The Bane of Stains: Glue

When the Glue is Not Stuck on You

If you’re into crafts or fixit projects, you probably use glue frequently. The same is true if you spend a lot of time in a workshop or garage. There are many varieties of glue, but they all have the same intended function: put two things together so they don’t come apart. Most types of glue do their job very well. General craft glues, hot glue, and the old white glue we all used in school are great for paper, glitter and cardboard. Other adhesives with monikers like “Super”, “Krazy”, and “Gorilla” are great for repair, reattachment, or more permanent bonding. And then, you have the heavy, smelly stuff like epoxy. Some people say you can tell the adhesive strength of a glue by how easy it is to get it off your fingers! (And we don’t recommend that as a test of a glue’s strength.) But the point is that some glues are easier to remove from your carpet than others.

Especially after the glue has dried, Preferred Carpet Care in Redding highly recommends you have a professional remove any adhesive that unintentionally made it to your carpet. Nevertheless, there are some steps you can take to increase the likely success of glue removal. Keep in mind, however, that the more time the glue has to set, the more difficult the removal job gets.

NOTE: Some DIY methods suggest using things like acetone, nail polish, or even cleaners like WD-40 to remove glue from carpet. Preferred Carpet Care does not recommend using any such chemicals on your carpet, as they can cause more damage and pose significant health risks in using them. Call Preferred Carpet Care before attempting use of any such items on your carpet.

Stick to the Basics

As with any spill, get the excess out of the way as soon as possible. If the glue is still liquid and fresh, try using a firm white cloth and dab up as much as you can. If the liquid is thicker as the glue dries, a thin straight edge like a knife helps to collect the excess. You can also try a warm damp towel to loosen the glue and dab it up.

Pour some distilled white vinegar into a cloth or towel and wipe the area of the spill. You want to get the area wet, but not too soaked, and let the moisture stay there for fifteen minutes or so. The adhesive residue should start peeling off the carpet fibers, easily removable with a wet cloth. If you don’t have distilled white vinegar available, you can also try dish soap mixed with warm water, but it might not be as effective.

With dried glue, start with gently scraping off the excess. Be careful not to tug too hard or carpet fibers might come loose. Dab a mixture of distilled white vinegar and warm water onto the glue. After a few minutes, you might be able to remove peelings, depending on the glue’s stubbornness.

The Next Level of Glues

If you’re dealing with “Super Krazy Gorillas” or two-tone epoxies bonding to your carpet, attempting self-removal will most likely result in permanent damage to your pile. Instead, contact Preferred Carpet Care via phone or website. Let our superior experience, skills, training and equipment work to save your carpet from this bane of a stain. We might even have further methods to try yourself before we get there.

But realistically, the best advice we can give you is to protect your carpet. If you absolutely need to use glue or other adhesives in the area of your carpet, cover it with a sheet or tarp. If you use glue in the workshop or garage, give yourself a quick inspection before traversing the living room. Keep the bond between you and your carpet stronger than any glue.