Have you ever found that a room you’ve just cleaned still smells bad, and wondered whether the ceiling tiles could be responsible? It might seem weird, but sometimes you have to think outside the box. Do ceiling tiles hold smell?
Ceiling tiles can hold on to odors, either from the manufacturing process or as a result of absorbing odors in your home. This is frustrating, but it’s important to be aware of it because you won’t get rid of lingering scents otherwise! Cooking and cigarette smells are particularly prone to being trapped in the ceiling.
If you’re struggling with the smell of your ceiling tiles, you’re in the right place, because we’re going to look at what causes this and how to solve it today!
Do Odors Cling To Ceiling Tiles?
Sometimes, even when you’ve cleaned a room and made it fresh and pleasant, there’s still just that lingering scent that you can’t get rid of, no matter what you do. Increasing numbers of people are becoming aware of the problems associated with strongly scented products (e.g. air fresheners, candles, etc.) and trying to avoid them, but how can you solve odors in the home without?
You may have already tried:
- Scented candles
- Air fresheners
- Incense
- Opening the windows
- Essential oil diffusers
If none of these things are helping, there’s a chance that you’re just trying to mask an odor, and it’s still being emitted – and if you’ve already cleaned everything in your home, it’s pretty likely to be coming from the ceiling tiles. Unfortunately, they can hold onto smells surprisingly well.
Ceiling tiles that have just been installed often have a strong odor that people find highly unpleasant, but even old ceiling tiles can be the source of smell problems, because the particles that result from smoke and cooking may drift up and get trapped in the tiles. This will eventually lead to the tiles emitting scent.
This can be a major issue, especially if you have ceiling tiles in multiple rooms of your home, so let’s find out why this happens and how you can solve it.
Why Do New Ceiling Tiles Smell Bad?
New ceiling tiles may smell bad because they are sometimes made using a starch binder and cellulose. This emits something called butyric acid when it gets too damp (often because the room is humid) and it smells strongly of vomit.
Obviously, most people find this highly unpleasant and do not want ceiling tiles that smell like vomit. The odor should fade with plenty of ventilation and care, but some installers ventilate tiles before installing them to help reduce this issue.
If you are going to install new tiling, follow any directions provided by the manufacturer about airing them out prior to installation, and consider choosing ones that do not incorporate starch. Some people find that their tiles smell fine initially, but start to emit an odor when the weather becomes humid.
This is an ongoing problem that many people are frustrated by, so do some thorough research before adding tiles to your home.
Why Do Old Ceiling Tiles Smell Bad?
Old ceiling tiles often smell bad because they have absorbed odors from the room below. Of course, a lot of smells get wafted upward, and since smells are the result of tiny particles in the air, it’s no surprise that these can get lodged in the tiles. As they build up, the tiles will gradually begin to emit a noticeable odor.
Smoke is one of the biggest issues (both as a result of cooking and a result of cigarettes) and it travels upwards, hitting the tiles directly. You will need to clean your ceiling tiles to get rid of this smell, removing the particles that are causing the problem.
How Do You Clean Ceiling Tiles?
If you are going to clean the tiles yourself, make sure that you wear eye protection and you use a safe, stable ladder. Next, choose a suitable cleaner. Many people opt for peroxide cleaners, as these are particularly good at reducing the smell of smoke.
Spray the peroxide over the ceiling, making sure that you do not get it on yourself, and wait for 10 minutes. Next, wipe the ceiling clean and see if you have solved the problem. If not, repeat the process or choose a different cleaner.
Vinegar can be a good, all-natural option, and it’s great at eliminating odors. Mix 1 part vinegar with 2 parts water, and then spray it all over the ceiling. Be careful not to breathe it in, as vinegar can irritate the throat. Again, allow 10 minutes to pass, wipe the ceiling, and see if the odor has decreased. You may need to wait for the vinegar scent to fade.
Don’t soak your ceiling tiles with either cleaning solution, or you could cause mold problems. A quick spritz is usually all that is needed to combat odors.
FAQs
Q: Do ceiling tiles absorb moisture?
A: Ceiling tiles are generally pretty moisture resistant and don’t tend to absorb it, no. However, if you get the ceiling tiles very wet, they might take in moisture and start to form mold.
Q: Can you get sick from ceiling tiles?
A: Ceiling tiles are a potential source of respiratory diseases if they are not properly maintained. You may need to remove and replace old ceiling tiles, because it can be difficult to get rid of the mold in them.
Q: Why are ceiling tiles used?
A: Ceiling tiles are a great option because they can reduce noise and may be able to lower the risk of fires spreading. They also provide a clean, professional appearance and they tend to be reasonably inexpensive.
Conclusion
Ceiling tiles certainly can hold on to scent, so be aware of this if you find that a room smells bad and you cannot pinpoint the source. Both new and old ceiling tiles can smell bad, for different reasons, so make sure you check them and then either air out or clean the tiles to solve the problem.
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