How Do You Remove Heavy-Duty Adhesive Residue?
Heavy-duty adhesives are used primarily in the construction industry to secure building materials such as paneling, molding and floor tile. Removing the residue that remains after the removal of the building materials can be a labor-intensive, messy process. Using a combination of methods to remove the residue, however, can cut down on time and ensure that the surface containing the residue remains undamaged. Scrape small sections of heavy-duty adhesive from surfaces with a putty knife or long-handle floor scraper. Place the edge of the blade against the surface of the adhesive at about a 45 degree angle. Apply pressure to cut through the adhesive to the surface beneath. Push the blade along the subsurface, prying up and removing the adhesive as the blade moves along. Take care not to gouge the surface beneath the adhesive while pushing on the blade. Sponge rubbing alcohol onto the difficult-to-remove adhesive and allow the alcohol to sit on the adhesive for 5 minutes to loosen it up.
