I Pulled Up a Piece of Vinyl Flooring but the Floor Is Sticky: How Can I Get Rid of the Sticky Glue?

Use a putty knife to remove sticky glue.

When vinyl is installed, a glue secures and locks the flooring in place. If you remove a piece of installed vinyl, the glue underneath may remain sticky and should be removed before a different flooring is installed. Sticky floor glue requires an adhesive remover that loosens the grip the glue has on the subfloor for easier removal and cleaning.

Things You'll Need

• Citrus adhesive remover
• Rags
• Paint scraper or putty knife

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Instructions

1. Pour 1/4 cup of a citrus adhesive remover onto a rag. Wipe the rag onto the sticky glue. Pour enough adhesive remover to soak the rag liberally, lay it over the top of the glue and leave it for 30 minutes. The adhesive remover soaks into the glue, and laying the rag across the surface keeps it from drying out.

2. Remove the rag from the subfloor. Position a paint scraper or putty knife at the edge of the glue.

3. Scrape the glue from the subfloor. Wipe the removed glue from the scraper or knife with a damp rag. Continue to scrape as much of the glue as possible from the subfloor.

4. Wipe any remaining glue residue from the subfloor with a damp rag. Allow the area to dry completely before replacing the vinyl flooring.

Tips & Warnings

• You may also use mineral spirits in place of the citrus adhesive remover to soften the glue.

References

• ImproveNet; Removing Linoleum or Vinyl Flooring and Glue; Jeff Williams
• Vinyl Flooring: Vinyl Flooring Adhesive Removal -- What to Know to Make Things Easier