Who doesn’t love walking barefoot on clean carpet while relaxing at home? While it’s not unusual to find coffee or wine stains on carpets, when it comes to glue spills, however, it’s a whole different ball game. If the glue isn’t removed immediately, it can collect dirt and become more difficult to get out of the floor covering.
If you are wondering how to get glue out of carpet, our step-by-step guide will help you get rid of most types of glue stains without spending a lot of time, money or effort. So let’s get started!
How to Remove Water-Based Glue From Carpet
Water-based glue is one of the most common stains usually caused by children. This type of glue is mainly used for school craft projects and children can often spill it on the carpet at home. But just because it’s commonly used by children doesn’t mean it’s a child’s play to remove.
The key to getting the glue stain out of the carpet is to act quickly. As soon as it spills, you must respond. Be careful not to press or rub the stain too hard as it will just go deeper into the carpet’s fibers.
The best method to get water-based glue stain out of carpet is to take a paper towel and gently wipe it on the stain. Try to get as much of the glue out as possible without rubbing into the carpet.
After each wipe, be sure to use a new paper towel. Otherwise the stain will only spread across other areas of the floor covering.
If the stain is too tough to remove with a damp paper towel, try using a butter knife or nail file. Gently scrape away the wet glue. In case there is still some remaining glue in the carpet, you have two potential options:
Option One: Distilled Vinegar
Dampen the stained carpet with undiluted distilled white vinegar and wipe the area for around 2 minutes whilst it’s wet. The distilled vinegar should be left on the carpet for at least 20 minutes to work its magic.
Within half an hour later, you will easily be able to remove the remaining glue. Use a wet cloth to do this and wait for the carpet to dry before walking on it.
Option Two: Dish Soap
If you don’t have white vinegar on hand, you can use liquid dish soap, which is always available in every home.
Start by diluting 1 tablespoon of dishwashing liquid in a glass of warm water. Using an old cloth, apply the mixture directly on the glue.
Rub the stain gently without pressing too hard.
Once all the remaining glue has come out, pat dry the area using a clean, dry cloth.
How to Remove Elmer’s Glue From Carpet
For tougher glue stains like dried Elmer’s, the task becomes a little trickier, if not impossible.
Start by taking a butter knife or nail file to scrape the dried glue stain before applying any further treatment. The loosened glue can then be taken out of the carpet by hand.
After you’ve scraped away the dried glue, moisten the area using a soft sponge soaked in warm water. This will rehydrate the glue for easier removal.
Now it’s time to use either dish soap or white distilled vinegar as per the previous method we discussed.
How to Remove Super Glue From Carpet
We all know how difficult it is to get super glue out of anything. But luckily, the amount of super glue spilled on the carpet is often significantly less as these products normally come in very small tubes.
To remove dried super glue from carpet, dampen a cotton ball with acetone (nail polish remover) and dab the stain.
Nail polish remover is by far the best treatment for removing all types of stains, including paint and glue.
Once you’ve applied the liquid to the entire area, blot it with an old cloth to remove the nail polish remover before wiping off the area with a clean, damp cloth.
As an alternative to nail polish remover, you can use a small amount of hydrogen peroxide, which is usually found in first aid kits. Apply this solvent directly to the stain and blot dry.
How to Remove Hot Glue From Carpet
All DIYers know how messy hot glue is to work with, let alone the mess it leaves behind. If you’re dealing with hot glue stains on your carpet, you’ll need to use a different approach than water-based glue. With hot glue, you can’t dab the stain with a damp cloth as it may burn your fingers and further get embedded into the carpet’s fibers.
The best method is to wait until the hot glue has hardened before attempting to remove it. To speed this process, instead of waiting for the glue to dry, you can cool down the hot glue using ice cubes in freezer bags.
Once the hot glue has hardened, take a butter knife or any other flat tool and begin gently scraping the glue. The residue should start flaking and get loosened from the carpet fibers. You can then break off the pieces with your fingers.
If this method doesn’t work in removing the entire affected area, or you prefer to take a different approach to icing the hot glue, it is possible to use heat to remove the hot glue.
Take a piece of fabric and place it over the affected area where the hot glue has spilled. Using a hair dryer, iron or heat gun, gently press the device on the fabric. Make sure the setting is on medium heat so as not to burn the fabric. Avoid rubbing or pressing hard into the fabric as this will only cause the stain to go deeper into the carpet.
If you’re using an iron or heat gun, be careful not to leave the tool on the area for too long in order to prevent a possible fire.
As you monitor the glue to see if it’s become liquid, allow the iron or heat gun to sit a few minutes. For extra safety measures, wear a glove to avoid burning your fingers.
This heating process will allow the hot glue to transfer from the carpet and onto the fabric. You may have to repeat the process several times to remove all the glue stain from the area, but always take care not to leave the heating device on the fabric for longer than necessary.
Once you’ve successfully transferred all the glue to the piece of fabric, gently remove it from the carpet and start scraping away the hardened remainder of the stain from the carpet.
Whether you use the freezing or heating method, this process can take up to a day to yield results so be patient!
How to Remove Wood Glue From Carpet
Wood glue is highly adhesive and can be quite difficult to remove from carpet. But there is one effective option to try: use warm white vinegar to remove the glue from your carpet.
Begin by warming one cup of distilled white vinegar on the stove before pouring it in a spray bottle. Apply the warm vinegar directly on the area by spraying the solution generously.
Allow the vinegar to work its way through the carpet for half an hour or longer. This will allow the solution to penetrate deep into the fabric.
Once the white vinegar has completely soaked the stain, use a damp, soft cloth to dab at the stain, but don’t rub or scrub the area. Rubbing will only make the problem worse.
If there is any wood glue stain remaining in the carpet, try to clean the area with dish soap and water.
Again, this method can take up to a day to work just like hot glue stain.
Wrapping it Up
No matter which type of glue has spilled on your carpet, you can use any or all of the treatments we’ve recommended. It is, however, important to act quickly and take the necessary steps to ensure the stain is removed immediately for the most successful outcome.
Remember to use cold water and soft sponge or cloth to remove any residue from the carpet following the stain removal treatment. Be careful not to rub the affected area so as to avoid damaging the carpet. Once you’ve used a dry cloth to dry the area, get a fan blower on a low setting to ensure the treated area is completely dry. This will prevent mold or mildew growth within the carpet fibers.
After you’ve thoroughly dried your carpet, vacuum clean the area to restore its fluffy, clean appearance.
We hope our tips and recommendations have helped you get those tough glue stains out of your carpet. In case you don’t get the desired results, consider hiring professional carpet cleaners as your last resort. Alternatively, watch this quick video for even more hacks on how to get glue out of carpet:
