How to Remove Carpet Tiles

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Things You'll Need

  • Plastic putty knife

  • Mallet

  • Mineral spirits

  • Rag

One of the advantages of carpet squares over a traditional carpet is that you can remove an individual square and wash it if a stain occurs. Removing an entire floor of carpet squares can be quite time-consuming, but not terribly difficult. If your carpet squares are in good condition and you will no longer be using them, donate them to a family in need or a charity.

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Step 1

Hold your putty knife at a 45-degree angle, with the plastic blade as close to the corner of the carpet square as possible.

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Step 2

Push the putty knife forward, lifting as you work. This will rip the carpet square from the floor underneath. If the carpet squares won't move, hit the handle of the putty knife with your mallet. Use a hammer if a mallet is not available.

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Step 3

Remove the square and put it aside to donate to charity, or throw it away.

Step 4

Remove the next square, and so on, until all of them are removed. After the squares are removed your floors may be covered in a leftover adhesive. Scrub the floor with mineral spirits and a rag to remove leftover adhesive.

Tip

Removing carpet tiles is easiest when you choose a starting location and move uniformly from there. Removing tiles in a random fashion will mostly likely take longer. However, if you are removing only one or a few carpet tiles, start where needed.

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