How to Remove Old Rubber Carpet Padding

Carpets are installed with rubber padding underneath to add protection and comfort. Carpet padding may be stapled or glued down by the carpet installers. If you want to change your carpet and the padding underneath has mildewed or if you no longer require carpeting in a certain area of your home, you can have a carpet specialist come in and take up the padding, or you can save money and do it yourself.

Pry bar
Utility knife
Needle nose pliers
Mineral spirits
Rag
Putty knife
Flooring scraper

Instructions

- 1
  Pry up the edge of one corner of the carpet padding with a pry bar. Start pulling the carpet away from the floor.
- 2
  Cut the carpet pad off in sections with a utility knife as you pull it up, and toss the sections out of your way.
- 3
  Place one prong of the needle nose pliers under any staples stuck into the floor. Turn or rotate the pliers so that each end of the staple comes up out of the floor.
- 4
  Apply mineral spirits to carpet padding that is stuck to the floor with glue. Wet a rag liberally with mineral spirits, and apply it to the padding. Allow the mineral spirits to soak into the padding for 2 to 3 minutes. The mineral spirits will seep into the padding to the glue and loosen it.
- 5
  Tuck a putty knife under the edge of the soaked carpet padding, and gently scrape loose.
- 6
  Vacuum up any small pieces of carpet padding.

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