Carpets N More

Glue is excellent for fixing so many things around the house.  Unfortunately, you can find yourself in a very sticky situation when you get some on your carpet, and homeowners find that it can be one of the more challenging stains to remove.  While not only staining the carpet, it creates a sticky residue that can damage the carpet fibers and mat down the resiliency of your flooring.  Different glues will take different methods in order to remove them. To help, here are several of the most common household glues and how you can remove them from your carpet: 

Hot Glue 

Do not handle when the glue is still hot.  If you try to clean it when it is fresh and warm, it will only sink deeper into the carpet fibers.  Allow the glue to dry.  Apply ice to the glue to harden it.  Once it is hardened, you can pick away at the glue.  You can also apply acetone.  Acetone is a strong chemical.  You should dilute the chemical in water and apply it using a wet rag. 

Commercial Glue 

Commercial glues are usually applied using a caulk/adhesive gun.  These compounds are extremely difficult to remove.  Most commercial glues know this and have a recommend glue removing solvent sold separately.  This is your best option for removing this glue from rugs in your home.  Try applying a small amount to a discrete spot in the house.  These solvents can be powerful agents and may not be very forgiving to the carpet fibers and dyes.  If it seems to be damaging the rug, try to use ice to freeze the glue and remove.  

Rubber Cement 

Another extremely durable glue is rubber cement.  For this process, scrape away as much rubber cement as possible from your carpet.  Mix warm water with a little bit of laundry detergent and some white vinegar.  Apply the mixture using a damp rag and scrub your carpet.  Allow it to air dry.  This should help remove most of the rubber cement from your carpet.  You can repeat this process again after the carpet has dried. 

While glues are extremely useful around the house, they can be quite the pain to remove.  Using these tricks can help you from having to replace your carpet.  Check out the rest of this series to find more tricks and tips to removing difficult glue stains from your carpet.  Have a stain request you want more information on removing?  Let us know in the comment section! 

*Disclaimer: Please check with your carpet manufacturer for their stain removal advice. Results may vary.