I've never tried dish soap myself, but I get why it might help smooth things out. Personally, I just thin the mud slightly with water for the final coat—makes it glide on easier and reduces sanding later. Sponge sanding is definitely a lifesaver, though. I learned that trick after coating my entire living room in drywall dust... never again.
"I learned that trick after coating my entire living room in drywall dust... never again."
Haha, been there! I tried using one of those sanding pole attachments once, thinking it'd save time. Nope—just managed to evenly distribute drywall dust EVERYWHERE. Sponge sanding was a game changer after that fiasco...
Sponge sanding was a game changer after that fiasco...
I've actually had pretty decent luck with those sanding poles, but there's definitely a learning curve. The trick is to go super slow and use really fine grit paper—like 220 or higher. I tried sponge sanding too, but honestly found it took me forever to get the joints perfectly smooth. Maybe I was doing it wrong? Still, I think a sanding pole can work if you're patient and careful. Either way, drywall dust is inevitable... just gotta embrace the mess, I guess.
I've been there with the sanding pole—definitely doable if you're patient, but man, it can test your sanity. Sponge sanding saved me last time too, but I get what you're saying about it taking forever. One thing I learned is to wet the sponge just enough to dampen it, not soak it. Seems to speed things up a bit. Either way, drywall dust is like glitter...you're gonna find it everywhere for months. Hang in there, sounds like you're on the right track.
I feel your pain on the drywall dust...still finding it behind furniture from a project I did two years ago. One trick that helped me was using a shop vac with a drywall dust bag attachment—didn't eliminate the mess completely, but definitely cut down on the glitter effect.