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Lexia asked: I tried to remove a rubber non-slip pad from my stained decorative concrete floors, and it left behind half of the rug pad that was still stuck to the floors. There is still lots of rubber stuck on the concrete, and I want to remove all of it without ruining the polish on my floors. I have tried to scrape them, but it is still not getting the rubber up. I am afraid that a razor blade will just scratch the floors. Any ideas?
Sticky rubber backing used for carpet or matting can create a stubborn bond with concrete once it’s heated and melted or otherwise bonded to the surface. There are plenty of ways this can happen, but no matter the cause, the solution for removing the residue is relatively simple. Here’s what you need to do.
You Will Need:
- Water
- Scraper
- Broom
- Goo Gone
- Mild soap
- Dry towel
Steps to Remove the Rubber:
- Soak the rubber or adhesive with water.
- Wait several minutes, then use the scraper to try to remove the rubber or adhesive. If you are worried about damaging the surface, choose a plastic scraper that will be less likely to scratch the surface.
- Repeat as needed until you remove the larger chunks of rubber.
- Sweep the area free of debris.
- Use Goo Gone to remove any remaining areas of adhesive.
- Follow Goo Gone with soap and water to thoroughly clean away any residue. Rinse well then blot dry with a towel.
Additional Tips and Advice
- Depending on the size of your project, you can use a razor blade, putty knife, garden hoe, or landscape edger to scrape the floor. None of these should damage a concrete surface.
- If there is a stain that remains in the concrete after the rubber is removed, it could be that the oil from the rubber soaked in over time. If so, use the guide How to Remove Olive Oil from Concrete Floor and Wrought Iron to remove the spots.
To the commenters above. Goof Off and Goo Gone are not the same thing. Make sure to buy the right product.
Goof Off stained the floor in spots. It was inadequate for most of the adhesion. Used a scrubber sponge and Dawn and it is taking forever but is working.
So… what kind of rug pad can be used on a concrete floor?
Cmechling,
If a non-slip rug pad is a must, look for ones that are specifically made for use on heated floors.
If non-slip is not necessary (such as if the rug is large, heavy, or will be held in place by heavy furniture), you can use a pad that does not contain any rubber or chemicals, such as a natural felt pad. Here are two examples from Rug Pad Corner.
After 44+ years of carpet on the basement concrete floor ~ a 3’x8′ closet ~~ soaked from previous water damages, ripped out the old carpet leaving the rubber backing. As suggested, soaked the backing with hot water and after several minutes began to remove it with a scrapper. What a mess! Used Goo Gone and Krud Kutter Adhesive Remover to get to the concrete. An all day affair, a lot of manual labor, hard work on the hands and back, and the old rubber backing came loose. As for the concrete floor, it’s clean. Suppose there isn’t an easy solution when trying to save a dollar!
I had the same result as Maggie M. I tried Goof Off on a small spot, and now I have to have a lamp sitting on that spot. The Goof Off seemed to dissolve the polyurethane (or whatever it is) finish/polish that sits on top of the concrete, leaving an ugly scar. Goof Off might work for RAW concrete floors, but don’t use it on finished, polished concrete. I’m going to try the scrubber sponge and dish soap that Chu used. Maybe I’ll try a Magic Eraser too.
I tried the Goof Off and now I have an even bigger mess. My floor is sticky as can be and I have a layer of what feels (and looks) like gum on it! Now what do I do?
Dear sir/Madam,
I have read your comments and agree with your solution. My problem is that I am working on a runway. Please advise; how may I remove the rubber deposit from the touchdown point and the oil and grease stains from the apron bay by using i.e caustic, soda ash and sulfuric acid etc.
Thanks and best regards.
The proposed solution was not adequate for our carpet tile removal from concrete. It starts to come up after a soaking of goof-off but requires way too much solution to be cost effective. Maybe a blow torch.