Superglue is commonly used on wood furniture, as a temporary fix, serving to fix the problem for quite a long time for parts of furniture that have become loose or fallen off.
Making superglue accidents and spillages very likely occur.
Superglue when applied, can create super strong bonds to the surface it is used on, so it can be very useful to know how to remove it if you do have a superglue accident.
People think that superglue is forever, and its bond is too ‘super’ that it is extremely difficult and laborious to remove. But this article will prove to you that this is untrue.
While there are many DIY glue remover techniques out there, these inexpensive techniques for superglue removal specifically are the best ways to remove superglue, minimising the damage to your wooden floors and furniture…
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Superglue Remover
The first and easiest method is superglue remover. The name is what it says on the tin, so it is very straightforward.
What you will need:
- Superglue remover (Loctite glue remover)
- Tissue
- Soft cloth
Here are the steps:
- Using a superglue remover, apply a generous amount to the affected area, making sure it is evenly spread.
- Cover the area with a clean tissue and leave for a few hours. Once a few hours have gone by, wipe the surface and the glue should come off with relative ease.
Rubbing Alcohol
Rubbing alcohol can break the hold from superglue and loosen up the bonds and also help clean the area.
What you will need:
- Rubbing alcohol
- Cotton bud/cotton ball
- Putty knife (or anything that can successfully remove the glue without causing any damage)
Here are the steps:
- Dip a cotton bud/cotton ball into some rubbing alcohol until it is completely covered.
- Once you have done this rub the cotton bud/cotton ball on the area using a circular motion and allow the liquid to remain on the area for at least ten minutes.
- After that, use a knife to scrape the now weakened glue from the area, preferably a putty knife.
Note: when scraping the glue off, be careful when removing the glue as scraping the area too much or too hard can remove the polish or even chip into the wood itself.
[amazon box=”B07NFSFBXQ” template=”vertical”]Coconut Oil/Olive Oil
All-natural lubricants such as coconut and olive oil have fatty oils within them, which help break the adhesive bonds that are present within superglue.
What you will need:
- Coconut oil or olive oil
- Baking soda
- Small bowl
- Soft cloth
Here are the steps:
- First, start by mixing in a 1/3 cup of coconut oil/olive oil with a 1/3 cup of baking soda in a small bowl or dish.
- You need to create a paste with the consistency of a spread such as peanut butter that can be applied to the affected area. You may want to add some water if the consistency comes out too thick.
- Make sure to clean the affected area of glue with hot soapy water to loosen the superglue bonds a little better prior to applying the paste to maximise results.
- Once you have applied the paste, let it sit for ten minutes. Once the ten minutes is up, clean it with a soft cloth some warm water and soap.
Mineral Oil
What you will need:
- Mineral oil (insert type of mineral oil)
- Masking tape
- Cotton swab/small paintbrush
- Soft cloths
Here are the steps:
- Using some masking tape, create a barrier around the superglue stain to stop the mineral oil from spreading to the unaffected area and onto the rest of the wood.
- Apply the mineral oil using a small paintbrush or a cotton bud to spread evenly over the superglue (depending on how big the glue stain is, it might be better to use a larger paintbrush or a cotton ball).
- Let the mineral oils set into the glue for at least ten minutes. Once the ten minutes is up, wipe away the glue with a soft cloth.
- Make sure afterwards to clean the area with the soft cloth, some soap and warm water.
Acetone/Nail Polish Remover
What you will need:
- Acetone/Nail polish remover
- Cotton swabs/small paintbrush
- Soft cloths
Here are the steps:
- Dab some acetone/nail polish remover onto the cotton swab and also add some acetone/nail polish remover onto the glue and apply to the area.
- Be careful not to get the acetone/nail polish remover on the area surrounding the hardened glue as you ideally want to minimise the acetone potentially ruining the wood.
- Let the acetone/nail polish remover sit on the glue for at least a minute. Afterwards, using a soft cloth, blot the area.
- Keep repeating until the glue has been removed
Note: It is advised that you wear a mask to avoid breathing in the fumes while handling acetone, as it can be harmful to your body.
[amazon box=”B004KJ7AGE” template=”vertical”]Sanding
What you will need:
- Masking tape
- 600 grit wet and dry sandpaper
- Hard flat sanding block
- 1200 grit sandpaper
- Wooden furniture polish and rubbing compound (for high gloss finishes)
- 0000 steel wool and lemon oil (for satin or dull finishes)
- Soft cloths
Note: Grit counts on sandpaper are resemblant of the level of abrasiveness.
A higher grit has a finer abrasive ability used to smoothen materials out, whereas a lower count grit has very rough abrasives that are designed to remove materials quicker.
[amazon box=”B000BPRK0C,B095N6SC1Q,B00L8TII9C,B074TV7LKH,B001BKQYGW,B0874CCR6T,B07G9QJY45″ template=”list”]Here are the steps:
- As this method uses sandpaper to try to remove the glue on the wooden furniture/floor, it is likely to cause damage to the surrounding areas, so any resultant damage will need to be repaired.
- To minimise any damage, you may apply masking tape to protect the areas where the wood is not affected by the superglue, so that these surrounding areas do not suffer any damage.
- You should start with the 600-grit paper attached to a sand block to make the sanding method more evenly spread.
- Keep doing this until the glue is removed and the surface is level.
- To remove the last layer of glue, you should change the grit paper to the 1200 grit paper and sand the residual glue away.
Note: when sanding, do it carefully, as it is the final layer of glue and over-sanding can result in more damage to the wood.
After you have sanded the glue away, you must know the finish of your wood
For a high gloss finish:
If the finish on your wood is high gloss, it would be best to use a rubbing compound and a high-quality polish to make sure to reapply a shine to the area
For a satin or dull finish:
If the finish is satin or dull, apply some lemon oil to the 0000-steel wool, making sure that you retain the direction of the grain when rubbing the steel wool on the area.
Make sure once you are finished to wipe the area with a soft cloth to get rid of any residual oil.
After this, make sure to go over the area with polish to reapply the finish that has been affected by attempting to remove the superglue.
Things to avoid
When attempting to remove glue it is very important to be knowledgeable about the types of products that you should avoid.
If you have dealt with removing glue from other surfaces before using things such as vinegar and an old toothbrush, refrain from doing this to glue on wood, as vinegar is very acidic and can damage and discolour a wood’s surface.
Some Tips and Alternative Tools
- If you do not have an appropriate knife such as a putty knife to remove the glue, a window scraper blade can work just as well!
- If the affected area of the glue is minimal, it might be a better idea to leave the area be.
- This is because superglue can be quite hard to spot, and it dries see-through. It can also be covered by decorations, mantlepieces or other objects so that these imperfections are not in plain sight.
- If the surface of your wood does not have a finish on it, using acetone to remove the superglue will not create a problem when it comes to potentially damaging the surface and stripping polish or a finish from the wood.
These are all the tips that you need to safely remove superglue from any wood and protect your wooden furniture and floors from superglue, and preventative measures and methods to minimise any further damage to your wood.
Be sure to keep your wooden furniture superglue-free and polished!