Remove floor glue from tiles

Grab All Association

I have tried everything to remove it from acetone, bread soda, alcohol sanitizer (note the acetone slightly discoloured the tile so I stopped using it ) Brillo pads etc. and it’s still not budging.

10-10-20

You're tried the universal solvents except methalated spirits. Heat and a shovel might be the remaining options.

The Continental Op

Meths wouldn't be too far removed from alcohol hand sanitizer.

If it doesn't melt the tile a hot air paint stripper might be worth a try?

If its old vinyl floor tile it might be worth bearing in mind they used to contain asbestos. A carpet tile would be another matter.

On a hard tile if the glue softens when heated you could try a multitool with a knife blade. The friction from the oscillation of the blade tends to heat the glue and allows the blade to get right under it - Multitool .

Toluene if you can get it is about top of the list (above acetone) for removal of glue but might do worse damage than the acetone.

Then you could try going the other way? Stick a tile in the fridge and see if the frozen glue can be chipped off.

GreeBo

Have you tried a blade in a scraper?

Assuming its a ceramic etc tile, you dont specify in the OP!

The Continental Op

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119972128#Comment_119972128

If its a carpet tile then I might as well give up now.

Grab All Association

They are just standard floor tiles. The glue is brownish/yellow. Previous owner glued linoleum to the floor.

GreeBo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119973399#Comment_119973399

Sorry but that still doesnt help, "standard floor tile" can mean different things to different people.

Are they ceramic/porcelain tiles?

Do you want to keep the tile or are they going also? Is the glue still flexible or has it gone hard? You might try an iron on the lino and then a scraper to separate the lino from the tile, but you are still going to be left with a mess that you may or may not be able to chip off once it hardens again.

Grab All Association

I want to keep the tiles here’s a photo of what I’m talking about

mikewest

I have seen this done on a TV programme very recently but I cannot remember the name possibly on channel 5 and maybe about cleaners or cleaning. It was a UK series but featured a cleaning company from Kildare removing tile or carpet adhesive from old ceramic tiles. They used amongst other things muriatic acid followed by neutralizer and polishing machines with very strong brushes also lots of scrapers and elbow grease.

GreeBo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119977878#Comment_119977878

Hang on, so you have already removed the lino and are now left with adhesive on the tiles? Is that what we are looking at here?

Remember, we aren't there, so if you dont tell us, we dont know...

If Im correct, then I would try a heat gun, assuming you have already tried a scraper with a blade?

They are used for cleaning windows and also ceramic/glass hobs.

magicbastarder

so you're looking to remove glue from the glazed surface of a ceramic tile, which is still in situ? as above, i'd try a paint scraper first.

though i'm not sure how the acetone would have discoloured a glazed tile?

Grab All Association

I have tried scrapers, heat gun the lot. Doesn’t seem to budge at all. I have sanding sponges that do work, but it takes 5-10 minutes per tile with variable results. The places where I used ammonia there are white spots. They look like those awful office/prefab tiles from circa 1986, but the house was built in 2006. Previous owners were effing eejits. I’m on a budget so I’m trying to preserve these tiles. I guess the only thing is weeks of scrubbing

GreeBo

Did you try a specialized scraper with an actual razor blade (which is designed for this sort of thing) or just a common scraper that is probably really a paint scraper or filling knife?

Failing that you could try sending a sample of the glue to some organization who can tell you what its made of and what would dissolve it.

The only one I know of off-hand is called the Grab All Association :D

GreeBo

Sanding is going to make sh1te of any tile as it will remove the glaze and look awful.

If you really cant remove it with a proper scraper, then you can lino over it again, or try something a bit more out there and pour a thin acrylic floor on top of it.

scorpio.045

Hi there,

Has anyone any reccomendations for a heavy duty tile cleaner, for slate tiles that were never sealed properly.