Flickr / by Tim Walker / Blu Tack Cube (cropped) / CC BY 2.0

Blu tack is great, no doubt about it. This squishy substance is great for mounting a picture on the wall without any nails and for balancing that vintage table you got on sale. It can also keep your toddler occupied while sparking his interest in arts.

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But blu tack, trodden in your nice clean carpet, is not so great.

Now you are probably wondering how and whether it is possible to clean it at all. The answer is yes, you can, but not without investing some time and effort.

Here you’ll learn how to remove blu tack stains from your textile floor covering and bring back the fresh look of your item.

So, if you:

  • Have a young child who got a little too creative with the blu tack;
  • Accidentally squished some blu tack into your student accommodation carpet;
  • Are struggling to remove the oily stains blu tack has left behind on your walls,

Then read on! This article will help you.

How to remove blu tack from your lovely carpet

Ironically, blu tack was invented by accident, now causing furniture and carpet accidents every day. But this doesn’t mean that blu tack mishaps can’t be fixed. The stickiness of blu tack increases over time. Be cautious and don’t rush when you try removing it after a long period of time has passed. Whatever you do, always test on an inconspicuous area of your carpet to avoid damaging the fibres.

Method #1 – Using heat

This is probably the best way to remove blu tack from carpets in terms of efficiency. Here is how you can take the blob off your rug using heat:

  • Heat the affected area with a hair dryer set on high for 1-2 minutes  Hold the dryer at least 6” (15 cm) away from the carpet to avoid melting of fibres.
  • Pick up as much of the blu tack residue as possible using a reusable plastic bag or sandwich bag.
  • Reheat the stained area multiple times and collect anything that comes off.
  • If you have any medication for muscle relief, carefully apply some over the blu tack. It will break the chemical bond with the carpet so you can remove it easier.
  • Make a solution using 1 teaspoon of washing-up liquid and 1 cup of warm water. Dampen a white towel with the mixture and gently blot the carpet until there is no blu tack residue left.

Method #2 – Using eucalyptus oil

Here is how you can remove sticky tack from your favourite carpet using eucalyptus oil:

  • Use only pure essential oil, as the ones which have synthetic ingredients tend to stain and even discolour carpets and fabric.
  • Pour a few drops of pure eucalyptus oil over the stained area.
  • Agitate the fibres of the carpet using a stiff brush to loosen the blu tack blob. Brush towards the centre of the spot to prevent spreading the stain further.
  • To remove the oil residue, apply a small amount of vinegar and soda bicarbonate over the affected zone. Let it sit for 10-12 minutes and dry with a clean cloth.
  • Vacuum thoroughly to remove any excess soda from the surface.

Method #3 – Using vinegar

To clean blu tack off your carpet using vinegar, do the following:

  • Grab some white vinegar and heat it up a bit in the microwave.
  • Pour the warm vinegar over the blu tack stain and leave it for a couple of minutes.
  • Scrape off the residue using a blunt knife or a plastic scraper tool.
  • Dry the surface with a clean cloth and vacuum the spot to lift fibres up.

tip

The power of vinegar spreads beyond the removal of sticky blobs. Not only it does a great job at reducing new carpet smell and unpleasant odours caused from a deep clean, but you can also use vinegar to clean the dark edges of a carpet caused by filtration soiling.

Method #4 – Using vegetable oil

Here is how you can remove blu tack stains from carpet using vegetable oil:

  • Dampen a cotton bud in vegetable oil and gently rub it over the blu tack stain.
  • Use a blunt knife or plastic spatula to scrape off the blob from the carpet.
  • To remove the oil residue, rinse the area you worked on with washing up liquid.

Method #5 – Using more blu tack

Wait, what? Yes, you’ve read that right. It is not stupid if it works, right? Here is how to remove blu tack from carpets using more of it:

  • Grab a damp cloth and wash the stained area.
  • Dry the blu tack, trodden in the carpet.
  • Take a new chunk of blu tack and gently rub it towards the blob stuck in fibres until they start bonding.
  • The two blu tack piles will stick to each other, making it easier to lift and remove the one trodden in your carpet.

Need more advice on how to maintain your carpet? Then, why not read our helpful post on the topic. It’ll show you how to clean a carpet without a steam cleaner and provide with some handy maintenance tips, as well.

Method #6 – Getting professional help

If all else fails or you simply don’t have the time to tackle the problem yourself, then it’s time to call the cavalry. Professional carpet cleaners use specialised and certified detergents to treat and remove a wide range of stains, including ones caused by sticky blu tack.

To avoid any carpet discolouration, it is advised to have your carpet deep cleaned once the stain has been lifted. Depending on the material of your textile floor covering, Fantastic Services can offer you professional dry and steam carpet cleaning. Just make sure you mention about the stain when making an enquiry, so the technician is aware of the issue.

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How to prevent it from happening again

Although there is no magic trick to guarantee you that, there is still something you can do. To avoid spending half of your weekend scrubbing carpets, simply restrict the access to blu tack in your household. Keep it out of reach of children who are often the ones who mash it into the carpet causing you a mini housekeeping crisis.

What about blu tack stains on painted walls?

The larger bits can be removed by rubbing a blob against them. Thing is, if you’ve used blue tack on a painted wall, it will leave an oily residue which is hard to lift.

Let’s check what the manufacturer of blu tack says:

Do not use Blu-Tack on absorbent, silk screen printed or hand stencilled wallpaper nor on porous brickwork.

Care should be taken on painted plaster as Blu-Tack’s adhesive qualities may cause paint to come away from wall.

Unfortunately, if the blu tack marks are on a painted wall, the best way to completely remove them is to repaint the wall. However, it is essential to first sand away the stain, clean the area with sugar soap, and then apply the new coat of paint, otherwise, the oily marks will come right through the new layer of paint.

Then, you can either paint over the stains or repaint the whole wall. You can pick up a paint tester from your local hardware shop and spot-cover the stains, but this way, you still run the risk of not matching the colour completely.

You can repaint the entire wall, which will have a better impact on the aesthetic qualities of the room, but unfortunately, this will be more time-consuming. If time is an issue for you, consider getting a visit from a professional painter.

Get professional help

Fantastic Services offers expert painters and decorators service that can help you in case of a blu-tack mishap on your wall. Depending on the job, a survey can be performed after which you will receive a personalised quote.

Learn more about our painters and decorators service by visiting our main website.

Learn more

How to remove blu-tack marks from a painted wall

If you are determined to remove the blu tack stains off the wall yourself, please, be aware that the result may not be as satisfactory as you’d expect. And if you are living in rented accommodation, always pre-agree such actions with your landlord beforehand to avoid any disputes. Remember to test the product on an inconspicuous area of the wall and to wear gloves to protect your hands. Here is how to remove blu-tack marks from a painted wall:

  1. Remove the item.

    Carefully remove the item that has been attached to the wall by leaving the blu tack still stuck to the surface. Then, roll the blue blob downwards into a cylinder shape by paying heed not to pull it accidentally off the wall along with some of the paint.

  2. Blot the residues.

    Any blu tack residues can be blotted out gently with the same cylinder-piece or with a fresh one from your stash. For better results, warm up the blob with your fingertips, first, so it becomes more pliable.

  3. Get rid of oily stains.

    To get rid of any oily stain left behind, use a citrus-based stain remover. Don’t forget to wear protective gloves and sponge gently the mark by following the label’s instructions. Then, rinse the detergent with a wet a sponge and blot dry with a clean cloth.

  4. Mix a homemade solution.

    If the above doesn’t work, you can try cleaning the oily mark with a solution of trisodium phosphate and water (5 tbsp to a gallon, respectively). Sponge the spot with the cleaner and leave it to sit, according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Then, rinse with clean water and dry the area with a cloth.

tip

You can soften up very dry blu tack with a couple of drops of citrus-based remover, so you can roll off the adhesive more easily from the wall. If nothing works to get rid of the stain, due to the paint being too porous, your best bet is to paint over it, after sanding slightly the area, first.

Alternative solutions

On the other hand, you can try to tackle the residue by using a lighter fuel or a dry cleaning fluid. However, both are highly flammable and must be handled with caution. Wear protective gloves and ventilate the room well, when using this method.

There is a youtube video, which suggests the usage of WD-40. If you decide to give it a go, always test on a hidden area of the wall, like behind the sofa, because WD-40 tends to leave an oily residue, as well and you can end up with a brand new stain on the wall.

Takeaways

  • You can remove blu tack from your carpet using things you have around the house.
  • If using the heating method, take care not to melt the carpet fibres.
  • Using vinegar can also help remove any unpleasant smells.
  • To prevent it from happening again, keep blu tack out of reach of children.
  • Blu tack can leave an oily stain on your wall.
  • To try and remove oily residue, you can use a citrus-based product.

***

Did you manage to remove the blob from your carpet? Tell us what worked for you in the comments below so others can benefit too!

No matter of the cleaning method, remember to always do a small spot test on hidden part of your carpet. Depending on the size, nature, and age of the stain, some of them might be impossible to remove. We cannot take responsibility if any of the above-mentioned methods do not work on your carpets. Read our full disclaimer here.

  • Last update: December 5, 2019

Posted in Carpet Cleaning Tips

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