Rubber backed carpet padding stuck!

[chickenista]

Mornin! We ripped up the carpet in the dining room to prepare for the woodstove and found beautiful wood floors that may never have been stepped on since 1920. I think they just kept putting down carpet.
BUT.......
The last time they put in new carpet..guessing around '74..they used this carpet padding that had red rubber on the down side. Now this red rubber has cemented to the hardwood floor. Some of it is doughy (feels just like Play-Doh), but some has hardened. I can pull up the gooey and can probably chip away at the hard stuff or use a plastic putty knife..
Does anyone have any ideas for getting this suff up without a full on floor sanding?! I know it will be slow going... but no $ for a floor sander rental right now.

[MaryNY]

You might try Dawn Power Dissolver -- it is meant for removing burned on crud from casseroles and pans and oven racks etc., and it really works. It is available at WalMart, though difficult to find elsewhere. It may be on the cleanser/dish soap aisle at your supermarket. You should probably try it on some of the stuck on stuff in a corner where no one will see it, in case it does something to the finish on the floor, as well. I have found it will even remove old wallpaper (50 years old with old mucilage, etc.). And, if it doesn't work on the old padding, at least you have it to clean up casseroles and pots and pans.

Good luck!

MaryNY

[indypartridge]

Had a similar situation once. WD-40 and a lot of elbow grease did the trick.

[ginnie5]

when I redid one of our floors there was black tar paper like stuff under a layer of tile. I used lots of hot soapy water and a putty knife to scrape it all off. Seems like in a few places I did use some kind of chemical but not much. Then I rented a floor sander and all the rest came off with that. I still have another room to do but it will have to wait till the addition is done.

[Selena]

Goo Gone might do the trick too -

[CraftyDiva]

You could try to soften the hard spots with a blow dryer (heat gun works much faster) and then scrape it off. Or brush on paint thinner, let set for awhile and then scrape, open your windows for this one.



.

[gunsmithgirl]

some floor glues can be softened with ammonia too.

[Alice In TX/MO]

We tried all the solvents. Finally sanded it off. Rent a big floor sander.