How to Remove Carpet Tape From Vinyl Flooring
Carpet tape is a necessary product to use when installing or replacing a carpet. Designed to hold heavy carpet in place through the wear and tear of the installation project and the lifetime to follow, this tape can be extremely sticky and hard to remove. Once the carpet is installed, removal is generally not a problem unless the tape has gotten somewhere it doesn't belong: your vinyl kitchen floor, for example. Some careful cleaning can help get the tape and its sticky residue off your vinyl floors. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Plastic scraper or putty knife
- Hair dryer
- Rubbing alcohol or WD-40
- Rag or cotton swabs
Instructions
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1
Pry the edges of the tape with a plastic scraper or putty knife. If necessary, direct the heat from a hair dryer at the strip of tape to loosen the adhesive.
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2
Pull as much of the strip of tape free as you can. The heat alone may allow you to remove the whole strip of tape, leaving just a sticky residue.
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3
Apply rubbing alcohol or WD-40 to a cotton swab or clean rag, depending on the size of the sticky spot. Rub the solvent onto the sticky area and wait 15 minutes to allow time for it to dissolve the tape residue.
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4
Scrape up remaining tape or tape residue with the scraper or putty knife. Add more alcohol or WD-40 until the whole sticky section is cleaned up.
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5
Wipe the area clean with a rag or cloth soaked in warm water to clean any residual alcohol or WD-40.
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Tips & Warnings
If you use WD-40 to clean the tape residue, it will leave a very slippery sheen on your floor. Be sure to clean it up immediately.
