How to Remove Old Carpet: A Complete DIY Guide

Knowing how to remove old carpet comes in handy when you’re ready to upgrade your flooring, whether you’re tackling the installation yourself or bringing in professionals. Taking out the old carpeting on your own can cut down on labor costs and give you more control over your renovation timeline.

Carpet removal is actually pretty straightforward and doesn’t require fancy tools or years of experience. With some basic equipment and a bit of elbow grease, most people can handle this project over a weekend. This guide walks you through each step and shares some tricks to make the job go smoother.

What You’ll Need Before You Start Removing An Old Carpet

The good news is that carpet removal doesn’t require a huge investment in tools. You’ll need a sharp utility knife, pliers, a pry bar, and a floor scraper. Most people already have these items in their toolbox, or you can pick them up inexpensively at any hardware store.

Safety gear matters too. Grab some work gloves, knee pads, and a dust mask. Your knees and lungs will thank you later, especially if you’re working with older carpeting that might have accumulated years of dust and allergens.

Planning for Disposal

Before you start ripping up carpet, figure out what you’ll do with all that material. Check if your area has carpet recycling programs. Many communities are starting to offer these services. If not, call your trash collection service to see if they’ll pick up carpet rolls from your curb.

Some collectors have size limits, so you might need to cut everything into smaller pieces. Otherwise, plan a trip to your local landfill or recycling center.

Related Article: How to Dispose of Construction Debris After a Home Renovation

Prepare and Clear the Space

Remove any doors that swing into the room, such as closet doors, bathroom doors, or any other doors that open into your work area. This prevents damage and gives you more room to maneuver.

Remove everything from the floor and the room. Every piece of furniture, every decoration, every random item that somehow ended up on the carpet. You want a completely clear workspace.

If you’re planning to reuse your baseboards, now’s the time to carefully remove them with your pry bar. Take your time here and store them somewhere safe until you’re ready to reinstall.

Step 1: Make Your First Cuts

Find a corner where you can easily grab the carpet. Use your utility knife to make a small starter cut, then create strips about three feet wide. Wider strips get heavy and awkward to handle, while narrower ones mean more cutting.

Don’t worry about perfect straight lines because you’re throwing this stuff away anyway. Just focus on creating manageable sections.

Step 2: Pull Up the Carpet

Start pulling the carpet away from the tack strips around the room’s perimeter. The carpet should come up without too much fight, though some areas might stick to the padding more than others.

Roll each strip as you remove it. This keeps your workspace cleaner and makes the carpet easier to carry outside. Plus, rolled strips take up less space if you’re stacking them for pickup.

Step 3: Deal with the Padding

Once the carpet is gone, you’ll see carpet padding covering your subfloor. This stuff is held down with what feels like a million staples, so get ready for some tedious work.

Cut the padding into sections just like you did with the carpet. Pull up each piece and use your pliers to grab any staples that come up with the padding. Don’t worry about getting every single staple right now; you’ll tackle the stubborn ones next.

Step 4: Staple Removal Marathon

This is probably the most time-consuming part of the whole project. Go through the entire subfloor and pull out every staple you can find. Your pliers will handle most of them, but some will break off at floor level.

For broken staples, your floor scraper becomes your best friend. Slide it under the remaining piece and pop it out. Take your time with this step. Any staples you leave behind will cause problems when you install your new flooring.

Step 5: Handle Stubborn Glue

Sometimes you’ll find areas where installers used adhesive in addition to staples. This glue can be stubborn, but your floor scraper should handle most of it.

For really tough spots, you might need a commercial adhesive remover. Follow the product instructions and give it time to work before scraping. Don’t rush this part, as proper preparation makes your new flooring installation much easier.

Step 6: Final Cleanup and Inspection

Sweep and vacuum everything thoroughly. This isn’t just about cleanliness—removing all debris lets you spot any subfloor issues that need attention before your new flooring goes down.

Look for loose boards, squeaky spots, or any damage that needs repair. Fix these problems now while you have easy access to everything.

When to Call 123JUNK Instead

Sometimes DIY just doesn’t make sense. If you’re dealing with multiple rooms, have physical limitations, or simply don’t have time for a weekend project, 123JUNK can handle everything for you.

We show up with all the tools, remove everything from carpet to padding to every last staple, and haul it all away. No trips to the dump, no dealing with disposal fees, no sore backs from rolling heavy carpet strips.

Our team leaves your subfloor completely clean and ready for whatever comes next. Sometimes paying for professional removal just makes more sense than doing it yourself.

Moving Forward

With clean subfloors and all that old carpeting gone, you’re ready for the fun part: installing your new flooring. Whether you’re going with hardwood, new carpet, or something completely different, you’ve got the solid foundation you need for professional results.

Carpet removal might not be glamorous work, but it’s satisfying to see immediate progress in your renovation project. Plus, handling this step yourself puts you ahead of schedule and under budget for the rest of your flooring upgrade.