Removing old carpeting can reveal a hidden treasure of beautiful flooring underneath. Unfortunately, if your carpet was glued down, this beautiful treasure is covered with a layer of hard, crusty crud. Luckily, this is removable, from virtually every surface, with the right tools and a good dose of patience and hard work.
Table of Contents:
Marble, Granite, Natural Stone
What You Will Need:
- Adhesive Remover (such as TileGuard, available at home improvement stores)
- Paintbrush or Sponge
- Plastic putty knife (wider ones will work faster)
- Plastic Dish Scrubbers
- Rubber Gloves
- Old towels or rags
- Fan (for ventilation)
- Sealant for your floor type
The Removal Process:
- Begin by testing a small area of your flooring with the adhesive remover to be sure it does not damage the flooring in any way. Adhesive removers are acidic, which is not a friend of some natural stones. It may take off the sealant, which can be replaced, but make sure it does not damage the actually stone or you may have a larger problem on your hands.
- If the test spot is undamaged, then you are ready to start with the entire room.
- Begin by putting on the rubber gloves to protect your hands. You can place a fan in the room or in a nearby window to help with circulation. Sometimes adhesive removers can have strong or unpleasant fumes.
- Using a paintbrush or sponge, dampen the glue with the adhesive remover according to manufacturer’s guidelines.
- Let the solution set on the glue and soften it. You will need it become sticky before it is removable.
- Use the plastic putty knife to gently scrape away the old glue. Be careful not to damage the stone surface. It is not recommended that you use any type of sharp blade due to the increased chance of damage.
- When you have scraped off as much glue as possible, apply a small amount of adhesive remover to any remaining residue and wipe away with an old towel, rag, or plastic dish scrubber.
- Repeat this as necessary, monitoring the stone closely for any damage.
- Once your floor is free of all the glue, you may need to reapply the sealant.
- Begin by thoroughly cleaning the floor (for information on cleaning floors, see our articles on cleaning marble and granite)
- Apply the sealant following the manufacturer’s instructions on the package.
- If this job is too daunting to complete by yourself, you may want to have a professional remove the glue and/or reseal the floor.
Wood Flooring
What You Will Need:
- Adhesive Remover (available at home improvement stores) or
- Mineral Spirits (good choice if you don’t want heavy fumes)
- Paintbrush or Sponge
- Plastic putty knife (wider ones will work faster)
- Rubber Gloves
- Old towels or rags
- Fan (for ventilation)
- Sealant for your floor type
The Removal Process:
- Begin by looking closely at the glue to find out what type it is. If it’s tan or dark brown in color, then it’s probably tar based. For this type of glue, mineral spirits will work to remove it. If it’s yellow color, then it’s probably general carpet adhesive. This is removable with some chipping and scraping and adhesive remover.
- Begin by putting on the rubber gloves to protect your hands. You can place a fan in the room or in a nearby window to help with circulation. Sometimes adhesive removers can have strong or unpleasant fumes.
- You may want to try and chip away some of the glue prior to applying anything, especially if it’s general carpet adhesive.
- Then, using a paintbrush or sponge, dampen the glue with the mineral spirits or adhesive remover according to manufacturer’s guidelines.
- Let the solution set on the glue and loosen it. You will need it become loose before it is removable.
- Use the plastic putty knife to gently scrape away the old glue. Be careful not to damage the wood surface. A blade can be used to remove stubborn areas, but be sure to use it cautiously, protecting both yourself and the floor from accidents.
- When you have scraped off as much glue as possible, apply more mineral spirits or adhesive remover to an old towel or rag and gently scrub away any remaining residue.
- Repeat this as necessary, until all the glue is gone.
- You may want to mop the area with plain water and let dry completely.
- Before sanding or using any electrical equipment in the room, let the flooring dry and the room air out for 24 hours.
- If this job is too daunting to complete by yourself, you may want to have a professional remove the glue and/or refinish the floor.
Additional Tips and Advice
- When looking for adhesive removers, first check the companies that make the adhesives. They often make a remover as well.
- Adhesive removers are generally solvent based. This means they are highly flammable and the fumes are toxic so you may want to wear a face mask and ensure good ventilation.
{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
I need to remove old glue on the wooden floors .Do you have precisely an idea of what to use for that?
My sister-in-law swears by using a plastic putty knife and a heat gun – she recommended to me to buy the Black & Decker one – it is inexpensive and she still uses it today (10yrs later). She did both her dining room and living room with this method and stated it worked great. If you have issues with fumes as I do, there is a brand of Orange adhesive remover that you can use for the tougher spots and it is a little easier on the nose but still would recommend using a mask.
HELP
we need help at cleaning up dark brown glue from under my carpet.
Solution
If the glue is yellow, use ammonia at full strength. Just pour it on and let it level itself out, do not spread it thin. Let it sit for 20-30 minutes, then scrape off with a heavy duty scraper. Tungsten carbide scrapers are available at Lowe’s and Sherwin Williams and are worth the investment. Push/pull scrapers also work well. Ammonia is much cheaper than industrial adhesive removers. If you decide to use paint remover or industrial adhesive remover, put it on very thick and cover it with wax paper, this will prevent it from fuming as bad and drying out. It can even be left over night in this state. Use adequate ventilation and a canister type respirator when using ammonia or any industrial solvent. Once the majority of the glue is removed you can sand. Hope this helps.
sanding glue off?
I have been told that a commercial type round sander would sand the glue off, is this possible? I am just going to lay down a vinyl floor.