Vinyl is one of the most popular flooring materials due to its attractive look and low maintenance. It also offers a practical flooring surface in your room. But excess adhesive can take away the look and attraction of the vinyl flooring. The good news is that removing sticky glue is not that challenging as it is. In addition, you don’t need special tools to remove vinyl adhesive from your vinyl floor.
When you see a sticky adhesive or glue, you find yourself wondering how to remove vinyl adhesive. The first thing that comes to your mind is removing it with a plastic scraper. However, it won’t remove the glue altogether, as there will still be some residue left. However, in just a few simple steps, you can get rid of the sticky residue and restore the look of your vinyl flooring. So scroll down and have your vinyl floor spic and span in no time.
Table of Contents
Tools You Need To Remove Adhesive
- Acetone
- Spray Bottle
- Scaper or Putty Knife
- Rag or Sponge
- Gloves (Optional)
- Mask (Optional)
Remove Excess Glue
The thing with vinyl floors is that they come in different types with distinct cleaning challenges. If you purchase the vinyl flooring without the glueless click lock installation system or adhesive back, you will have to glue it yourself. With this kind of vinyl flooring, excess amounts could leak to the surface. Here’s the procedure on how to remove vinyl flooring adhesive.
How To Remove Excess Glue: The Process
- Wear Protective Tools: Before anything else, make sure you wear protective gear like gloves, masks, goggles, and old clothes. Cleaning agents have hazardous chemicals or ingredients that can damage your skin, irritate your eyes and skin, and cause many health problems.
- Use Scraper: Using a plastic scraper, remove the sticky residue on your vinyl floor by pressurizing the glue residue and removing it as much as you can. Make sure not to give too much pressure, or you may scrape the vinyl floor.
- Use Damp Cloth: Dampen a cotton cloth with a small amount of acetone-based nail polish remover. Your cloth does not need to be wet. Gently press the piece of fabric at the spot of the glue until the glue softens.
- Repeat the process: Continue using the damp cloth a few times until the sticky residue has come out from the floor. However, if the vinyl floor is still tacky, you may need to clean it a little more.
- Use Sponge: Put some warm water in a bowl and add a few drops of dish liquid. Mix well until bubbles show up. Take a dry sponge and dip it into the solution. Squeeze the sponge and mop away the vinyl floor.
- Rinse: Wash away the vinyl floor using plain water. Use a simple water-dampened cloth to wipe out the residue for the best result.
- Dry completely: Use a microfiber cloth or ragged towel to dry the floor and wipe away the moisture. Ensure that the vinyl floor is thoroughly dried and no moisture is present.
How To Remove Fresh Glue
Removing fresh glue on your vinyl floor makes sense, as it will save you more work once it dries. And do it while installing the vinyl flooring. Just make sure to focus on where the glue seeps to the surface or drips onto the flooring.
Use a damp cloth or sponge to wipe and clean away the glue. If there is too much glue to wipe entirely with a cloth, you may need to use a rag or sponge on a scraper. By doing so, you lift huge amounts of glue away so that only a small amount will remain for easy cleaning.
How To Remove Dried Glue
Dried glue is tough to remove as you may need to use a solvent solution to loosen it up. However, dried vinyl glue is transparent and will come up without breaking. If the adhesive is thick enough, you may be able to scrape it off as a single piece with a scraper or putty knife without using acetone. You can do this with just a damp cloth or sponge to wipe away remaining traces of glue on the floor.
Types of Glue For Vinyl Flooring
When learning how to get adhesive off vinyl flooring, you also need to understand the different types of glue to use on your flooring. It will help you make the best decision when removing adhesives on your vinyl floor.
Water-Based
Water-based glues do not have volatile chemicals that can be noxious and damage the environment. Therefore, these types of glues are ideal for the poorly ventilated areas of your home. Water-based adhesives are easier to clean compared to other types. However, they are more likely to weaken when moist, especially with spilled beverages or heavy mopping.
Polyurethane-Based
Polyurethane glues are strong, durable, and use isocyanate dissolved in a solvent. They are popular for large areas of vinyl flooring but more popular with wooden floors.
Acrylic-Based
Acrylic-based glues bond well with vinyl floors. Just like water-based glues, they don’t have volatile chemicals. As a result, they will not weaken with moisture or temperature changes. However, they are costlier than adhesive cement and paste.
Warning
When learning how to remove adhesive from vinyl floor tiles, avoid using abrasive cleaning agents or pads. This will scratch your vinyl finish. Also, remove the acetone-based solvent from your floor right away. Chemicals can remove the print from the floor and soften its surface. Finally, avoid using broad strokes during the removal process, which may spread the glue. Aside from that, it will make the removal process more complex.
Tips
Apply the cleaning agent on an inconspicuous spot to determine whether or not it is safe to use on the vinyl floor. You can replace acetone with an acetone-based nail polish remover. Apply it on the vinyl floor with a cotton swab. You can easily purchase them at your local hardware store.
Final Word
As it is easy to maintain, no one can doubt the appeal of vinyl floorings to homeowners. However, leftover adhesive can ruin the aesthetic and its overall impact on your home. Learning how to remove glue from your vinyl flooring can go a long way in ensuring that your vinyl floor retains its value and appearance.