but not dripping.
- Now, you need to rub the abrasive side of the sponge over the drywall mud. Use long and firm strokes to cover large areas. Next, rub the drywall with the damp sponge until it softens and smooths out.
- You also need to check the sponge regularly to ensure that it has drywall mud sticking to its surface. When you see that the mud is not sticking to it anymore, rinse the sponge in the bucket of warm water and wring it out again. Then continue sanding the wall. Continue these steps till you cover the entire drywall mud and make it smooth. Also, let it dry before you prime and paint it.
Reference:
Mitchell, S.T.E.P.H.A.N.I.E. 29 July. Make-drywall-mud-smooth-sponge-47201. . How to Make Drywall Mud Smooth With a Sponge. [Online]. [2019]. Available from: https://homeguides.sfgate.com/wallpaper-seams-separating-85178.html