For some reason, you want to remove your carpet from the floor. It could be due to allergens, deep cleaning, or it’s just got way too old. It’s not unusual to find black stuff under the carpet pad, but it’s nasty and unappealing.
You may not know what this residue is, but it can make a mess of your floor. It can be anything, from the old rubber backing that probably got stuck to the floor, dried up pieces of carpet glue, and, even worse, dried mold.
It’s super important to check your floor periodically. If you find this residue, ensure you scrape it off before you embark on other cleaning processes.
In this guide, you’ll learn what the black stuff could be and how to remove it for good.
What’s the Black Stuff Under the Carpet Pad?
If you’ve never had time to remove your carpet to have a watch of the carpet pad under, you’re missing out on something. It could be messy down there, with a black residue formed under the padding.
Generally, the black substance can form because your pad has just got old and needs replacement. If anything, the carpet may have taken long before being inspected.
Water and drink spills can happen, and you can have food residue all soaking through the carpet and onto the padding. These conditions are not what you want for your carpet.
They can deteriorate the carpet and also favor mold growth. Mold, as you know, comes with numerous health risks.
But if it’s just black stuff, it’s probably not mold but the rubber and latex backing on the pad that has broken down. These materials contain toxic chemicals that react with the hardwood floor finish, staining them in the process. The result is an unsightly black substance that leaves marks on the floor.
Also, adhesives coated on carpet pads to hold them in place can combine with worn-out old-age pads to form a weird sticky residue.
Read also 6lb carpet pad vs 8lb carpet pad
Carpet Padding Deterioration
A carpet pad is no doubt the concrete cure for improved carpet durability. Besides, it prevents slipping or unnecessary carpet movements so that you’re safe walking on it. Some people appreciate its noise-reduction properties too.
After some time, usually many years, this pad wears off. However, how long it stays intact is determined by the material it’s made of and the amount of traffic it gets.
High traffic plus old age means the padding won’t take long before it degrades. Its material breaks down into the dirt. If this stuff combines with the rebond or rubber and latex backing, you’re in for a messy substance on the floor.
For this reason, it’s crucial to inspect your rug padding occasionally to ensure it’s in shape. If you find something described above happened, it’s the best time to replace it.
Read also Best rug pad for jute rug
How to Remove Black Stuff Under Carpet Pad
You won’t love watching your floor messed up with black stuff or sticky residue. It’s the due moment to remove the padding and embark on cleaning the floor.
Your work will be pretty straightforward if you have the right tools and products for this job. It’s super-important to remove any residue or marks without causing damage to the floor.
Here are the vital tools and products you need:
- A high-quality hardwood floor spray mop like the Swiffer WetJet Hardwood and Floor Spray Mop Cleaner.
- A putty knife to scrape off the sticky or crumbed residue from the floor.
- Denatured alcohol such as the Klean-Strip Green Denatured Alcohol.
- A hardwood floor cleaner and stain remover in one like Nature’s Miracle Hard Floor Cleaner.
You can quickly get the cleaning job done with these tools and products.
Follow these steps when cleaning:
- Apply the denatured alcohol on your carpet padding. This solvent works perfectly to dissolve the padding that sticks on the floor. You want to leave it for a few minutes to dissolve.
- It’s time to remove the residue from the floor. You scrape it with a plastic putty knife such as this Warner Plastic Flex Putty Knife. Don’t use a steel blade knife – it can damage the finish of your flooring.
- Remove the scrapped residue by sweeping the floor.
- Apply Nature’s Miracle Hard Floor Cleaner to remove stains that the residue left on the floor. Ordinarily, homeowners use the famous WD40. WD40 is a universal contact cleaner that does many tasks, including removing stains, dirt, marks, or residue stuck on the floor.
- The last step involves mopping the floor for a deep clean. The Swiffer WetJet Hardwood and Floor Spray Mop Cleaner will be used for this job.
What Makes the Best Carpet Padding for Hardwood Floor?
It’s not unusual for the carpet padding to break down and mess with your floor. Poor quality carpet padding is the biggest culprit for black residues on the hardwood floor.
The best carpet padding should not ruin the floor. It shouldn’t be backed up with rubber or latex because these leave residues behind due to unwanted chemical reactions.
While shopping for the carpet pad, look for the type made with 100% felt material. For instance, this Mohawk Home Ultra-Premium All Surface Felt Rug Pad is a high-quality felt carpet pad with premium features like a thick cushion, durability, and excellent protection.
This pad won’t stain the floor nor form residues. However, it doesn’t prevent your carpet from moving around.
Read also can you use ruggable without the pad
Final Thoughts
The black stuff under the carpet pad can be annoying for many homeowners, especially if you can’t describe what exactly it is. Even so, it’s usually a result of the carpet pad breaking down after it overstays and breaks down.
Sometimes this residue can be dried up. In other instances, the residue is thick and sticky, indicating the invasive nature of the rubber and latex backing on the pad.
Thankfully, you can remove this stuff from your floor effortlessly with the help of the right tools and products. Use the tools above and follow the procedure to eliminate this mess for good.
Read also what can you use instead of a rug pad
