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Nick asked: How do I remove adhesive from stick-on vinyl tiles on my slate floor?
Slate flooring can be difficult to treat because it easily becomes damaged or stained if not treated properly. Because of its sensitive nature, it’s important to always conduct a test area first to ensure there are no adverse effects to the slate. If the test area turns out well, you’re safe to proceed to the affected area.
You Will Need:
- Mineral spirits
- Soft cloth
- Plastic scraper
- Slate floor cleaner
Steps to Remove the Adhesive:
- Moisten a soft cloth with mineral spirits.
- Blot the adhesive with the cloth to moisten the entire area.
- Allow the mineral spirits to set on the area for a few minutes.
- Scrape the area gently with the plastic scraper to remove the adhesive.
- Moisten a second cloth with the mineral spirits and rub it over the surface to remove any remaining residue.
- Clean the floor as normal or use a slate floor cleaner to remove any residue from the mineral spirits.
Additional Tips and Advice
- It may be helpful to seal the floor once the adhesive is removed. There are slate floor sealers available at home improvement and flooring stores.
We had a rubber mat under our treadmill on a slate floor and with the equipment now gone, we have discovered a white stain where the mat had been.
Any suggestions as to how to repair this?
Non-skid rubber was under a rug in my kitchen. After removing it, sticky pieces remained. I tried mineral spirits without much luck. Is there another way to get this done? Also, once done: what would you recommend I use to give it a high-gloss finish?
Thanks,
donAnthony
DonAnthony,
This is the article you need How to Remove Rubber from Slate Flooring. Even though you’ve already tried mineral spirits, it sounds like using a scraper is key. If that still doesn’t work, you could try Goo Gone, as recommended in the article How to Remove Rubber from Concrete, but be sure to test it on a small, hidden area of the floor first to look for any adverse effects. Again though, it sounds like using a scraper is the key. Good luck!