How To Remove The Carpet Strip Nails Without Cracking Concrete

Gloved hand scrubbing ceramic tile floor with ammonia and liquid dish soap — Joe has a solution for stubborn adhesive residue left on tile floors. (DepositPhotos)

Many homeowners pull upward their carpet when they take hardwood or tile floors beneath it. The project is easy until you get to the carpet tack strip, and the agglutinative underneath it.

That'due south the situation John faces.

He and his son decided to pull upwards wall-to-wall carpeting that was covering beautiful tile floors.

They removed the rug and pried upwardly the carpet tack strip lining the room's perimeter. Then they were shocked to detect remainder from contact cement that held the tack strip to the tile.

There are solvents and liquid flooring strippers to remove that residue, just those will dissolve information technology and leave a gummy mess.

Joe prefers to dry-scrape the area first. The correct scraping method could be all it takes to scrape hardened adhesive residue.

Take a 2-inch-wide steel putty knife, wrap information technology in terry cloth and effort scraping off the remainder under the carpet tack strip. The terry cloth volition help protect the tile surface.

Then, make full a saucepan with hot tap water, a loving cup of ammonia and a few squirts of liquid dish lather, put on some rubber gloves, and scrub whatsoever is left over with a nylon scouring pad.

If that fails, you lot will need to try a liquid floor stripper — such every bit Goo Gone Pro Power — or soak the area with acetone.

Listen to the Today'south Homeowner Podcast for more home improvement tips!

[1:43] When you know the shower valve needs to be replaced
[6:39] Chelsea talks near making a concrete Christmas tree stand
[10:03] Tips for removing adhesive balance from onetime carpet
[13:50] Best New Product: Lockly's Vision Smart Deadbolt with Video Doorbell
[15:14] Tips to become rid of stubborn mildew stains
[22:19] Tips for taking architectural asphalt shingles apart
[26:07] How to fix squeaky floors
[29:21] Question of the Week: Tips for replacing a tub shower with a steam shower

Simple Solutions

Fast Fix for Running Toilet — If you have atoilet that'south constantly running, the culprit is likely a leaky flapper valve.

Over time, flappers may get cracked or warped, which can allow water to leak out. In fact, a faulty flapper is the leading cause of leaking or running toilets, co-ordinate toFluidmaster, which manufactures toilet parts.

Here'southward what to do: Shut off the water to the toilet, then flush the toilet and hold down the handle for a few seconds to empty the tank.

Next, accomplish inside the tank and disconnect the old flapper valve, and snap on the new one. Arrange the chain to the proper length, turn the water dorsum on, then affluent the toilet a couple of times to make sure it'southward working correctly. And that'south information technology.

Hideaway Bath Trashcan — Bathroom trashcans e'er seem to be in the way, especially in pocket-size bathrooms. Here's how to put a trashcan in your bathroom and have it hidden away.

On the back of a vanity door, mount two small plastic hooks with half-inch screws. Use curt screws because you don't desire them poking through the other side.

Space the hooks iii or four inches autonomously, depending on the size of the trash can, and make sure the trash can has a lip on it.

Now, simply hang the trashcan right on the hooks. Shut the door, and it's completely out of the way.

Watch: The Simple Way To Hide Your Bathroom Trash Tin can

Question of the Calendar week

Q: Nosotros are because replacing our tub shower with a steam shower. What should we know and then we can assure ourselves that our contractor installs it properly?

We practise not want mold to occur due to the exposure to steam. We would capeesh any insight or resource you can provide.

A: People think that a ceramic surround is waterproof, and nothing will penetrate it, only that's non true. You lot need a waterproof membrane nether each of the shower'southward surfaces.

You can gyre on a liquid membrane —RedGard is one make — and brush it into all the corners. It's similar to painting, but this is a rubber material. So add together a second glaze of the liquid membrane and, finally, you lot can add the finished wall surface.

In add-on, you may demand to modify the shower door to include a vent panel or at to the lowest degree cut it short because you'll demand fresh air coming in.

Brand sure the contractor tackles these key areas earlier yous pay the check, because getting them to render might be an issue!

Finally, yous may need to replace your electric current bathroom vent fan with one that can handle the actress steam. And, as always, make sure the exhaust vents through to the exterior, not just into the attic.