| When it comes time to get new flooring you can | | | | whatever product you employ, and wear gloves to |
| save money by removing the old flooring yourself | | | | protect your hands. Do a small section at a time, and |
| but if you have old linoleum on your floors you might | | | | then move to the next one. |
| be in for quite a challenge. Depending on how old the | | | | Another technique is to use boiling water and pour it |
| linoleum is and the type of adhesive that was used it | | | | directly on the backing and adhesive. Let it soak and |
| can be extremely difficult to get up. | | | | then scrape up. If you don't want to use water, you |
| First of all, it's unlikely that you'll be able to just | | | | can try to heat up the glue with a hair dryer or heat |
| remove the linoleum and adhesive all at once. The | | | | gun. Pick a very inconspicuous area, such as behind a |
| surface under the linoleum and the damage you | | | | door, to try it. Heat the adhesive with the hair dryer |
| might cause it needs to be considered - especially if | | | | and scrape it up with a straight-blade scraper (like a |
| that surface is wood. Concrete floors can take a lot | | | | stiff putty knife with a beveled edge). Move the |
| more in the way of rough treatment. The type of | | | | scraper in the direction of the grain of the wood if |
| scraper you use has a lot to do with your success as | | | | you are uncovering a hardwood floor. Have a pan or |
| well as the damage to the floor underneath. Many | | | | some other container handy to drop the scrapings |
| people use paint scrapers but those with a razor | | | | into - one that is unlikely to either melt or ignite when |
| blade are usually more efficient. Be prepared to break | | | | coming in contact with hot materials. Be very careful |
| some blades it if the adhesive is hard, and you're | | | | if you are using a heat gun as this can easily damage |
| working on concrete. | | | | the floor underneath if it is wood. |
| Try cutting the linoleum into strips or sections instead | | | | If worse comes to worse and you are left with |
| of removing the whole chunk at once. This will make | | | | some stubborn adhesive on the floors, it might be |
| it easier to get an edge to pry up. Of course, the | | | | time to sand. Of course, if your floors are wood and |
| linoleum probably won't come up in nice neat sections | | | | you plan to refinish them you would need to sand |
| so be prepared to deal with a lot of left over backing | | | | anyway, but during this step you must be careful not |
| and glue that is still attached to your floor. | | | | to damage the particular area by keeping the sander |
| One way to deal with those remnants that just | | | | on it for too long. |
| won't come up is to apply some kind of solvent or | | | | Once you finally get the linoleum and all traces of |
| remover. A popular brand is Krud Kutter, which | | | | adhesive up, you are ready to seal the floor as |
| appears to work very well from the customer | | | | recommended for the type of flooring and apply the |
| feedback comments. Follow directions on the label of | | | | new floor as recommended! |