How to remove sticky tape residue from laminate flooring

Removing sticky residue from laminate flooring is a stressful task for many homeowners, especially when they lack any idea on how to approach such messes.

For instance, glue, chewing gum, paint, double-sided tape, and spots of nail polish are common in many homes but are not friendly on laminate flooring. They can stick down permanently onto laminate flooring if they are not cleaned away immediately.

Hence, affects the beauty and causes the laminate flooring to wear out prematurely over time.

However, it is advisable to use a cleaning approach that is effective and friendly to laminate flooring, depending on the severity of the residue.

• What Causes the Laminate Floor to Become Sticky?
• How to Remove Sticky Residue from Laminate Flooring?
  • Using Warm Water
  • Hot Clothes Iron
  • Acetone-based Nail Polish Remover
  • Use Heavy Solvent or Thinner
  • Using Dry Ice
• Remove Sticky Residue From Laminate Flooring Naturally
• Tips for Preventing Sticky Floor Buildup  
• FAQs: How to Remove Sticky Residue from Laminate Flooring?
  • What causes the laminate floor to be sticky after cleaning?
  • What dissolves sticky adhesive from the laminate floor?
  • How do you remove old adhesive residue from the laminate floor?
• To Conclude

What Causes the Laminate Floor to Become Sticky?

Floors become sticky for several reasons, but the main reason is humid air.

When humidity is high, the air is more saturated with water molecules. The water molecules in the air stick to everything, including your feet and clothes. When you walk on a wet floor from humidity, you will notice that it feels sticky or slippery.

Another reason your floor may become sticky is if you clean it with dirty water. Mopping your floor with the same bucket throughout the entire time will make it sticky.

If you do not change the dirty water right away, you will spread the dirt to other floor areas. Consequently, your floors will be greasy and sticky after being cleaned. To avoid this, change the water periodically as you clean.

Furthermore, using the wrong cleaning solution can also cause your floor to become sticky. Avoid this by only using laminate floor cleaning solutions. If you can’t find any cleaning solutions, use normal water and dishwashing liquid to clean your floor.

Must See: Can You Use Goo Gone on Laminate Flooring? (Explained)

Sticky residue such as dry or wet chewing gum, paint, nail polish, and glue are messy on the floor because they can permanently stick down.

Due to this, you need to employ a different practical approach to eliminate them. The following methods would be ideal;

Using Warm Water

When using warm water, we recommend you to have a credit card, a cotton cloth, and a clean, dry towel. Follow the steps below;

1. Damp your cotton cloth in warm water and gently wipe the sticky residue back and forth for several minutes to lessen the residue.
2. If you were removing a sticker, take your credit card/scraper to peel up the edge of the sticker after loosening it with warm water.
3. Then, dampen your cotton cloth in water, mix a significant amount of dishwashing liquid detergent and use it to clean the floor if you notice the floor is sticky after removing the sticky residue.
4. When you are done, use a clean, dry towel to dry the affected area.

Hot Clothes Iron

You can also use a hot clothes iron to remove sticky residue. Place a wet cotton cloth over the affected area and run the iron through the top of the fabric. The steam from the damp cotton cloth will soften the sticky, making it easy to remove.

However, you can directly use soapy water to remove it for sugary or honey messes and rinse thoroughly with clean water.

Acetone-based Nail Polish Remover

This method will need a scrapping knife/steel butter knife/plastic putty knife, paper towel/cleaning cloth, and a clean rag.

Secondly, make sure you open all the windows and doors for sufficient ventilation because inhaling acetone may cause headaches and irritation of the respiratory tract. Follow the guide below;

1. Apply some acetone onto a cloth and use it to spot-test on a hidden on your laminate and allow it to dry to conclude a sign of discoloration. If it did not cause discoloration, go ahead and use it.
2. Pour the amount of acetone onto a clean, dry rag. Then, rub gently on the affected area to loosen/soften the stain/residue.
3. If the residue is still hard, add another layer of acetone onto the rug, allow it to sit for several minutes, and work on it until it softens.
4. Take a putty knife and gently scrape away until the floor is free of sticky residue.
5. Clean the residue using a clean paper towel/a clean towel.
6. Wipe clean the spot using a soapy cotton cloth and then dry the area with a cleaning cloth.

Must See: Will Acetone Damage Laminate Floor? (Explained)

Use Heavy Solvent or Thinner

If you are dealing with a messy and sticky residue that covers a large surface area, heavy solvent or thinner is the best solution for your problem as they are aggressive.

For that reason, you may use mineral spirits/petroleum spirits or paint thinners.

Note: We strongly prefer not to use Xylene, ethyl-benzene, and benzene because they contain harmful chemicals that can potentially damage your laminate flooring.

Follow the steps below;

1. Dampen a clean cloth with the available solvent and then apply over the spot.
2. Allow the solvent-damp cloth to sit on the spot for several minutes to lessen the adhesive.
3. Take a putty knife and gently slide it between the adhesive and laminate floor to remove loose adhesive layers, but don’t be forceful.
4. If the spot/adhesive is still stiff, reapply the solvent, allow it to sit, and work on it while pressing until the adhesive dissolves and comes off the laminate floor.
5. After successfully removing the adhesive, damp a cotton cloth in mild soapy water and use it to clean the floor.
6. Then, dry the surface with a clean, dry cotton cloth immediately.

Using Dry Ice

If you are dealing with carpet glue, heavy solvent or thinner is not robust enough to remove it. We recommend you to use dry ice because it is effective if you follow the guide below;

1. Take some dry ice and place it onto a metal tray. Do not apply the dry ice directly onto the laminate flooring.
2. Place the metal tray with dry ice onto the carpet glue spot, make sure it covers the spot and allow it to sit for a few minutes to freeze, solidify, and brittle the glue.
3. Remove the metal tray and gently chip the brittle glue away.
4. If all the carpet glue does not entirely come off, repeat the process until you completely remove it.
5. After removing the glue, damp a clean rag with solvent and use it to wipe off any residue left behind.
6. Wipe clean the surface using a damp soapy cleaning cloth and dry the surface immediately with a clean, dry cotton cloth.

Remove Sticky Residue From Laminate Flooring Naturally

You can also make a natural cleaning solution from distilled white vinegar and lukewarm water to remove sticker residue that has already dried.

Mix ¼ cup of distilled white vinegar with 3-5 cups of warm water and shake the mixture to make a homemade adhesive remover and a cleaning solution.

When you are done, follow the steps below;

1. Vacuum or sweep the laminate flooring with a vacuum cleaner to eliminate dust and debris.
2. Pour the vinegar blend solution into a bucket and dip a mop into the bucket with the vinegar solution.
3. Squeeze the mop thoroughly to remove excess moisture and use it to clean your laminate floor from end to end.
4. Continue mopping until you ensure the floor is free of adhesive.
5. After removing the adhesive, rinse and dry your floor with a clean and dry microfiber from end to end in a circular motion.

Tips for Preventing Sticky Floor Buildup  

A sticky floor build-up is an embarrassing and unhygienic situation to be in. Whether you are a homeowner or a professional, you should not take it lightly. Here are some tips on how to prevent sticky floor build-up:

• Do not use inappropriate cleaning products: Avoid using a cleaner that contains ammonia, bleach, or alcohol. If you use a cleaner with these ingredients and notice an increase in the build-up, clean the floor again with water and dish soap until the stickiness goes away.
• Stop Cleaning your Floor With Dirty Water: Mopping your floor with the same bucket throughout the entire time will make it sticky. So change the dirty water right away, if not then it will spread the dirt to other floor areas.
• Clean the Floor in a Circular Motion: In the bucket of cleaning solution, dip a clean mop and wring it out. Then, use your hands to clean the floor in circular motions. Rinse your mop thoroughly as you mop the floor. Pay special attention to the sticky areas of your laminate flooring.
• Ensure your Floor is Always Clean and Dry: Always keep your floor always dry and clean because the air is more saturated with water molecules, and the water molecules in the air stick to everything including the flooring.

See Also: How to Clean Laminate Floors: 11 Do’s and Don’ts

FAQs: How to Remove Sticky Residue from Laminate Flooring?

What causes the laminate floor to be sticky after cleaning?

The laminate floor is typically just a veneer that covers the subfloor. When wet, this layer may become sticky due to many factors. It may be because there are too many protective coats on the laminate, so the chemicals in the cleaner don’t penetrate and clean properly.

By cleaning with too much water, moisture can also become trapped on the laminate floor, making it sticky.

Another reason this happened is that you may have used abrasive cleaners that are too harsh for these materials.

Additionally, you may have applied the polish incorrectly, or the polish may not have been appropriate for your type of laminate.

What dissolves sticky adhesive from the laminate floor?

Many people are concerned that the adhesive left on the laminate flooring can permanently damage it. While it is true that the adhesive can be difficult to remove, there are safe and effective ways of doing so without damaging the flooring. Here’s what you can do:

1. Use a soft cloth, put some water and dishwashing liquid on it, and then rub the glue residue. If this doesn’t work, try using an old toothbrush to scrub the area.
2. Use white vinegar or alcohol (usually found in any commercial cleaner) and wipe the glue off.
3. Use baking soda or cornstarch to soak up the adhesive: sprinkle it over the surface and use a vacuum cleaner to clean.

How do you remove old adhesive residue from the laminate floor?

To remove old adhesive residue, a few household items and a little bit of elbow grease are needed.

First, take a small bowl and mix some dish detergent with warm water. Then use a sponge or cloth to apply the mixture to the sticky area. The residue should start dissolving and coming off. Continue wiping until all remnants are gone.

It is recommended that you use this process sparingly because it can deteriorate your flooring if done too often.

Moreover, you can also use paint thinner to remove old adhesive residue. Pour it on the area and let it soak in before scrubbing with a brush or steel wool pad.

To Conclude

Don’t let stick residue on the floor sit on the floor for a long time because it hardens over time onto the laminate flooring. Hence, removing it may be a daunting task and can trigger other elements to impact your laminate flooring.

Therefore, it would be helpful to take care of it immediately before it’s too late.

Read More on Laminate Floors

• Will Acetone Damage Laminate Floor? (Explained)
• Can You Use Goo Gone on Laminate Flooring? (Explained)
• How to Remove Scuff Marks from Laminate Flooring? (4 Helpful Solutions)
• 4 Best Ways to Clean Linoleum Floors That Have Yellowed (Must-Try)
• How to Dry Water Under Laminate Flooring? (A Step-By-Step Approach)