How to Remove Adhesive from Laminate Flooring

It’s useful to know how to remove adhesive from all surfaces. Extra adhesive on laminate floors, for example, can look unsightly and you need to remove it to keep everything looking attractive. You can use materials you already have in the home in order to remove the adhesive. All it takes is a little time and effort.

Step 1 - Small Spots

If there are only tiny spots of glue on your laminate floor, knowing how to remove the adhesive is a simple job. All you need to do is dab a little nail polish remover on a cloth and rub at the adhesive. The liquid and the rubbing will soften the adhesive and after a little application, it should come off easily.

Step 2 - Larger Areas

Where you have larger areas of glue, removing adhesive becomes a bigger job. You can use mineral spirits, paint thinner or lighter fluid to remove it. Soak a clean cloth in the liquid and spread it on the adhesive. Leave for several minutes to allow the liquid to soak into the glue. Be careful not to have any open flames or cigarettes around as these fluids are highly flammable.

Remove the cloth and scrape the adhesive with the paint scraper. You only need to scrape very lightly otherwise you can damage the laminate flooring. Take off as much of the adhesive as you can and clean the scraper. Soak the cloth again and lay it on the adhesive once more, letting it remain in place for several minutes. This will soften more of the adhesive and you should be able to scrape off more of it.

Repeat the procedure until you’ve taken off most of the adhesive. Now, wring out the cloth with the solvent and rub any remaining adhesive until it’s all been removed. Wipe the area with a clean, dry cloth to remove the last of the solvent.

Step 3 - Super Glue

If the adhesive is super glue, the easiest way to remove it is with a single-sided razor blade. Slide the blade between the glue and the floor and gently remove as much of the glue as possible. Use nail polish remover on any glue that remains on the laminate flooring.

Step 4 - Carpet Glue

When you’re learning how to remove adhesive from laminate flooring, old carpet glue can be tricky. The simplest solution is to put dry ice on the carpet glue. Make sure you’re wearing heavy-duty gloves before you handle dry ice. Put it on a metal tray on top of the glue and leave for a few minutes.

This will freeze the glue and make it very brittle so you’ll be able to gently chip it away after you remove the tray. If you can’t get it all, repeat the procedure until you have removed it all. Clean off any residue with your solvent.