What causes brownish- yellowish water drops to form on bath ceiling?

Question

Water droplets form in bathroom ceiling that are brownish and yellowish in color.

Tommi L. Perkins · Answer

Do you smoke.Nicotine will do this.

Sue Pircio · Answer

If you have gas forced-air heating, then it's from that - a residue is left on the walls. You should be able to just wash them off. To prevent them you need an exhaust vent, or one that does a better job - and make sure everyone turns it on when they bathe!

Cindy M Cook · Answer

Smoke from cigarettes, candles or your duct work for your furnace.

Janet Pizaro · Answer

I agree with all of the above...

Johnchip · Answer

It is obviously impure air in the house. Likely need to have duct work cleaned. Not a cheap fix ($1K) to do it right if it is this big a deal. But you get what you pay for, as you have found out with the old house. But the same crud you see on the ceiling is also going into your food and lungs.

Rhondagreig · Answer

It means that your walls are painted with an oil based paint and its the oil coming from the paint u need to redo the walls with a non oil base paint and a mildew resistant paint made especially for bathrooms that is why u get the yellowish brown spots its the oil in the paint coming thru.

Sharon OConnor · Answer

Soap. Especially body wash. Hot shower, heat rises, bubbles from soap rise and pop on ceiling! Found this out by washing ceiling with plain water, but my rag was soapy when rinsing it!

Kim3975183 · Answer

Any ideas on how to get rid of the spots/ droplets. I have waged the walls and it comes back

Sonia Burrows · Answer

komorwade1, I just posted a question on something similar, except mine show up on our kitchen blinds. I don't smoke or use candles. We winter in Phoenix. Sure would like to know what's causing them. http://www.hometalk.com/diy/clean/house/q-strange-marks-on-blinds-13006281

Carri Reed · Answer

I have never got yellow or brown  water spots from oil based paints or body wash. What I have got them from is someone smoking in my bathroom before or after showering. If you are a smoker try not smoking in the bathroom, if your not I would suspect someone in the house is. The hot steamy water  and  soap makes a good cover for all different types of smoke if you get what I mean. Hope this helpsand does not cause anyone else any trouble

Cindi · Answer

I have to agree with Carri. I am an ex-smoker, and always smoked in the bathroom while getting ready for work, and use to get brownish yellow spots on the ceiling, from the mix of tar and water. In fact, when I cleaned it when I moved out (I was renting), it was so full of tar I had to use a mop on the walls and ceiling, totally disgusting. You would have thought that would have made me quit smoking, but at least I did a few years later. Anywhere there is a smoker in the house, the tar gets on everything, I thought the TV screen was the worse, until that bathroom.

Cindi · Answer

BTW, I now own my own home, and have never smoked in it, or allowed anyone else to, and have never had that problem again.

Pat Zagami · Answer

It is caused by steam. In the bathroom and kitchen from hot water steam.

UpState · Answer

The junk in cigarette smoke.

Marion Nesbitt · Answer

Get those in the kitchen only because of the steam mixing with tobacco smoke residue and air borne grease from cooking. Am a smoker but don't appear any where else.

Tommi L. Perkins · Answer

if you are not the first owner of the home and the owner who did smoke before you, painted the walls without completely washing them and then first sealing them BEFORE they painted with the new paint, that tar and nicotine will continue to come through the paint. It is just like a water spot on your ceiling, if you do not seal it before you paint it will cover at first but will come back through the new paint. I would suggest consulting a professional painter with the knowledge and background to assist you in solving this problem.

Ju · Answer

When condensation from a hot shower or bath forms on the walls and begins streaking or dripping down the wall, drip marks occur. These lines result after thewater evaporates. Mineral deposits remain on the walland build up over time without proper cleaning maintenance. ... Wipe your walls down after every shower or bath.

Ju · Answer

The same applies to the spots on ceilings. It’s the high humidity levels - have a fan on or open the window. Rarely to do with smoking!

Ha · Answer

Wow, the number of different answers is amazing. I have a similar problem in my bathroom. My droplets/stains are sticky. I've lived in the house for 19 years and this problem only started happening a year or so ago. The only thing that changed was I had the house painted. Thus, I assume the issue has to do with the paint that was used on the bathroom ceiling - like a couple of the answers above mentioned. The ceiling is very glossy, so I assume it was oil based and the droplets are the oil. HOWEVER, the metal ceiling fan vent also has some of the droplets, and it was not painted with the ceiling paint. I bought it new.

I read somewhere online that maybe the stains are caused by a high metal content in the bathroom water and the metal is left on the ceiling from the steam. I just ordered a water test kit to see.

Gia · Answer

I have the same issue but even though I am a smoker I’ve never smoked in this apartment. I think the previous tenants might have though as on the walk-through there were some carpet burns (familiar with them as I smoked in my old apartment that didn’t have a smoking clause whereas as this one does so I only smoke outside or I don’t smoke). I’ve lived here almost 2.5 years though and it only happened today

Cher Edger · Answer

I found this answer on another forum when researching what the spots on my ceiling were. Apparently it is called 'paint weeping' here is a response from someone at Behr paint about why this happens.

All latex paints (and stains) contain detergent-like substances called surfactants. They can be tan or brown in color, and can appear glossy, soapy, or sticky. These are necessary to the paint formula and are used in the process of making paint. Under certain curing conditions, such as low temperatures or condensing moisture, a leaching process occurs which results in a build-up of surfactants on the surface of the paint film.

Surfactants are not part of the paint film, and their coming out of the paint film does no harm. In most cases, these substances come out of the paint film slowly and are often washed away undetected.

Once the paint has fully dried, wash the affected area with warm water. The problem may occur once or twice more before the surfactants are completely removed.

Sincerely,

Eric

BEHR Web Communications

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What causes brownish- yellowish water drops to form on bath ceiling?

What causes and how to get rid of Strange marks on blinds?

Suggested Project Book