How To Clean Hardwood Floors After Pulling Up Carpet

Remove the carpet tacking strips which may be nailed or stapled to the hardwood floor.

How to clean hardwood floors after pulling up carpet. Mix 1 cup of vinegar per gallon of water and wash the floors with a mop. Pry up the carpet tack strips and or the wood strips along the edges that the carpet was nailed to. It takes some elbow grease but it worked. An even better option when it comes to getting your floors clean after removing carpet is to opt for a hardwood steam cleaner. Vacuum well and ensure that no dust wood splinters and other remnants are left on the floor.

Not only will it help to loosen any extra dirt and grime but in the event that you also missed a little bit of adhesive the hot steam from the mop will help to loosen the material so it can be easily wiped away. One safe method is to use vinegar and water drying the floor by towel as soon as you re done cleaning it. Throw away the debris. Dispose of tacking strips and any staples or nails that held the strips in place. Chemicals can stain and damage your wood permanently.

Use the pliers to pull up any staples that remain stuck in the floor. Use as little water as possible and wipe the floor with a clean rag afterward. Remove carpet padding and all debris from the floor. Make sure nails staples and other debris are all off the floor. Liquid and water can cause permanent warping damage.

Use your standard screwdriver to pry them from the floor. At the same time you should clean the hardwood once more using the appropriate vacuum cleaner in order to make sure that it s 100 dust free. Too much water as well as puddled water can cause a wood floor to crack or splinter. The padding was not glued down but fused with the floor anyway. Using this is easy as 1 2 3 just apply it on the stained area and wipe using a soft cloth.

Use a staple remover or pliers to remove the staples from the wood. Return to the corner of the room where you began and get down on all fours. Next put on gloves and a mask so that you don t get dizzy from the fumes and open up your windows for ventilation. If you want to remove old carpet padding than make sure to apply this alcohol and give it a couple of minutes to burn the padding that is stuck on the floor than wipe using a soft cloth. In either case if a trace of adhesive remains on the floor afterward mix some warm water and mild dish soap and wash the residue with a soft damp sponge.