Sometimes you'll glance up and notice a truly hideous brownish stain on your ceiling that has appeared seemingly out of nowhere. These stains are a fairly common occurrence in homes, especially homes in which a lot of deferred maintenance has piled up. There are exactly two causes -- both with their own remedies -- of these types of stains.
Water Damage
The single most common cause of discolorations on the ceiling is water damage, either from a leaking pipe somewhere near the stain or water from another source such as a leaking roof or the run-off from a bathtub. The stain is caused by the water seeping through the floor and permeating the gypsum-based drywall boards used for ceiling material. These stains will eventually dry out, but will not disappear unless you take steps to make them disappear.
Mold Damage
The second cause of ceiling discoloration may be related to moisture, but is not necessarily caused by it. Mold may form on your ceiling and discolor it that curious brownish-yellow color due to exposure to moisture or due to long periods without cleaning.
Water Damage Remedies
First, you must locate and fix the leak. If the leak is in the plumbing behind the ceiling, you'll have to tear out the ceiling and fix the leak, then re-drywall the ceiling. If the leak is on the roof or from an overactive child in the bathtub, for instance, then you can simply wait for the spot to dry out completely and re-paint over the stained area. Fix the roof leak while you're at it so to prevent further stains.
Mold Damage Remedies
You're going to have to kill the mold if you want the stain to go away. The usual solution is to mix up a cleaning solvent of warm water and bleach, and then apply that mix to the infected area. The bleach will kill the mold, after which you can simply wipe away the stain and it will be like it never existed.
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