My fiancé is currently renovating his house, which is stripped down to the studs. He insists on using a pressure washer to clean the studs after demolition to clear out the dust. He claims he will stand back, open all the windows, and run fans to avoid making a wet mess that could lead to mold. However, I, along with others, think this is a risky move. Has anyone dealt with this situation before? Is there a better way to clean the studs?
3 Answers
Pressure washing wood studs is a bad idea! Wood is porous and can absorb too much water, leading to mold and rot very quickly. Instead, using a shop vac is far more effective and won't create a wet mess that could cause issues down the line.
Honestly, he should just let it go. Heavy pressure washing in the house is just asking for trouble. If this was my place, I'd just use a stiff brush with a shop vac. It seems way less hassle and way less risk.
Right? The last thing he wants is moisture in the walls. Trust me, he doesn't want a mold issue to deal with later!
Seriously, why is he stressing about some dust on the studs? It's not going to impact air quality much. A good vacuum will do the trick. Plus, introducing moisture can lead to bigger problems like mold. I had similar worries, but I settled for just vacuuming and it worked fine. Oh, and consider using Boracare to treat the wood, that's what I did!
He's living there and is really sensitive to dust due to asthma. That's why he’s so eager to clean it up. I totally get why he’s concerned!
Sounds like he needs to take some time to rethink this approach. If he really is going to take weeks for the project, he should have plenty of time for everything to dry out!