Carpets can quickly become soiled, with the most common stains being caused by pets, coffee, blood, red wine, chocolate, and chewing gum! If you’ve got small children in your household that play on the floor other culprits are glue, tape, and adhesives.
It’s important that you deal with any stains quickly so they don’t become deep-seated and stubborn. But this is particularly so with glues as they can be quick-drying. There are several methods that are successful – see how to remove glue from the carpet here…
Step-by-step guides
Bear in mind when using any cleaning solutions that may potentially cause damage to carpet fibres you need to test them on an area of carpet that can’t be easily seen.
Adhesive
To remove adhesive from the carpet, work by pulling the tape slowly off by hand before attempting any actual cleaning. Then you can pour neat distilled white vinegar onto a cloth and wipe the area for about a minute to ensure it’s thoroughly wetted. Leave the vinegar to sit for a further 15 minutes to allow it to cause the remaining tape to begin peeling away. Use a clean wet cloth to remove any vinegar residue and then allow the area to dry completely.
An alternative method is to apply WD-40 to the adhesive after scraping the excess tape away. You’ll need to let it sit for around 15 minutes then scape again.
Yet another option is to dab the adhesive with rubbing alcohol, pressing into the carpet with a paper towel or clean cloth. Rub gently and then leave the alcohol-soaked cloth over the affected area for about 10 minutes.
For dried-in glue, you can cover the stain with a thin damp cloth and then run a hot iron over the cloth for literally 10 seconds. This should return the glue to a more liquid state which the cloth will then absorb. Using a cloth will help stop the iron from burning the carpet fibres.
Craft and school glue
Make a solution of washing up liquid and lukewarm water and dab onto the stained area with a clean cloth. Repeat until the glue is completely removed, finishing with a dry cloth or paper towel to get rid of any excess moisture in the carpet.
Superglue
Soak up as much of the spillage as possible with a paper towel or clean dry cloth. Dab a small amount of solution containing acetone, such as nail polish remover, onto the area with a wet cotton bud. The acetone should start to break-down the glue, then you can start blotting with a clean damp cloth. Any hard granules can be removed with a knife or the back of a spoon.
Or you can choose to use a product containing d-Limonene – this is a natural, environmentally friendly cleaning option that should be applied according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Don’t forget to use a clean wet cloth to wipe away any residue as this may leave a stain.
Gel solvents can also be successful in removing super glue – simply apply directly to the glue and leave it for a minute. Then you can use a wet cloth to wipe it away and a dry cloth to absorb any remaining moisture.
Need some extra help?
If you simply can’t get rid of stubborn glue stains then get in touch with a carpet cleaning company that provides a stain removal service. The carpet cleaning specialist sent to you will be part of a team of qualified and trained cleaners with years of industry experience.
Pre-treating the glue stain prior to deep cleaning your carpet will be carried out using effective solutions that are safe for children, pets and the environment. By treating stains before the main clean the best possible results are achieved.
Steam cleaning techniques used by the professionals will ensure that all glue residue will be removed from your floor coverings, and if the glue has penetrated into the carpet fibres this won’t be a problem. Modern hot water extraction methods involve injecting hot water and cleaning solutions deep into the fabric and powerful extraction to get rid of all the impurities as well as the excess water.
And you’ll be offered a carpet treatment following your steam cleaning to help prevent future staining.