How to Remove Glue from Hardwood Floors Naturally

how to remove glue from hardwood floors naturally

One of the most common issues that affect people with hardwood flooring is the adhesion of glue to the floor, this has the ability to change a good-looking and gorgeous floor to something less due to the unpleasant sights of dried glue.

This issue, however, doesn’t come without a fix, as you can naturally get your hardwood floor to regain its previous glow and smoothness.

This article will show you how to remove glue from hardwood floors naturally.

Read: How to get glue out of carpet

How to Remove Glue from Hardwood Floors Naturally

To remove glue from hardwood floor naturally, you will need;

  • A pair of gloves
  • Water
  • A clean rag
  • Floor scraper, scrubbing brush, or sandpaper
  • Brooms
  • A pair of knee pads.

Start by Cleaning Your Floor

You wouldn’t want dirt particles lurking around while you commence the removal process of the glue. Hence, you have to sweep the floor and remove any dirt/particles, and if possible, scrub the floor with soapy water and a rag or mop.

This will go a long way to ensure smooth removal of the stuck glue, and it might even help in removing a reasonable amount of the glue.

Once you are done with this, and you are sure to have removed any form of dirt or oily substances around the region of the glue, you should then dry the area with a clean dry rag.

Next, use your floor scraper or scrubbing brush to remove the glue.  Depending on how large the area with the glue is, the scrapper should get them off. But if it doesn’t, you can try other methods.

Use Hot Water

Hot water is another method to remove glue from your hardwood floor naturally. This works by breaking down and partially melting the glue to enable easy removal. You will need about 5 cups of water and an absorbent rag.

Dampen a clean rag with very hot water, ensure you do this carefully to avoid hurting yourself, and place the rag on the dried glue.

Allow the rag to sit on the floor for about 4 minutes before using the same rag to gently scrub the glue. Then use a floor scraper or scrubbing brush to gently scrape the glue off the floor.

Make Use of Alcohol/Spirit

Another way to remove glue from hardwood floors is by making use of alcohol. However, apply caution while using this as some wooden floor finish could be damaged by alcohol. This should be used as a last resort.

You can make use of mineral spirit, isopropyl alcohol, or an alcohol-based hand sanitizer. Simply apply any of this to a rag, and scrub the dried glue vigorously until little or nothing is left of the glue on the floor.

If some glue residue is left behind after scrubbing with alcohol, then you should use your floor scraper or scrubbing brush to remove the rest of the glue, which should come off easily.

Use a Hot Air Gun

A hot air gun also called a heat gun is a device that generates a flameless hot stream of air, which can be used in removing paint, wallpaper and also for altering the shape of plastic objects.

You can use a hot air gun to remove dried glue from a wooden floor surface. But you will need a power outlet close to the area with the glue.

If there is no power outlet nearby, you can use an extension box. Plugin the heat gun and channel the hot air stream towards the dried glue till it starts to melt.

Once melted, get a dry rag, and wipe the melted glue off the floor. If there is still some glue left behind, repeat the process.

As usual, at the end of the process, if there is still any adamant residue left behind, feel free to use your floor scraper or scrubbing brush to completely rid the floor of the glue.

Using Peanut Butter         

Peanut butter works just like magic in the removal of glue from a hardwood floor. You can apply some peanut butter using a piece of rag or your fingers, and continuously rub it on the surface of the glue vigorously, and watch as the glue breaks off and separate from the wooden floor just like magic.

Apply Ice

Another natural way to remove glue from a hardwood floor is by applying ice on the dried glue. Applying ice on the glue will break the molecular bond that the glue has formed with the wood.

To get this done, you need to get about half a pound of dry ice block, a scraper, a metal tray or dry rag, and a pair of gloves ready for use. The pair of gloves will protect your hands from the coldness of the ice while handling it.

Wear your gloves and place the ice block inside the rag or metal tray and place it on the area with the glue, you will need to apply some pressure horizontally and hold the rag or tray in place for at least five minutes. The effect of this is to harden and eventually fracture the glue.

Once this is done, all you need to do is to use your scraper to scrape off the cracked glue from the floor.  While scraping, ensure to be gentle with it so that your floor is not left with scratches afterward.

Clean Your Floor Again

Once you’ve executed any of the methods above, you must finish the work by cleaning your floor once more. First, sweep the floor and then use a rag with clean water or soapy water to mop the floor.

Ensure to dry the floor once you are done with that. If you do this effectively, then you would be certain to have a clean hardwood floor, free from glue, smiling back at you once again.

Read: how to remove adhesive from laminate flooring

Conclusion

This article discusses how to remove glue from hardwood floors naturally, methods that are free from the use of harsh and safe to be used around little kids and pets. Glue residue can damage your floor’s appearance but one of the methods described here will solve the problem for you.

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