If youโre wondering how to remove old carpet padding from hardwood floors, then youโve come to the right place.
I was in the same exact situation after my family and I moved into a very beautiful house with finished hardwood floors underneath the carpet.
Of course, the first thing we did was to remove the old carpet and padding. We were in for a rude shock when we found that some small pieces of the old carpet padding were literally stuck to the wood floor.
We tried scraping them off with a putty knife and some soapy water but this didnโt help much as we expected. It was pretty clear that the installers glued down the carpet padding as it.
With so many rooms with the same old stuck padding and high traffic areas that seemed like the padding had crystallized, we decided to look for a more effective and faster solution.
We didnโt want to hire a professional to get the job done since we were low on cash so after some research, we discovered that one of the best ways to remove glued down carpet padding is by using Denatured Alcohol. I specifically used the Klean-Strip Green QKGA75003 Denatured Alcohol which I found to be very effective.
As a solvent, denatured alcohol works really well by dissolving the glue on the carpet padding parts stuck on your floors. By softening and loosening the glue, it becomes extremely easy to scrap the paddings off and washing the surface clean with just soapy water (avoid using too much water as it can damage your floors) and a floor cleaner.
Even better, denatured alcohol was also able to remove the rug pad marks on the hardwood floors.
Of course, it did require quite some effort and time to completely remove the stuck padding on the floor but it was well worth it.
NB: The solvent is perfectly safe for your hardwood floors and wonโt damage or strip off the finish.
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How to Remove Carpet Padding that is Glued Down (A Step by Step Guide)
In this section, youโre going to learn how to easily remove old carpet padding that is stuck on hardwood floors.
What Youโll Need;
- ย A staple remover to remove the carpet staples if any. Use this cheap and highly effective staple remover which makes the job extremely easy and fast- Ktrio Staple Remover Professional Magnetic
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- ย Denatured Alcohol- Iโve recommended using the Klean-Strip Green QKGA75003 Denatured Alcohol
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- ย Putty Knife which is a plastic scraper knife that does a really good scraping off those stuck carpet rug paddings. I used the FOSHIO 2PCS Plastic Razor Scrapers Knife which makes scraping much faster and easier. Since itโs made of plastic, it wonโt scratch your hardwood floors.
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- ย Bona Hardwood Floor Cleaner which is a ready-to-use water based hardwood floor cleaner that effectively removes dirt, grime, and dust to remove your hardwood floorโs natural shine and beauty. Itโs fast-drying and does not leave any residue. NB: Although I highly recommend this floor cleaner to restore your hardwood floor, you donโt really have to use it as using some soapy water can also leave the floors clean. Just make sure you donโt use a lot of water or leave water standing on the floor for a long time as this may cause extensive water damage since hardwood floor is highly porous.
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- ย A Cloth or floor cleaner
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- ย Gloves
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- ย Facemask
ย How to Remove Old Carpet Padding Stuck to Wood Floor
Step 1
Start by removing the staples on the carpet padding. The staples are usually only along the perimeter of the padding sections.
Grab a section of the carpet padding at the corner and simply pull it up by hand. Some of the staples might get pulled up alongside the padding so be sure to wear some toughย pair of gloves to avoid hurting yourself.
If the padding is too large, cut it up in manageable sections with a utility knife.
Roll the padding and secure it in place with a duct tape.
NB: Remember to wear a face mask and a pair of safety glasses to avoid inhaling the dust or getting dust stuck in your eyes. Plus the old padding may be filled with all types of germs and other dangerous microbes so you want to be careful.
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Step 2
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With the carpet padding out of the way, grab a putty knife and try to carefully scrape off as much of the stuck carpet padding as possible. Avoid scraping vigorously to avoid scratching the floor.
The pieces that are too hard to remove will be softened with denatured alcohol.
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Step 3
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Apply denatured alcohol to the padding in order to soften it. Leave it for a few minutes before scrapping it off with a putty knife. Itโll be much easier and faster.
If it still doesnโt work, use more of the solvent.
NB: Donโt leave the denatured alcohol on the floor for too long. Most solvents like denatured alcohol evaporate pretty fast which will cause the padding to harden once more. Usually, 15 minutes or less is more than enough
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Step 4
Use the plastic putty knife again to remove the softened padding.
Use a paper towel to pick up the padding material on the floor.
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Step 5
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There may be still some adhesive residue left on the floor after removing the padding. Donโt worryโฆthis is the easier part as the hardest part is now over.
To remove the residue, soak a piece of cloth with denatured alcohol and use it to wipe off the glue residue until all the residue is gone.
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Step 6
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Clean the entire floor with soapy water to remove dirt, grime, and even dust on the floor. Use dish soap as it does a great job loosening up grime, dirt, and even adhesives.
You can either use a cloth or microfiber pad to clean the floor. Alternatively, you can make the cleaning process much easier and faster byย using the Bona Hardwood Floor Spray Mop which does a great job cleaning hardwood floors and even removing stubborn stains and spots.
NB: If you decide to use soapy water, avoid letting it stand on the floor. Hardwood floors can be easily damaged by excessive water exposure. Instead, scrub the floor with a cloth or microfiber pad soaked in soapy water, dry the floor, rinse, and then dry it again. This will ensure that the water only remains on the surface.
Here is a video showing how to easily remove old carpet padding;
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How to Remove Old Carpet Padding from Hardwood Floors?- Bottom Line
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Removing stuck old carpet padding from hardwood floors is certainly not an easy task. However, with the right tools and products, you can get it done in a breeze.
Follow the above instructions on how to remove old carpet padding from hardwood floors.
