Removing Carpet Padding Stuck to A Hardwood Floor

Just moving in and wanting to remove old carpet padding? You can have the option to let it be removed by experts but this entails a great cost so you may want to do it yourself. Doing it yourself is pretty easy actually.

All you need are a utility knife, a hammer, a pry bar, a vacuum cleaner and a pair of pliers. First, pull back the carpet padding using pliers. Then begin cutting out the carpet padding into small strips. In removing the staples attached to your carpet padding, use the pliers too. And on the portions of the carpet padding which are glued, you can actually sprinkle mineral water to the spot before removing them. Just make sure that if you scrape the carpet, it will not scratch the floors too. For scraping, vinegar or paint thinner or even power sanders can be used as solvent. You can actually use warm water mixed with dish detergent too. The power sander is a lot quicker but a lot messier and noisier too. For the liquid solvent, wet the surface but don’t let the solvent sink. For the power sander, remember to vacuum often so that no dust from the power sander is left on your carpet because the dust may sting your eyes. Also remember that when using solvents, be sure your room is completely ventilated. I’m not implying here that solvents are toxic but it is better to be cautious than to be sorry. Otherwise, there are special knives available for this in the market called scrapers. There are also some scrapers out there which are made of plastic (yes, the ones used to scrape off paints). Repeat the process as you determine it to be.

Bear in mind too that the previous owner of the home you’re moving in may have nailed their carpets. Just keep the nails and try to think that they are there for decorative purposes. Removing them may cause damage to the carpet itself.

If you cannot do it on your own you may call your friends, husband or your brother and haul it off your house. That’s basically it.