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How to Remove Gorilla Glue from Carpet, Metal, Plastic & Glass

Are you wondering how to remove gorilla glue from carpet, metal, plastic, or glass?

Gorilla glue is a common household item that is used to fix and repair various materials at home. Although it works perfectly on nearly all surfaces, the challenge comes when it spills on a surface you did not intend to fix such as a carpet.

There are different ways of removing gorilla glue depending on the surface. Thus, in this article, we shall look at some of these ways focusing mainly on the carpet, metal, plastic, and glass.

But first, let us understand why gorilla glue is harder to remove on surfaces than ordinary glue.

Why is Gorilla glue hard to remove on surfaces?

Gorilla glue, commonly referred to as Superglue, is considered one of the strongest glues in the world. It creates a super-strong bond on surfaces within seconds, which makes it ideal for small household projects such as fixing and repairing items.

However, if this glue drips or spills on a surface that you did not intend to fix, removing it can be extremely difficult. Why is this so?

You see, gorilla glue is urethane-based so it falls under polyurethane adhesives, which provide super strong bonding and tight seals due to their unique properties.

Polyurethane adhesives like gorilla glue do not dissolve in solvents like ordinary glue, so they are harder to remove.

Furthermore, if you pour a solvent like acetone on it, it will simply soften and swell without dissolving.

So how do you remove it from a surface?

How to remove gorilla glue from carpet

How to remove gorilla glue from carpet
Image Credits – epichomeideas.com

There are 3 ways through which you can remove gorilla glue off the carpet without damaging it.

1. Isopropyl alcohol method

Pour isopropyl alcohol or rubbing alcohol on the spilled glue on the carpet and ensure it’s covered completely. Alternatively, take a soft cloth and dampen it with the alcohol then place it on the glue stain.

Let it sit on the stain for about 5 minutes to soften it. Once the glue is softened, pull or scrub it off the carpet.

If the glue is still tightly stuck, dampen the cloth again and rub it vigorously on the stain. Keep doing this until the glue is soft enough and starts to come off.

Once all the glue has come off, finish up by spot cleaning the area and then let it dry.

2. Heat gun with a paper towel method

One reader from a certain forum stated that she used a heat gun with a paper towel to remove gorilla glue on her rug. This actually works.

All you have to do is place a paper towel on the glue stain and then use a heat gun. Once the glue is hot enough, it will melt and lift onto the paper towel and then you can wipe it off.

Alternatively, you can use a blow dryer but it might not work as effectively as a heat gun. This is because a heat gun is designed to easily melt glue and its temperature can go as high as possible compared to a blow dryer.

3. Cut off the excess glue then scrub off the rest

Well, if all the above methods fail to work, the only other option is to cut off as much as you can of the excess glue then scrub off the rest.

Carefully use a pair of scissors to cut off the glue without cutting a lot of the carpet fiber. Once most of the glue is out, take something rough such as a pumice stone, and scrub the rest.

If done correctly, you will hardly notice the difference between the spot that had the glue stain and the rest of the carpet.


See also: How to stop a rug from sliding on carpet


How to remove gorilla glue from metal

How to remove gorilla glue from metal
Image Credits – loctiteproducts.com

Is it possible to remove gorilla glue from metal? Yes, it is very possible.

If the glue is not dry, wipe off as much as possible before it dries then wipe the rest with a cloth dipped in isopropyl alcohol.

To remove dried gorilla glue from metal, use a chisel to scrape off as much of the glue as possible. Then use sandpaper to smoothen it and rub isopropyl alcohol to remove it completely from the metal.

Always take care especially when chiseling or using the sandpaper so as not to damage the metal surface.

How to remove gorilla glue from plastic

How to Remove Gorilla Glue from Carpet

It is not easy to remove super glue from plastic because most solvents are likely to eat through it. Also, rough methods such as chiseling and using sandpaper may damage the plastic.

However, it is not entirely impossible to get the glue out. Isopropyl alcohol works perfectly although it may take a while.

First, dampen a cloth or cotton ball with the alcohol and place it on the glue stain. Wait for 5 to 10 minutes for the glue to soften then wipe it off.

Once all the glue is removed, clean the plastic with clean water and soap and dry it.

How to remove gorilla glue from glass

Manufacturers of gorilla glue recommend using a chisel, sandpaper, or scraper to remove it from most surfaces. But glass is very delicate so using such methods may damage or break it.

However, if there is a lot of glue on the glass, use a plastic scraper to remove the excess. Then dampen a cotton ball or soft cloth in isopropyl alcohol and gently rub on the remaining glue. Repeat this until all the glue is gone.

Wash the glass with water and soapy, rinse and leave it to dry.


See also: How to remove glued down carpet pad from concrete floor


Conclusion

Now that you have seen the different ways on how to remove gorilla glue from carpet, metal, plastic and glass, you can go ahead and try them. The most important thing to remember is that gorilla glue does not dissolve in solvents. As we have seen above, isopropyl alcohol works perfectly in most surfaces but care must be taken when using it since it’s twice as toxic as ethanol.