How to Remove Glue from Floor - Cleaning Laminate Floors

Glue-down laminate floors are preferred among homeowners due to their durability and better "feel." Because they are solidly anchored to your floor, the laminate boards feel more like hardwood when walked on. Conversely, floating boards (which are not glued) can feel very hollow and cheap.

During the installation of glue-down laminate boards, some of the glue may have seeped from the edges and stained the top surface of the floor. Unless you know how to remove glue from floor, it may feel like an impossible task.

But here's the good news: this guide can show you exactly how to remove glue from floor and get your home looking spotless again.

Homeowners prefer glue-down laminate floors because they are more durable and have a better "feel."

What You'll Need for This DIY Floor Rescue

Before you head out and buy an industrial-strength bottle of glue remover and scrubbers, hang on for a few seconds. There's a good chance that you already have everything you need in your kitchen!

By mixing a few common household ingredients together, you can whip up a powerful (but still gentle) glue cleaner for your laminate floors. Here's your glue removal arsenal:

• A spray bottle
• Distilled white vinegar
• Acetone
• Rubbing alcohol
• Cotton or microfiber cleaning cloths

Even when you don't have these ingredients available in your kitchen, you can easily pick them up at your local grocery store. They won't break the bank, either.

How to Remove Glue on Laminate Floor: The 3-Step Strategy

Depending on how severe the glue stains are, there are three approaches you can take. Think of it as your escalation ladder – start gentle, then ramp up the power as needed.

Gentle Cleaning Approach: Your First Line of Defense

Use this approach if the glue is weak or just sits on the surface of the floor. The best part about this method is how gentle it is. As a result, the lamination layer at the top of your flooring won't get damaged by the cleaner. This is your best bet in this how to remove laminate flooring glue guide (when it does the trick, that is).

If the glue is weak or only rests on the floor, use this method

Step 1: Mix Your Gentle Cleaner

This method uses just two ingredients: distilled white vinegar and water.

In a spray bottle, mix ¼ cup of white vinegar together with 4 cups of water. Give the bottle a good shake to let the mixture blend.

Step 2: Apply the Cleaner

Spritz the cleaner onto the glue stains and let it work its magic for a minute or two.

Step 3: Wipe Away

With a microfiber cloth, scrub the cleaner-soaked glue stains. If you're lucky, the glue will come off in a few seconds.

However, in most cases, the cleaner will be wiped off before the glue comes out. In that case, re-apply the cleaner and wipe again. Keep at it until the glue comes off.

Step 4: Remove All Moisture

Remember, moisture is laminate flooring's worst enemy. So, after you're done wiping and the glue is off, use a clean cloth to eliminate any dampness from the spot. Make sure all traces of moisture are gone from the flooring.

Medium-Strength Cleaning Approach: Time to Step It Up

If the gentle approach doesn't cut it, then it's time to step things up. Instead of using distilled white vinegar, break out a bottle of rubbing alcohol. It's not as gentle, but rubbing alcohol packs a lot more punch than vinegar for adhesive removal.

It's time to step it up if the tactful approach is ineffective

Step 1: Apply to a Cleaning Cloth

You don't need to mix the alcohol in a spray bottle for this one. Apply rubbing alcohol to a clean cloth. Although you don't want the cloth dripping with excess alcohol, you still want it damp.

Step 2: Scrub the Stains

Use the alcohol-soaked cloth to scrub at the glue stains until they come off. Add more rubbing alcohol to the cloth as you see fit.

The glue stains should gradually break down over the course of a few minutes of scrubbing. Stop immediately once all of the glue has come off to minimize damage to your floor.

Step 3: Wipe Dry

Although we don't use water in this step and rubbing alcohol will evaporate in time, you should still dry the floor with a fresh cloth. Make sure the spots where the glue stains once were are completely moisture-free.

Maximum-Strength Cleaning Approach: The Heavy Artillery

If rubbing alcohol doesn't work, it's time to bring out the heavy artillery. This final approach will tackle even the most stubborn adhesive residues. However, the downside is that it could damage the floor boards if you're not careful. Acetone can strip even the best laminate floor polishes as well as the lamination, so tread carefully!

Step 1: Apply Acetone to a Cleaning Cloth

Take out a clean cloth and add acetone (nail polish remover) to it. Use enough so that the cloth is wet, but not dripping.

Make sure the mopping pad is damp but not dripping by using a sufficient amount

Step 2: Target the Glue Stains Only

Do not wipe the floor with the acetone. The harsh chemical can ruin the lamination.

Instead, take the acetone-soaked cloth and dab only the glue stains. Work gently so that the chemical soaks into the glue. Try to avoid letting the acetone touch the bare floor.

Step 3: Scrub Away the Softened Adhesive

Use a second, dry cloth to scrub at the glue stains once they are wet with acetone. It may take several applications before the glue begins to weaken. Eventually, the stains will come off.

Step 4: Clean Up Completely

You don't want residual acetone sitting on the floor, as it will damage the wood. Take a third, clean cloth and wipe until the floor is completely clean.

And that's how to remove adhesive from laminate flooring!

Tackling Different Floor Types: Your Multi-Surface Strategy

Maybe your living room has laminate, but your kitchen sports vinyl tiles, and your basement has concrete floors. Each surface needs a different approach when dealing with stubborn floor adhesive.

When dealing with tenacious floor adhesive, each surface requires a different strategy

How to Remove Glue from Vinyl Flooring

Despite looking the same as one another, vinyl and laminate floors are two completely different things. A vinyl floor board is composed entirely of PVC, whereas a laminate floor board uses a fiberboard core.

Vinyl and laminate flooring may have the same appearance, but they are two entirely distinct materials

But here's the thing: the way they are installed is the same. In other words, the laminate boards and the vinyl sections are all glued to the floor, so there's a good chance that the top of your vinyl flooring may also have some glue residues that you have to deal with.

This segment will show you how to remove glue from floor surfaces like vinyl tiles.

What You'll Need for This Vinyl Floor Cleanup

Here's what you need to gather for this floor glue removal project:

• A plastic scraper
• Cotton cleaning cloths
• Acetone
• Warm water

Step 1: Scrape the Surface Glue

First, use the plastic scraper to remove as much of the glue from the floor surface as you can. Be gentle. You don't want to accidentally scratch the finishing.

Step 2: Apply Acetone Strategically

Once most of the glue stains are scraped off, some glue residues will still remain on the surface. You can deal with them by applying acetone and scrubbing them off.

Take a cotton cloth and add acetone to it. Just a little bit so that the cloth is slightly damp with the chemical. Don't add so much that it's dripping wet.

Dab at the glue residues. Let it sit for a minute. The glue will gradually weaken.

Step 3: Scrape & Blot Away

Take up the plastic scraper and apply gentle pressure to the weakened glue stains. The scraping motion will weaken them even further.

Take a second, clean cloth and begin scrubbing at the glue. The glue should begin to lift off from the floor at this point.

Re-apply the acetone and repeat the process until the glue is cleaned away.

Step 4: Final Surface Cleanup

When the glue has finally been dealt with, mop the floor with clean water and ensure the surface is moisture-free with a clean cloth until no moisture, chemical, or glue residues remain.

How to Remove Glue from Concrete Flooring

Concrete floors will require less babying than laminate or vinyl. You can be as aggressive as you want on concrete and it will stand up well to whatever you throw at it.

Here is how to remove floor glue from concrete in three different methods.

Compared to laminate or vinyl flooring, concrete floors will require less maintenance

Method 1: Use a Scraper

The first and easiest method involves a scraper. This will require a lot of elbow grease and time, but it's straightforward as far as technique goes. Just take the scraper and work away at the glue stains until they come off.

If they don't budge, you can try other methods.

Method 2: Apply Boiling Water

If the glue is water-based, boil some water and splash it onto the stains. After a few minutes, the glue will weaken from the high temperature. Once it does, you can easily clean up all the glue stains with a scraper.

Method 3: Commercial Glue Cleaner

If neither of these steps work, you'll have to resort to commercial cleaning products. There are many brands available both online and on the shelves at hardware stores. Follow the instructions on the box carefully.

Your Floor Cleaning Success Story

While flooring glue can be stubborn, with the right adhesive removal techniques, it will come right out. We hope this guide on how to remove glue from floor has been helpful! If you have any other questions, drop our editorial board a line and we'll get back to you as soon as we can.