Carpet & Upholstery Cleaning · Carpet Cleaning 101 ·Oct 31, 2022

How to Get Glue Out of a Carpet

Have you spilled glue on your carpet and don’t know which way to turn? Rest assured, you are not alone. This is a fairly common problem. Whether it's the result of DIY, arts and crafts, or home repairs, glue finds its way onto carpets in many homes. So, how do you get glue out of your carpet?

It’s actually a lot simpler than you think when you have the know-how and the tools for the job. Although there are many different types of glue on the market, most of them are very simply removed from carpets. So to find out exactly how you can sort out this common carpet problem, read our guide below.

What this article covers:

How to Get Wet Glue out of a Carpet
How to Get Dried Glue out of a Carpet
How to Get Carpet Glue out of a Carpet
How to Get Hot Glue out of a Carpet
How to Get Glitter Glue out of a Carpet
How to Get Cosmetic Glues out of a Carpet
Pro Tip: Heat Is Always the Best Option for Removing Glue
How to Get Glue out of Carpet (faqs)

How To Get Wet Glue Out Of A Carpet

Some wet glue spills are a lot easier to treat than dried ones. Bear in mind, though, that some types of glue dry and harden very quickly. That’s why wet glue should be cleaned up immediately, if possible.

It does depend on the kind of glue, though. Wood glue is one of the most common glue spills, as it is often used in home improvements. It does not dry that quickly and therefore you may be able to clean up this mess while it is still wet.

Mop Up Excess Glue

The important thing is to remove as much excess glue from the surface of your carpet, before cleaning the carpet. This will make it easier to clean the area.

Don’t try to mop it up with a cloth, this will only smear it into the carpet. And a paper towel would be even more disastrous, as it will stick to the glue. Scrape it off gently with a spatula, or even a spoon.

Use Professional Carpet Cleaner

Proceed to clean your carpet with any of our professional carpet cleaning chemicals. They are all formulated to clean up even the stickiest mess. You may use any of them as a pre-spray, and then clean the area with a hydro-vac.

But hot water extraction with a professional carpet cleaning machine is the best choice for any serious or stubborn glue spill. Your carpets will also be left drier than with other water-based carpet cleaning methods.

Recommended Detergent

We recommend Formula 99 for cleaning carpets and upholstery. It’s safe for both synthetic and natural carpets like wool. What’s more, this liquid detergent rinse can be used with cold water and hot water extraction cleaning methods.

How To Get Dried Glue Out Of A Carpet

Most likely, in the time it took you to get to this article, that glue spill has dried. This is especially likely in the case of a super glue spill, as this type of glue dries virtually instantly. But don't worry, you can still clean it up. It is easier to clean up superglue spills once they are dry.

Scrape Away Dried Excess

Scrape as much of the excess dried superglue away as gently as possible. If you are concerned that you may cause damage, or that the dried superglue is just a flat smear, then skip this step.

Do not use a sharp tool or blade for this. Rather use the side of a blunt butter knife or a spatula. Most dried glue will scrape away fairly easily.

Use How Water Extraction

Heat is usually the best method for loosening glue, but heat alone is not the answer. A combination of a powerful cleaning agent with heat is the best solution. Black Label Soap-Free Rinse is gentle on carpets yet effective on dirt and stains. It’s designed for hot water extraction and cleaning of synthetic carpets.

How To Get Carpet Glue Out Of A Carpet

Most carpet glues are non-water–based. This is a good thing, as it means that carpet adhesive under your carpet won’t lift when the carpet is wet. The bad news is, it will want to stay stuck to the surface of your carpet, too, so water alone won’t do the trick here,

To get carpet glue off of the surface of your carpet, you’ll need to employ heat as well. And this is also one of the most effective ways to clean carpets.

Hot water extraction carpet cleaning will give a deep-down clean while removing the dried carpet glue. Any of the detergents described above may be used.

How To Get Hot Glue Out Of A Carpet

This type of glue is commonly used in arts and crafts projects and home improvements. Hot glue consists of ‘glue sticks’ that are heated and applied with a ‘glue gun’. These sticks are made of resins, waxes, and polymers.

Not only does hot glue dry very quickly, but it also forms a nearly permanent bond between most surfaces. Hot glue can be used on both porous and non-porous surfaces. Whether you spill it on synthetic or wool carpets, or even your upholstery, you’ll have a problem if something has adhered to it.

The Best Treatment For Hot Glue Spills

If the problem is just a blob of hot glue, the first thing to do is let the blob cool down. Once it has dried, target this glue spill with our Super Gel.

Super Gel is designed for use on various spills and stains on carpets and upholstery. It is particularly effective against gum, oil, and wax-based spills. Because hot-glue sticks contain waxes, this is the ideal product for hot glue spills.

It is ideal for removing grease from the carpet in a car, and you can also remove any oil stain from carpets with this product.

How To Get Glitter Glue Out Of A Carpet

Here’s where things can get tricky, as glitter glue is not just glue. It contains glitter particles and color dyes. But we have a solution to that, too.

Color Glue Removal

When treating a glue spill that is also a color stain, you need to treat both problems at once. And you can do this, by using heat (for lifting the glue) with a stain remover ( for lifting the colors). You have two great options for treating color stains. These are Pig Out and Red Action.

Best For Dark Or Deep Pigment Stains

Pig Out, as the name implies, removes pigmented stains. This is a highly advanced blend of solvents, surfactants, and copolymers, which strips the pigment without damaging carpet fibers. This powder is best suited for hot water extraction and cleaning of synthetic carpets.

Pig Out is also great for removing all kinds of highly pigmented cosmetics stains from carpets. So whether you have spilled hair dye, or need to get tattoo ink out of the carpet, this is the product you need.

Best For Red Or Brightly Colored Stains

Red Action, like Pig Out, is suited for hot water extraction of synthetic carpets but is in liquid form. It is especially effective at removing red-colored stains but can be used on all color carpet stains. It will quickly work on the colors that glitter glue may have left on your carpet.

How To Get Cosmetic Glues Out Of A Carpet

Most cosmetic glues contain a common ingredient, and thus their method of removal will be the same.

How To Get Eyelash Glue Out Of A Carpet

All eyelash extension adhesives contain something called cyanoacrylate. There are 5 types of cyanoacrylate with their own characteristics, but ethyl cyanoacrylate is the most commonly used. It is responsible for the quick setting time of eyelash glue.

One of the best ways to remove eyelash glue from a carpet is with heat. Heat naturally softens eyelash glue, making it easier to remove. Therefore, any of our carpet detergents used for hot water extraction cleaning of your carpet will do the trick.

How To Get Nail Glue Out Of A Carpet

Nail glue usually contains the same ingredient as eyelash glue, cyanoacrylate. This is why it dries and hardens so quickly. It’s usually easy to scrape off a couch when dry but may cause damage when it’s on the surface of your carpets.

Once again, your best recourse is to remove it with heat and detergent, using a hot water extraction carpet cleaning machine. But if your carpet has any other stains or unpleasant odors, you can treat those at the same time. So while you’re at it, choose detergent with a fresh scent that will deodorize your carpet too.

Beachy Peachy is an effective treatment for stains and odors that is safe for use on all surfaces. This natural concentrate is also compatible with our whole range of detergents.

How To Get Hair Glue Out Of A Carpet

Many hair extension glues also contain cyanoacrylate, as it is the fastest-setting glue of all adhesive products. As before, your best bet is to apply heat. You can do this while giving your carpets a deep clean, with hot water extraction.

Don’t be tempted to use bleach to clean your carpet. You may cause irreparable damage if you use too strong a dose.

Revitalize your carpets with Rug Smack, instead. This cleaner has the power of oxygen bleach. It deep cleans and brightens both synthetic and natural carpets, and is suited for hot water extraction cleaning.

Best For Brown Hair Glue Stains

Some hair glues are colored, to blend in with the color of the hair. If you have spilled brown hair glue on a light-colored carpet, don’t despair. You can get a brown stain out of your carpet with the same color stain removers used for glitter glue spills.

But if you need to remove a rust stain from a carpet, there is a better product for that rust discoloration. It’s called Rust Out, and it will remove brown spots caused by rust on synthetic carpets.

Pro Tip: Heat Is Always The Best Option For Removing Glue

There are three main ways in which most products can be broken down. One is through water, but you can also use heat or a chemical reaction.

Adhesives are almost always softened and weakened by heat. Depending on the stain or spill you’re facing, you’ll have to choose the right option.

Conclusion

Glue spills are never pleasant, especially when they happen on a carpet. But almost no carpet spill, stain, or mess is untreatable when you react quickly with professional products. So the next time that you have a sticky situation like glue on your carpets, have the right products to hand.

Invest in our versatile and highly effective range of carpet cleaners, stain removers, and carpet care products, today. You will no longer have to worry about how to get glue, nor any other stain, out of a carpet.

How To Get Glue Out Of Carpet (FAQs)

Is it safe to use acetone to remove glue from carpets?

While acetone may be effective for treating glue pills, that does not mean that it is safe or recommended. You could easily damage your carpet fibers, especially natural fibers, with such a strong product. Rather use professional carpet care products and the methods described in this guide.

What if the glue has made the fibers in my deep pile carpet stick together?

Heat is the most effective way to loosen the glue. Hot water extraction cleaning of your carpet will loosen the glue, even in between the fibers of deep pile carpeting. That said, in an extreme case you may have to go over the carpet with your carpet machine for a longer time.

Are there home remedies for removing glue from a carpet?

You may find several cleaning hacks online that claim to remove glue from carpets. The results may vary, and you could even risk damaging your carpets. This is especially true for natural fiber carpets. Carpet cleaning that employs heat is always the most effective treatment for glue spills.

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