Carpet can be a great compliment to the floor. It makes your floor soundproof, regardless of the floor traffic you get at home. It also adds extra comfort and thermal insulation, and makes your home warm and cozy.
However, it’s hard to beat the look of pristine clean hardwood floors. Many modern homes are ditching the carpet and going back to hardwood. The carpet removal process is usually more complex than just pulling the carpet up.
Foot traffic and high temperatures may cause the carpet padding to infuse with the floor and leave staining or carpet padding residue behind on the wood. The good thing is that you can remove carpet pad stains from hardwood floors by use of solvents such as mineral spirits, denatured alcohol, and vinegar.
First you will need to evaluate your hardwood floor finishing as it may have worn out due to a lot of foot traffic or prolonged use without maintenance. This step is important because a strong or not-so-strong floor finish will determine which cleaning agent to use.
To remove carpet or rug pad stains from your hardwood floor, you can use the following:
- Mineral Spirit/ Turpentine
- Denatured alcohol
- Distilled white vinegar
Table of Contents
Mineral spirit for weakly-finished floors
Mineral spirit is a common organic solvent also known as mineral turpentine, which is used in painting as a paint thinner and to clean paintbrushes. It is a good cleaning agent for removing adhesive residue on hardwood surfaces and is best used on floors without good and protective/ strong finishes.
You will need the following:
- At least half a liter bottle of Mineral Spirit/ Turpentine
- A blunt-edged scrapper
- A microfiber cloth
Procedure:
- Clean the floor to get rid of any excess dirt and carpet pad residue.
- If you have a spray bottle, you can spray the mineral spirit directly on the stains, but if not, sprinkle drops on the affected regions.
- Let the it sit for about fifteen minutes to allow the mineral spirit to work on the carpet pad stains.
- Using the blunt scraper, try scrapping the carpet pad residue off the floor, being careful not to ruin the hardwood floor finishing.
- Wipe off the remaining residue with the microfiber cloth.
- Allow it to air dry.
Denatured alcohol on untreated floors
Denatured alcohol is ethanol not made for human consumption. Additional added properties make it inedible. As a cleaning agent, it can dissolve grease and stains and works well on floors without good protective finish.
Tp use denatured alcohol on your hardwood floors, you will need the following:
- A bottle of denatured alcohol
- Soft scrub or scrapper
- A microfiber cloth
Procedure:
- Thoroughly clean excess dirt and residue left after removing carpet padding from your hardwood floor.
- Dampen the affected regions with the denatured alcohol.
- Allow the denatured alcohol to sit for up to ten minutes to work on the stains.
- With the soft scrub or blunt scraper, gently remove the stains. They should come off with ease at this point.
- Allow it to air dry.
Use distilled white vinegar on floors with strong finishes
Distilled white vinegar is not only good for salads and barbecues, but it has cleaning values as well. It contains acetic acid that can dissolve dirt, mineral deposits, grime, and grease, which makes it a good cleaning agent. It is suitable, however, only for hardwood floors with good, strong finishes.
Cleaning your hardwood floor with distilled white vinegar requires the following :
- 1 cup of distilled white vinegar
- A liter of water
- A microfiber cloth
- An old towel
Procedure:
- Clean the hardwood floor from any excess dirt or carpet pad residue.
- Mix the water and vinegar evenly in a separate clean bowl.
- Sprinkle the solution on the affected regions and allow it to settle for five minutes.
- Wipe the stains with the microfiber cloth.
- Dab excess water moisture with the old towel to dry the area.
- Air dry the floor.
Frequently asked questions
How do you determine which cleaner to use on the hardwood floor?
Determining which cleaner to use on your hardwood floor depends on the type of finish your hardwood floor has. You do this by carrying out a water drop test where you place a drop of water on the hardwood floor.
If the water droplet stays beaded, then the hardwood floor has a strong finish, but if it gets absorbed by the hardwood floor, the floor finishing is worn out or not strong. In this case, water-based cleaners are not suitable, as water may be absorbed by the wood and ruin it.
How can I buff the look of the hardwood floor after cleaning?
After cleaning, the hardwood floor will look dull, depending on the cleaning agent used to clean it. However, you can spruce things up by adding coconut oil after the floor is dry completely. It not only restores your floor’s good finishing look, but also gives it a bright shine and leaves your floor looking brand new.
Which is the best cleaning agent to use for stubborn set carpet pad stains?
Carpet padding may sometimes be difficult to remove due to heavy foot traffic over a long period or the use of powerful adhesive during installation. If the non-water-based solutions fail to work, you can consider the following as a last resort:
Mix one part of hot water and one part of ammonia. You will need to evaluate the floor finishing first and use it carefully as exposure to ammonia can make you sick or even be lethal. Therefore, use protective gear such as a breathing mask and rubber gloves. Let it sit on stains for ten minutes and then clean.
Wrapping up
Your hardwood floors might seem ruined by carpet pad adhesive and residue, but it’s possible to get rid of with mineral spirit, denatured alcohol or distilled white vinegar. To avoid dealing with these stains entirely, it is recommended to use methods that will not lead to staining like stapling the carpet pad in place instead.
If staining has already happened, you can always use the above methods or consider acquiring commercial grade stain removers designed to remove such stains.