How to Remove Old Carpet Quickly and Easily

When you are looking to expose hardwood floors or install new carpet, removing your existing carpet can seem like a very daunting task, but it doesn’t have to be. 

To get started, simply remove the baseboards and trim along the bottom of your walls.  Pull up any tack strips that hold the carpet in doorways as well, using a screwdriver or the end of a hammer.  If the carpet is held all the way around by tack strips, using vice locking pliers will enable you to quickly remove the strips so that the carpet will come right up.  Cut it into rows with a utility knife for easier removal.

If the carpet is held down with adhesive, cutting the carpet first is the best idea; cut corner to corner in the shape of an X.  Use a box knife or safety blade. Carpet should only be glued at the edges, and this will allow you to create points in the center of the room.  Pull the carpet from the middle and remove, then use glue remover from the hardwood store to lift off any adhesive.

When you are able to narrow the job into manageable steps, getting the old carpet out so that you can replace it is a task anyone can handle.