How to Remove a Vinyl Rug From the Floor
- 1). Cut the floor into strips using a utility knife. When the floor has been glued only around the perimeter there are often large floating sections of floor that will lift easily. Roll and discard the old floor.
- 2). Scrape vinyl backing and adhesive that is firmly attached to the subfloor. Use a wall scraper for small areas and a floor scraper to try to lift larger sections. Often this is very slow and hard work.
- 3). Apply heat to the adhesive using a heat gun. This will soften the adhesive and allow you to scrape it off the subfloor more easily. Discard soft adhesive immediately into a garbage bag and handle the adhesive wearing gloves, as the adhesive may stick to other objects as it cools back down.
- 4). Soak persistent problem areas with a solvent designed specifically for vinyl floor adhesives. The vinyl floor often has a backer paper that will be stuck to the adhesive; allow the solvent to saturate the paper and dissolve the adhesive. Scrape fast to remove the mess as quickly and efficiently as possible.
Source...