How to Use drop cloth in a Sentence

drop cloth

noun
  • Spread a tarp or drop cloth in front of the fireplace and tape it down.
    — Bradley Ford, Popular Mechanics, 4 Jan. 2023
  • Prepare the area with drop cloths and painters tape, then paint the edges first.
    — Timothy Dale, The Spruce, 27 Jan. 2026
  • Use a drop cloth to cover any surfaces in the room to keep them clean.
    — Chelsea Evers, Country Living, 6 July 2022
  • This can get messy, so use a towel or drop cloth to reduce the mess.
    — Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 25 Sep. 2025
  • Cut a 20-inch square from a painter's drop cloth; turn back the edges and press with an iron.
    — Emily Vanschmus, Better Homes & Gardens, 15 June 2023
  • Use one plastic drop cloth to cover the floor in front of your fireplace.
    — Bradley Ford, Popular Mechanics, 15 Dec. 2022
  • First, lay a drop cloth under the brick wall and tape it down to prevent tripping.
    — Sara Rodrigues, House Beautiful, 16 Mar. 2021
  • An absorbent drop cloth will also trap dirt and dust, which can then be shaken out.
    — The Editors, Field & Stream, 5 May 2020
  • Put the vise parts down on a sheet of cardboard or a drop cloth and make long sweeping passes.
    — Roy Berendsohn, Popular Mechanics, 3 Jan. 2019
  • Lay down newspaper or a drop cloth to make sure the paint doesn't trickle down to your floor.
    — Tamara Gane, Southern Living, 17 Mar. 2021
  • Lay removed screens flat on a clean drop cloth, towel or patch of grass where they won’t get scratched or stepped on.
    — Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Charlotte Observer, 20 Apr. 2026
  • First, lay all the decorations on a drop cloth and spray with glitter paint.
    — Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 1 Oct. 2022
  • To avoid any extra mess, lay a drop cloth below the fireplace to protect the floor.
    — Madeleine Bokan, House Beautiful, 2 July 2019
  • Protect your work surface with plastic sheeting or a drop cloth.
    — Emily Vanschmus, Better Homes & Gardens, 15 Nov. 2022
  • Start the project by covering the countertops with the drop cloth.
    — Kelly Dawson, House Beautiful, 1 Oct. 2019
  • Spread a drop cloth onto the floor and use painter’s tape to secure it to the baseboard molding.
    — Joseph Truini, Popular Mechanics, 18 Dec. 2020
  • Instead, spread out a large plastic or, better yet, canvas drop cloth.
    — Joseph Truini, Popular Mechanics, 26 Apr. 2020
  • Once the polyurethane topcoat is dry, place a clean drop cloth on your work surface to avoid marring the finish.
    — Joseph Truini, Popular Mechanics, 5 Jan. 2023
  • And, of course, the law says nothing about the mylar balloons, plastic tarps, drop cloths, etc.
    — Ian Frazier, The New Yorker, 16 Mar. 2020
  • Lay down a drop cloth or poly sheet to prevent wet wallpaper from ruining your floors.
    — Timothy Dahl, Popular Mechanics, 21 Mar. 2023
  • Place a towel or drop cloth on the floor underneath the skylight to catch drips and debris.
    — Madeline Buiano, Martha Stewart, 18 June 2026
  • Spread drop cloths on the countertops, and use them to cover the appliances and floors, too.
    — Kelly Dawson, House Beautiful, 1 Aug. 2019
  • Spread drop cloths on the pavement, lawn or nearby shrubbery to protect them from falling gobs of goo.
    — Joseph Truini, Popular Mechanics, 25 Jan. 2019
  • Use one or more drop cloths to protect the bathroom floor, then remove the toilet lid and slide a garbage bag over the tank.
    — Timothy Dale, Better Homes & Gardens, 26 Feb. 2026
  • Remove anything that might get damaged by the dust or at least cover it with plastic drop cloths that are taped shut.
    — Houston Chronicle, 28 Dec. 2017
  • Witsken puts down the purple and picks up the orange from a drop cloth with 26 cans bunched together.
    — John Tuohy, The Indianapolis Star, 6 Mar. 2023
  • Ready your paint Once your walls are prepped and taped, lay a drop cloth under your work surface, then place your paint try on top.
    — Hadley Keller, House Beautiful, 10 Feb. 2020
  • Place the blade bolt on a drop cloth or a clean piece of shop towel and flush its threads with spray lubricant or penetrant.
    — Roy Berendsohn, Popular Mechanics, 17 Mar. 2023
  • Ceiling fans Place newspaper or a drop cloth under the ceiling fan.
    — Lauren Smith, Good Housekeeping, 16 Jan. 2018
  • Finally, lay down a drop cloth or construction paper to protect your floors.
    — Alyssa Longobucco, House Beautiful, 22 Aug. 2022

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'drop cloth.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Last Updated: