If possible, tackle the glue stain immediately, dabbing it up with a dry towel. If the glue has hardened, scrape as much as possible off with a knife. Soak the area with distilled white vinegar. Leave for 15 minutes. Dab the remaining glue with warm soapy water. Scrub with a cloth until the glue has lifted.
5 Methods to Get Glue Out of Carpet
Check out these five methods for removing glue. If one doesn’t work for you, simply move on to the next one, and soon enough, glue is gone!
If you notice glue on your carpet, act quickly. The fresher the glue, the easier it will be to get out. However, we will recommend some methods for removing dried glue, too.1. Ironing the Glue Off
This method is great for glue from long, thick carpets.
- Using a sharp knife, scrape glue residue from the carpet. For hardened glue, you might need to scrape for longer.
- Once as much of the glue has lifted, cover the glue with a thin cloth.
- Iron over the cloth. The heat should soften the glue, which will transfer from the carpet to the cloth.
- Once the glue has lifted, check the stain. If glue remains, use a pair of household scissors to cut the tip of the fibers and any remaining glue residue.
2. Vinegar and Dish Soap
If you know us, you’ll know that we love this combination! Vinegar and dish soap work great together for removing many different carpet stains. But this combo also works great for glue, specifically craft glue.
- Remove as much of the glue as possible. For fresh glue, dab with a dry towel. For dried glue, dab with a warm damp towel and scrape with the blunt side of a butter knife.
- Soak a cloth in distilled white vinegar.
- Wipe the glue-affected area for at least one minute or until the area is wet.
- Leave for 15 minutes. The vinegar will work to loosen the adhesive and make it easier to lift completely.
- Mix together one tablespoon of dish soap per cup of warm water.
- Soak a cloth in the mixture and dab it on the remaining glue spot.
- Gently scrub to lift the glue.
- Dab the spot dry with a separate cloth. The glue should be gone now.
3. Ammonia
If you need a method that’s a bit more extreme and powerful, especially for dried glue, ammonia can come in handy.
- Mix one teaspoon of ammonia in one cup of water. Stir.
- Wearing gloves, soak a clean white cloth in the solution.
- Blot the glue stain until the glue starts to transfer from the carpet to the cloth.
- Repeat until the stain has lifted.
4. Acetone
Another great product that you may already have in the house is acetone. This works for both fresh and dried glue.
- If the glue is fresh, use clean paper towels to press down on the glue. This will absorb the glue. Repeat this until you’ve lifted as much of the glue as possible. If the glue is dried, skip this step.
- Soak a cotton ball or swab with acetone nail polish remover. Press down on the glue spot. Repeat until the glue begins to loosen. Make sure to swap out the cotton ball for a new damp one if the previous one begins to try.
- Optional: If the glue isn’t lifting, try the ammonia method here.
- Once the glue has been removed, wipe the carpet with a warm damp cloth.
- Dry the carpet with a clean, dry towel.
5. Goo Gone
If you want something that’s specifically designed for removing glue from carpets, then Goo Gone is a great shout. This product can remove glue, wax, crayons, tars, glitter, gum, and more from various surfaces. This includes carpets, hard surfaces, upholstery, clothes, and more!
- Pour a bit of Goo Gone onto a clean white cloth.
- Gently blot the glue-affected area on the carpet until the glue lifts.
- Soak another cloth in water and add a bit of soap to the cloth.
- Blot the area.
- Wipe dry.
Do not use Goo Gone on silk, leather, suede, or rubber. Also, note that the instructions differ for hard surfaces, clothes, and other surfaces. Always refer to the product packaging before using, and always test in an inconspicuous spot first.