You know how it goes. You’ve got your new hardwood floors installed and want to protect them from damage, but when you come time to remove the carpet, there’s a sticky residue left behind.
This article will show you how to remove carpet protector from wood floor so you can get back to enjoying your new floors!
What Is a Carpet Protector?
If you’re like me, then you probably haven’t come across the phenomenon of carpet protectors until after your new hardwood floors have been installed.
Carpet protector is a sticky layer that’s used to help prevent damage to the wood flooring while the carpet is down. The problem with that is when it comes time to remove the carpet, there’s usually a sticky residue left behind on the wood floor.
This makes your home look dirty and feel grimy-but not anymore!
How Long Can You Leave Carpet Protector On?
You can leave the carpet protector on for 1 month. After that, you need to remove it. This is because the carpet protector is designed to remain sticky so it can protect your floor while the carpet is down. After about a month, however, it starts to dry out and loses its stickiness, which means there’s no way to protect your hardwoods anymore. The protector will lift up easily at this point.
Things to Consider Before Starting
There are two important things to note before you start. First, make sure to test an inconspicuous area of your hardwood floor with the solution listed below before doing anything else-it may very well damage the finish on your flooring.
If this happens, you’ll have to repeat the process above using a different method for removing carpet protectors from wood floors
Secondly, if there is any type of residue left over after trying this process, then it may be that you just need some additional time to completely remove all of the sticky stuff.
The remedy listed below should only take about 20 minutes at most to do the job. If it takes longer than that, then perhaps you don’t have as much residue left behind as previously thought.
How to Remove Carpet Protector from Wood Floor?
Here are 6 simple steps on how to remove carpet protector from wood floor.
Step 1: Gather Your Materials
That mysterious goo may seem like it’s set in there for good, but the solution below will help break down the sticky stuff so you can easily remove it. You only need a few basic materials to get started, most of which are probably already in your home!
Materials Needed:
Dishwashing soap Degreaser Baking soda Alcohol Lint-free towels or paper towels Rubber gloves (optional)
Step 2: Prepare Your Work Area
Find an area on the floor that is large enough for you to comfortably clean. The idea here is to protect your floors from any water or chemicals used to break up the carpet protector-that way, you won’t accidentally damage any other areas of your flooring.
Once you have your area set up, plug in the vacuum cleaner to start removing all of the loose dirt and debris that’s on top of your hardwood or laminate floors. You can also use a broom and dustpan if you don’t own a vacuum cleaner.
Step 3: Apply Your Remedy
Take your solution (dishwashing soap/degreaser/baking soda/alcohol) and put it into a spray bottle-you’ll be able to more easily apply the remedy this way than trying to pour it directly on the carpet protector residue. Once your bottle is ready, begin applying liberally to any areas of carpet protector goo on your floor.
You can use a paper towel or lint-free towel to spread your solution around. If you do choose to use a paper towel, it’s best if you have some sort of protective barrier between your wood floor and the towel that you’re using (such as newspapers)-this will help prevent any damage from occurring during the process.
Once you’ve applied enough of your remedy, wait about 20 minutes for it to start breaking down the carpet goo on the floor. The time needed may vary depending on how much residue is left behind after removing your carpeting-if it takes longer than 20 minutes, then perhaps you don’t need this method after all since there might not be any residue present!
Step 4: Scrape The Remains
If the solution has done its job and you can see that all of the residues are gone, then congratulations, you’re done! If not, it may be helpful to use a metal scraper (such as a putty knife) to remove any remaining carpet protector goo that remains on your floor.
Step 5: Clean Your Floor
Now that you’ve removed all of the sticky stuff from your floor, it should be much easier to clean up any remaining dirt and debris. Use your vacuum cleaner or broom and dustpan again while also applying some more of your degreaser/dishwashing soap solution throughout the area if needed.
Once everything is clean, take one final look to make sure that you’re satisfied with how it looks. If any spots remain after this step, then perhaps the carpet protector solution needs more time to work.
Step 6: Finish Up
Once everything looks good, grab some lint-free towels or paper towels and try absorbing any remaining moisture on top of the hardwood floor (if there is still moisture present). At this point, your wood floors should be free of carpet protector goo!
Since the remedy used here includes both alcohol and dishwashing soap, you’ll need to use another method for cleaning your wood floors if you don’t want them damaged by either ingredient.
You may also need to ask someone else in your household for help because one person will not be able to do all of the steps with only two hands!
Tips to Maintain Your Hardwood or Laminate Floors:
Here are some tips to help maintain your new wood flooring:
- Vacuum on a regular basis – If you choose to use the vacuum that has the beater bar (one that moves back and forth), then make sure that you turn it off before vacuuming. If there’s no beater bar, then just vacuum as you normally would. If possible, do not use any type of wet/dry vacuum because they will leave watermarks on your floors.
- Don’t slide heavy furniture across them – This will cause scratches on your wood floors.
- Use coasters under anything that could potentially leave water rings (suntan lotion bottles, beverage cups, etc). Be aware of hot items too! While it might seem obvious, don’t set hot pans and plates directly on your wood floors.
- Don’t use any type of wax or grease-based product to clean floors. Wax and grease will leave a residue that will be difficult to remove once it builds up over time. If you’re using the wrong product, then your flooring could end up looking cloudy after you’ve cleaned it.
- Don’t go barefoot! Putting pressure on the soles of your feet while walking around can cause scratches on your hardwood floors (or even leave indentations if there’s too much pressure).
While this might sound like common sense, not everyone thinks about their bare feet before stepping out onto wooden flooring! The same goes for pets too-it’s safer to keep them off of wooden floors when they’re not wearing their protective footwear.
- If you have kids, then make sure that they’re using doormats before coming into your home. The dirt/debris that they bring in on their shoes can scratch and damage wood floors too!
Can You Use Carpet Protector on New Carpet?
Absolutely not! If you want to protect your new carpeting, then there are other methods that you can use. These methods should only be used on brand new carpeting because they may leave behind residue or stains if applied to old carpets.
Carpet protector spray: One option is using a carpet protector spray. This method will work best for large areas, but it still may need to be reapplied after some time since the effects won’t last forever.
You can find these sprays at any pet store and they typically come in an aerosol bottle with a trigger nozzle (though there might also be one that comes in a bottle with a pump).
Pourable wax: Another option is using pourable wax instead of a spray; its smell doesn’t linger quite as much either. You can find these waxes at most hardware stores or home improvement shops, but make sure that you choose one that’s safe for use on carpets.
Simply rub some around your doorknobs, baseboards, and any other places where people might touch a lot.
Carpet protector mats: This is another option that should only be used on brand new carpeting. When you’re shopping for carpet protectors, you’ll see products that are sold in the form of doormats.
They’re typically made from rubber and will help prevent any dirt/debris from getting onto your carpets while also absorbing moisture.
Conclusion – How to Remove Carpet Protector from Wood Floor?
Carpet protectors are a wonderful tool for protecting your carpeting while you do repairs at home or in the long run, but any commercial protector may cause harm if applied incorrectly. Hardwood floors have plenty of advantages, but they’re also delicate.
You can now remove carpet protectors from your laminate or wood floors using both DIY methods and commercial goods, even if the adhesive has remained there for a long time.