How To Get Window Adhesive Out Of Your Carpet

27 September 2014

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When you're trying to repair seals around your window frame or replacing a broken window, it's possible that some of that adhesive might wind up in your carpet. Even if you do your best to cover it up and tape down the cover, glue accidents happen. This doesn't mean you have to leave a crusty spot in your rug right next to your gleaming window though. By following a few steps, you can get rid of that sticky adhesive and get back to working on your window repairs through a company like Glass Doctor.

Step 1: Dab It Up

      Tools:

• Paper towels
• Water
• White vinegar

As soon as you see the glue spill, grab a paper towel, get it wet with water and squeeze out the excess moisture. Use this to dab -- not rub -- the adhesive out of your carpet. Depending on the amount of glue that's down, you might need to do this a few times over with several paper towels. Once you get out as much as possible, scrub the spot with some white vinegar and blot it dry. Allow the area to dry overnight.

Step 2: Heat and Repeat

      Tools:

• Piece of a brown paper bag
• Old towel
• Iron

Lay a piece of a brown paper bag on top of the adhesive. Cover it with an old towel. Plug in your iron and set it to a medium heat. Once it's warmed up, iron over the covered spot on your rug. Keep the iron moving, just as you would when you're ironing an article of clothing. Just be careful not to let the iron touch the carpet directly -- the heat can destroy carpet fibers. Lift up the towel and paper bag piece and check to make sure the glue is wet again. Ideally, the iron should've re-melted the adhesive. From this point, you can repeat step one, blotting and scrubbing the area with white vinegar.

Step 3: Scrape and Cut

      Tools:

• Paring knife
• Scissors
• Dissolving agent (optional)

Window glue is designed to be durable and weather many conditions. You might have to iron over and blot the spot several times, over multiple days, to get everything up. But in some cases, you might be left with some crustiness in your carpet still. Get an old paring knife out of your kitchen and use it to scrape out any stuck-on dried glue particles. If need be, you can also use scissors to trim some of it away. While you may know the spot is there, your guests shouldn't be able to detect it.

You might be able to use a dissolving agent, such as nail polish remover, to get up any last bits of dried glue. However, you need to check with the glue manufacturer to see which product they suggest. Before you use the chemical on your rug, do a spot test in a hidden area. Make sure the dissolving agent doesn't discolor your carpeting.

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