How to clean hardwood floors after removing carpet and padding

First is to run the vacuum cleaner over the area many times. Don't let the beater hit, but you do want the brushes to hit the floor. This will take a LOT of the big stuff off.

I tried almost every solvent known to man. My problem is that it either did nothing, or dissolved the carpet pad and the shellac.

I ended up using Windshield Washing Fluid (that also will remove ice/frost from the windshield). When I started losing patience, I would add up to 25% isopropyl alcohol. Spray on, and let it sit for a couple of minutes. Then I Hand scrubbed with:

A. 4" Paint & Rust Remover Extra Coarse 1 Pack open-webbed, semi-flexible design of this wheel makes it easy to strip edges, contours and uneven surfaces without gouging (bought at the "Green-colored" store and saved Big Money)

B. Scotch-Brite

Don't fool yourself, this took a LOT of work = time.

I did not want to sand and put all the dust into the air. Nor, risk sanding off any stain that may be on the wood.

The only thing that would dissolve the carpet pad also dissolved the shellac. Before I liked polyurethane, but now I like shellac. I've had to scrub down to the bare wood in places, and to repair, I will probably open doors/windows for ventilation, then use a roller with straight alcohol to dissolve the patchy area and get it to even out. Then, put a second coat over the top. Great stuff to fix at a later date, plus if I understand correctly, it is natural, not poisionous.

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1. Pull Back Your Carpet Padding

   Begin at a corner in the room that’s away from the entryway. Use a putty knife to loosen the edge of your carpet to pull it back. Pull from the corner towards yourself, removing any pieces that pull up easily. Continue pulling and removing big chunks until the largest pieces of padding are removed.

   If edges get stuck, use a putty knife along the room's perimeter. Be careful not to damage crown molding or walls.

2. Remove Leftover Glue

   Use a scraping tool or putty knife to remove stuck portions of the padding. 

   If you plan to replace your carpet, use soap and water to soften any glue. Let sit for at least 15 minutes to help the mixture loosen the leftover residue; it'll make your life much easier. Then, remove the glue residue with a putty knife.

   For stubborn sections, try using a mix of vinegar and water (2 cups of water to one-half cup of vinegar) or paint thinner and water to loosen the glue. Only pick one of these solutions; never mix them. If you want to avoid refinishing the floors, opt for an acrylic-based paint remover.

3. Remove All Nails and Staples

   Start in the corner where you first pulled up the carpet. Diligently check for leftover nails, staples, or other sharp objects that could be stuck to the glue or perimeter of the room.

   Use pliers, a screwdriver, or staple remover to gently pull the staples out of the floor. Throw the staples away and sweep up the loose padding.

4. Sweep or Vacuum Any Debris

   

   Photo: bill oxford / iStock / Getty Images Plus / Getty Images

   Once the room is safe, use a broom to sweep up big piles of debris, then vacuum. You can apply paint thinner to stuck glue bits on the floor, but put it specifically on problem spots and not all over the place. Throw away any pieces of the carpet padding or glue bits that come up as you clean.

   At this point, you're free to go over your new wood floors with a wood-friendly cleaning solution or start the process of laying down new carpet padding for your new floors.

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