In what might be an unsafe method for popcorn ceiling removal, a man in Las Vegas, Nevada, helped his neighbor with the chore using a very unconventional method: wetting, scraping, and hoping for the best.
The otherwise heartwarming neighbor interaction was shared on TikTok by user jeredjoneshomes (Jered). He explained that his neighbor, who had already taken care of his own ceiling, offered to remove his popcorn ceiling out of the kindness of his heart.
This was well-received by Jered, who immediately agreed. He was then introduced to “The Renfroe Method.” In simple terms, the controversial method involves using a hose to wet the ceiling and then scraping it with a tool, little by little.
The enthusiastic man went to work and immediately blasted water onto the ceiling. Then, with the help of a small ladder, he began scraping the “popcorn” out of the ceiling. According to Jered, the job was done in 15 minutes. Meanwhile, the process of removing the popcorn ceiling and letting it fall to the ground was oddly satisfying.
“I couldn’t let Brian have all the fun, so I hopped upon that ladder and had a few swipes myself,” Jered explained, as he is shown scraping off his now-popcornless ceiling.
Jered went on to praise his neighbor, Brian, for the relationship they have crafted. Both men have helped each other in the past, with the popcorn ceiling removal sealing their friendship.
Asbestos Concerns, Reactions
As he is shown removing the residue in tarps, Jered hopes they didn’t make a huge mistake. He joked, wondering if they had accidentally inhaled asbestos during “The Renfroe Method.”
The fact is, many of the installed popcorn ceilings do, in fact, contain asbestos for fire resistance and sound dampening. And while Jered did say that the man responsible for the house’s finish guaranteed that no asbestos was sprayed on the popcorn, saying “that’s good enough for me” is probably not the most reassuring way to put it.
As expected, many users pointed out this fact and were worried that both Nevada men had been exposed to asbestos.
“I fear masks should be used,” one user commented. Another one said, “Hopefully you dried everything out really well to avoid mold contamination.” A third one added, “I’m an asbestos abatement worker and let me tell you bbooiiiii.”
One can only hope that Jered is right. Otherwise, they should probably schedule a doctor’s appointment.
