How to Get Baseboard Glue Off a Wall

Gluing vinyl or PVC baseboards to a wall holds it in place for years, largely due to the strength of the glue used. Removing the boards often requires heating the glue before pulling the boards away. This usually leaves a thin layer of glue behind that you have to move before you can replace the baseboard or do anything else with that portion of wall. By applying heat, you can make this glue remnant removable as well, so that you can scrape it off and leave only bare wall behind.

Masking tape
Drop cloth
Heat gun
Putty knife
#0000 steel wool pad
Clear ammonia
Bucket
Sponge
Cloth

Instructions

- 1
  Place a strip of masking tape along the edge of the floor at the base of the wall to prevent any melted adhesive from falling onto the floor and drying in place.
- 2
  Set your heat gun to medium heat. Hold the nozzle of the heat gun about four inches away from the surface of the wall aimed at the baseboard glue. Trigger the heat from the heat gun, and then move the nozzle over the glue in a back-and-forth motion to direct the heat at the baseboard glue. Continue to move the gun until the glue begins to melt and sag on the wall.
- 3
  Turn off the heat gun. Scrape off the partially melted adhesive from the wall with a putty knife. Wipe the blade of the knife off with a piece of cloth occasionally to avoid scratching the wall with congealed glue on the blade. Repeat the heating and scraping process until you’ve removed as much glue from the surface as possible.
- 4
  Rub the surface of the wall in a circular motion with a #0000 steel wool pad to remove any glue residue missed by the knife blade.
- 5
  Mix 1 cup of clear ammonia in a gallon of cool water. Use the mix to clean the wall along its base where you removed the glue. Rinse with cool water and pat dry with a piece of cloth.

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