Reuse of facing material, final cleaning of the premises after renovation – in these and many other situations, you need to remove tile adhesive. The removal technology is determined by the condition of the adhesive; working with hardened adhesive will require a lot of effort. How exactly to clean? Which methods are most effective?
How to remove old glue from tiles?
Hardened tile adhesive is a dense, hard mass that is firmly bonded to the surface. Removing it is a rather labor-intensive process. But there are methods that allow you to achieve results without using expensive chemicals that are not sold in every store.
Before cleaning the surface, prepare:
- a spatula made of plastic or thick rubber (so you don’t have to worry about scratches and cracks);
- hard sponge;
- microfiber cloth;
- water.
The glue needs to be softened by generously wetting it with water or a special solvent. After losing its initial hardness, the material becomes pliable and easily comes off the wall or floor. You can deal with excess glue remaining in the seams using a jointing knife. The main thing is to act as carefully as possible so as not to damage the base.
Pro Tip: Protect Your Home with Expert Foundation Repair in Guelph. Get Reliable Solutions for Cracks, Leaks, and Structural Issues. Contact Us Today for a Free Quote!
How to remove fresh glue from tiles?
If the volume of tile adhesive is calculated incorrectly, it is better to remove the excess quickly. Do this before it starts to harden: you will not have to use chemicals and apply additional efforts. Algorithm of actions:
- press the tile for better fixation to prevent accidental displacement;
- remove excess with a rubber or plastic spatula;
- Wipe the surface first with a damp cloth, then with a dry one.
Popular Tile Glue Removers
To cope with glue without extra effort and time, you need to consider its base component. Cement can be softened with acid-based concentrates, epoxy resin – with alkaline. For old glues, solutions with the maximum concentration of active substances are necessary, for fresh ones, dilution with water is acceptable.
In addition to specialized ones, “folk” remedies are also available, quite effective and inexpensive, which many people have at home.
Vinegar
Vinegar will help to deal with traces of polymer, dispersion adhesives. A solution of 1 part 9% vinegar and the same volume of water has proven itself well. It should be applied to the surface and left for about 30 minutes. Almost immediately, bubbles will begin to appear, this indicates the beginning of a reaction, during which the destruction and softening of the building material occurs. If we are talking about old glue, then you can increase the holding time or make the solution more concentrated.
Chlorine
It is difficult to find it in its pure form, but every household chemical store sells bleach – an aqueous solution of chlorine. Despite the penny cost, it gives quite a decent result, especially when working with dispersion, acrylic adhesives. The principle of application is the same, the composition must be applied to the surface, ideally with a sprayer, leave for some time, sufficient for softening.
An additional plus of bleach is disinfection of the surface. It will help to cope not only with old glue, but also with other contaminants, up to the most complex, destroy mold spores, colonies of pathogenic microorganisms, and bacteria.
Soda and citric acid
A simple combination that is great for removing traces of polymer-based adhesives. The substances are mixed in equal proportions and applied to the contaminated area. The fact that the reaction has begun can be determined by the formation of foam. Literally a few minutes are enough for the hardness of the hardened adhesive to decrease many times over and it can be removed with a sponge. If there is no result, the procedure can be repeated.
Steam generator
This device can remove tile adhesive without using auxiliary chemicals. It provides a combined effect: high steam temperature accelerates the process of dissolving and softening the adhesive, and pressure promotes rapid destruction of its structure. Household appliances cope most effectively with epoxy-based adhesives.
Specialized tools
If you can’t remove the material with improvised means, it’s time to move on to the “heavy artillery”: specialized compounds for professional builders, high-class repairs. Ideally, you should choose a product of the same brand as the glue, this will increase the efficiency of the work, guarantee an optimal combination of active components.
When using, you must strictly adhere to the holding time and concentration recommended by the manufacturer, indicated on the packaging or label. It will not be superfluous to follow some general safety rules, concerning, for example, the use of personal protective equipment, rubber gloves and a respirator, working in a well-ventilated area.
Mechanical methods
The above-described methods of working with ceramic tiles are based on chemical action, but mechanical processing technologies also demonstrate efficiency. As already mentioned, one of the simplest tools is a plastic, dense rubber spatula, which helps remove traces of glue. Metal analogs cannot be used, they will leave scratches or abrasions on the surface.
In addition to spatulas, other means will help in the fight against glue residue.
- Sandpaper of various grain sizes. For greater convenience, you can stick the sheet onto a wooden block. A technological option is a drill or grinder attachment, which allows you to cope with the processing of even a large surface in minimal time.
- Brushes with hard bristles . As in the previous case, they are presented both in the format of a hand tool and in the form of attachments for a drill, angle grinder.
- A sponge made of hard material. These are used, for example, in the kitchen to remove stubborn, old dirt from ceramic or metal utensils.
- Construction pumice and other similar materials.
The main rules of mechanical processing when removing tile adhesive are maximum caution and accuracy. It is better to soften the material in advance, carry out chemical treatment, than to apply huge efforts trying to wipe it off the surface. This approach may require additional time, but it will make the work less dusty and comfortable, and protect against scratches.
Pro Tip: Keep Your Basement Dry with Professional Basement Waterproofing in Guelph. Expert Solutions for Leaks, Cracks, and Moisture. Call Now for a Free Inspection!
How to remove glue from removed tiles
Wiping off the glue from the removed tile is a task that you will face if you decide to reuse it. In this case, we are talking about fairly large volumes of glue covering both the front and back sides. Practice shows that the most effective in this case is a combined method, which involves both chemical and mechanical action. The algorithm of actions when processing tiles is as follows.
- Softening. For cement glue, plain water is suitable, for other compositions – acidic, alkaline agents described above.
- Mechanical processing. The choice of tool depends on the type of glue and its final hardness.
- Repeat the steps if necessary. It often happens that the glue has to be softened and removed layer by layer, removing literally millimeter by millimeter.
When there is no more glue left on the tiles, wash them and leave them for final drying, after which they can be reused.
