Adhesive cleaner/remover?

Hello,
I need to remove adhesive from the old carpet I stripped away on a fairly large area (like 15 to 20 square feet for now, more later).
I tried to sand it but his does not do it, more rubberize it in fact.
Would you know about a good effective product to remove it? I tried 3M adhesive remover in the past and it was working ok.
I saw goo gone or other carpet adhesive remover but never tried them.
Any input welcome!

L

Greetings,
Mr. L_t. Have you tried a heat gun and a really sharp scraper? Beware of the fire hazard and the fumes.

Lou_tribal said:

Hello,
I need to remove adhesive from the old carpet I stripped away on a fairly large area (like 15 to 20 square feet for now, more later).
I tried to sand it but his does not do it, more rubberize it in fact.
Would you know about a good effective product to remove it? I tried 3M adhesive remover in the past and it was working ok.
I saw goo gone or other carpet adhesive remover but never tried them.
Any input welcome!

L

Click to expand...

From what type of surface are you attempting to remove the glue?

RT Firefly said:

Greetings,
Mr. L_t. Have you tried a heat gun and a really sharp scraper? Beware of the fire hazard and the fumes.

Click to expand...

I would think the heat gun would be too much as the adhesive layer is very thin, more like residue than really a layer.

L

Easternshore said:

From what type of surface are you attempting to remove the glue?

Click to expand...

From fiberglass. Carpet was glued to the interior fiberglass.

L

RT Firefly said:

Greetings,
Mr. L_t. Have you tried a heat gun and a really sharp scraper? Beware of the fire hazard and the fumes.

Click to expand...

Lou_tribal said:

I would think the heat gun would be too much as the adhesive layer is very thin, more like residue than really a layer.

L

Click to expand...

I agree with RTF. I removed cabin carpet that had padding glued to fiberglass sole. Actually the thinner the layer the better the heat gun worked. The sharp stiff scraper is a must. After removing most I wiped with acetone and again used the scraper. Belt sander used for final cleanup & smoothing as prep for cushion and PlasTeak sheet flooring.

If 3M, Goof-off, or anti bond didn't work try Xylene but use caution. Xylene is a very powerful solvent, use a good pair of chemical resistant gloves and a mask. Before using that, I would try acetone first (get it pure from the hardware store paint section, DO NOT use nail-polish remover). Also test using the xylene in an inconspicuous space.

I used a sharpened putty knife with a heat gun to remove some adhesive from stick on tiles. It worked pretty well but was always worried about the adhesive catching on fire. Keep an extinguisher handy.

I have an arsenal of things I try. No one consistently works, so it just depends on my testing each project (and what the substrate is).

- Sharp scraper
- Plastic razor blade
- 3M adhesive remover
- Acetone
- Denatured alcohol
- Mineral spirits
- Naptha
- Lacquer thinner
- 3M scrubbies
- Toothbrushes
- Nail brushes
- Roloc disc on a drill
- Heat

And probably a few more I can't think of. Needless to say, PPE is used for all of these.

I have used wheels like these (not this exact one, but similar) in the past with very good luck.

No chemical odor and no damage to the paint or fiberglass.

https://www.amazon.com/SATC-Removal...ENDT4MY2VJ0TD1C0J&qid=1623891244&sr=8-1-fkmr0

I have had great success with Goo-Gone gel - it is far superior to the liquid product.

After quite some tests I can declare that the following product is my preferred one (no personal interest in the brand):



I tried acetone, lacquer thinner, xylene, denatured alcohol, turpentine, paint thinner. Where I spent 1L of acetone to clean 3 square feet, few spray of that product gave same result without the vapors.
I must admit that I am very surprised as the name does not sound much serious and from my past experience this is the kind of product that plays on the "100% natural" marketing but lack of efficiency. But fortunately for me I was wrong and it works well. Really make the glue soft and easy to remove with a scrapper. I will still wash the fiberglass with some acetone on a rag to be sure it is deep clean for the paint.

L

Having just gone through something similar and as recommended by someone on this forum, 3M adhesive remover seemed to work the best.

Lou_tribal said:

I tried acetone, lacquer thinner, xylene, denatured alcohol, turpentine, paint thinner. Where I spent 1L of acetone to clean 3 square feet, few spray of that product gave same result without the vapors.

Click to expand...

Great you had success!

That's why I pretty much run through my whole "roster" of products in quick succession, and then choose the one that worked best. Seems unpredictable sometimes (and oftentimes you can't really know what was originally used as glue). Total score when one of the less obnoxious products turns out to be the most effective!

It could be that Goo-Buster contains d-Limonene which is citrus oil derived.
It is a 'natural' product but avoid direct contact. It will remove the oils in your skin!

Second recommendation for "Goo Gone". Always works for me.

Frosty said:

Great you had success!

That's why I pretty much run through my whole "roster" of products in quick succession, and then choose the one that worked best. Seems unpredictable sometimes (and oftentimes you can't really know what was originally used as glue). Total score when one of the less obnoxious products turns out to be the most effective!

Click to expand...

Totally agree, the glue must be pretty old and what was it, no clue at all. I think i should be some type of contact cement as the layer is thin but tough. They must have used a roll or brush to apply it as I see the traces.

L

KnotYet said:

It could be that Goo-Buster contains d-Limonene which is citrus oil derived.

It is a 'natural' product but avoid direct contact. It will remove the oils in your skin!

Click to expand...

Exact, contains D-limonene. Always use mask and gloves but still citrus smell is better than acetone or lacquer thinner, except if you smell it on purpose lol.

L

Boy I've never liked that Goo-Gone citrus smell. Maybe I'm oversensitive but that smell hangs onto my hands and everything else forever after. Naptha is my favorite general purpose adhesive solvent. Usually does the job well but the stink is relatively mild (as all the toxic-waste solvents go) and usually leaves no residue on surfaces like glass for example when I use it to clean off old decals.

My experience is that Goo-gone is no where near as good as the overly expensive 3M

I have had excellent results with Goo-Gone, but I needed to apply it and wait a while for it to soften the adhesive, then the scraper and more product.