7 Easy Steps on How to Get Rubber Cement Out of Carpet

Rubber cement can easily get stuck to your carpet, especially due to spills. It is important to clean this up as soon as possible.

Through this guide, we will take you through some steps that will give you an idea about how to get rubber cement out of a carpet.

Is Rubber Cement Easy to Remove?

Rubber cement can be slightly difficult to remove, especially if it gets stuck to the fibers of your carpet. Since its consistency is thick and sticky as well, it can attach itself firmly to the carpet.

However, there are a few solutions that you can try out that can make the process relatively simpler. For example, you can make use of solvents such as rubbing alcohol or a combination of hydrogen peroxide and water.

It is better to clean up the rubber cement as soon as possible, preferably immediately after the spill or as soon as you notice it. As long as it is still a bit wet, it can be a simpler process.

How to Get Rubber Cement Out of Carpet

Let’s take a more detailed look at how you can get rubber cement out of a carpet.

Rubbing Alcohol

Rubbing alcohol can help loosen up the rubber cement so that it becomes easier to get it out. You can go through the following steps involved in the process.

1. Use a knife or blade to scrape out as much of the rubber cement as possible from the affected parts of the carpet. It would be better to scrape from the ends and then move on to the center.

2. Once you think you can no longer scrape off any more rubber cement, take a paper towel and collect up any extra bits or scrapes of the rubber cement. You can then simply throw out the paper towels so that the rubber cement does not come into contact with any other surfaces.

3. You can then take a cloth, cotton or another paper towel and pour some rubbing alcohol on it. Use this towel to blot and dab at the affected part of the carpet. Make sure you do so in a single direction. In case the rubber cement has made its way to a deeper part, use a circular motion without being too rough.

4. It is important to prevent the rubbing alcohol from making its way to the depths of the carpet as this could damage the structure.

5. Ideally, this should get rid of the rubber cement. If it doesn’t, you can then pour or spray some detergent (without bleach) mixed with water onto the spot.

6. Let it rest on the carpet for around 5-10 minutes. You can then use a cloth or paper towel to blot up the solution.

7. Spray some clean water onto it, blot it up again and let the carpet dry thoroughly. This will allow you to clean up any remaining solution from the carpet.

Hydrogen Peroxide

If the above method does not work, you can also make use of hydrogen peroxide as its strength might be enough to break down and loosen the rubber cement on your carpet. You can go through the following steps to get a better idea of the process.

1. Remove the rubber cement using a knife or a blade. Ensure that you scrape out as much of it as you can. You can also use a paper towel to get rid of the extra bits of rubber cement.

2. Once this is done, you should start out with a combination of detergent and water. Make sure the detergent does not contain any bleach as this could lighten the color of the carpet more than necessary.

3. Spray or pour this solution onto the affected part of the carpet and let it rest for a few minutes. After 5-10 minutes have passed, you can use a cloth or paper towel to blot it out carefully.

4. After you do this, you can apply a bit of hydrogen peroxide onto the affected area. Make sure that the hydrogen peroxide you use is not too strong as this could bleach out the carpet to a significant extent. You can easily make sure of this while buying it from a nearby store.

5. You should let this rest for half an hour to an hour. This will give it enough time to absorb into the rubber cement and loosen it up.

6. You can then blot out the remaining solution with a cloth or paper towel. Allow it to dry completely and let some light shine on it so that it can reconvert into water.

7. You can also vacuum up the carpet once some time has passed to remove any excess parts of loose rubber cement or the solution.

How to Remove Dried-Up Rubber Cement

Generally, a solvent such as rubbing alcohol might be enough to remove rubber cement from your carpet, even if it has dried up completely. You might need to repeat the process a few times to get rid of it completely.

You can also try out the detergent, water and hydrogen peroxide process to help you out. If none of these work, it might be a better idea to call in an expert cleaner who can make use of their resources to deep clean the carpet effectively.

It is possible that giving your carpet to a cleaner might add to your costs, but if you can manage that then you should certainly opt for one.

Will It Leave a Stain?

It is likely that rubber cement will leave a stain on your carpet, especially if you leave it on for too long. Thus, you must try to clean it up as soon as possible otherwise the stain can be pretty difficult to get rid of. You can try calling a professional cleaner in case that can help.

Concluding Remarks

We have now taken you through all the steps and methods involved when it comes to getting rubber cement out of your carpet. You can now go ahead and try it out on your own.

If these steps do not work, it might be worth calling a cleaner in or replacing your carpet if the affected area is too large.