How to Remove Adhesive from Wood Floors
Wood floors in modern homes are often covered with carpet that is held on with adhesive material. Whenever the carpet is taken off from the floor, the adhesive material stays behind. This means that you now have to remove the adhesive material somehow before anything else can be done to the floor. The task is fairly simple if approached in the right manner. Here is what you will need for the job.
Things Required:
– Mineral spirits
– Rags
– Putty knife
– Peanut butter
– Scrubbing brush
– Ice
– Water
– Soap
– Lint-free towel
Instructions
-
1
Before you can attempt to remove the adhesive from the wood floor, you need to clean the floor properly. After you remove the carpet or vinyl from the wood floor, you will see a fair amount of dust and debris that has accumulated. In order to remove all the grime, prepare a mixture of soap and water and apply it to the wood floor as you scrub the floor with a non-metal scrubbing brush. After you are done scrubbing the floor, most of the dirt and debris should have been removed. Allow time for the floor to dry.
-
2
After the wood floor has dried, you can start removing the adhesive. Make use of all-natural peanut butter for this purpose. The butter will loosen the bonding agent holding the adhesive secured to the floor. Working in small sections, firmly rub the peanut butter onto the adhesive with your fingers in a circular motion. After rubbing for a short duration, the adhesive will start to come off the floor in tiny balls.
-
3
Another possible method of removing adhesive from the wood floor is to freeze the adhesive. This can be accomplished by placing ice in a thin rag which in turn covers a small section of the wood floor. Allow about 10 minutes for the adhesive to freeze. Then remove the rag and rub that section of the wood floor with the tips of your finger or a putty knife. Frozen adhesive will start to come off.
-
4
If none of these methods work, use mineral spirits to get rid of the adhesive. However, this method should be used only as a last resort because mineral spirits can damage the finish of the wood floor. Apply a small quantity of mineral spirits on a lint-free towel and scrub the floor with that towel. You can also use a non-metal scrubbing brush instead of a lint-free towel.
