Are you considering removing wall-to-wall carpet from your home? If so, you’re not alone. You might be changing your carpet due to a stain or accident, or maybe a more exciting change for a renovation or room revamp.

The removal process can be time consuming, going from room to room, corner to corner. It can be a daunting task, especially if this is your first time giving it a go. With these simple tricks, it can be a lot easier than you think!

First thing is first, you can’t remove carpet without the correct tools! Carpet removal requires specific tools for the job, including:

• Utility knife
• Floor scraper
• Pry bar
• Duct tape
• Hammer
• Vacuum

If you think you need any other materials, do some research online to see which specific tools would be best for you.

Protective gear should be worn too, so make sure you have a construction dust mask, eye protection, and heavy gloves ready to go. Because of sawdust and other particles being brought up, it is important to be protected against these as they could impact your eyes, nose, and hands.

To remove the carpet you will need to clear the space. Generally, this starts with packing up and securing belongings. If this is your first time packing items for renovations, make sure you have plenty of bubble wrap and duct tape, as well as permanent markers to label your boxes.

Once all of your belongings are packed away and labelled, you will need to move all of the furniture out of the room. Hiring a removalist could be a good option if you have a lot of furniture and need extra hands.

When clearing the space, ensure there is a direct and clear pathway between the room where the carpet is being redone, and the outdoor exit. Having a direct pathway will make it easier to move things in and out of the home.

After clearing the space entirely, it is recommended you vacuum the area before removing the carpet. If you remove the carpet pad without vacuuming first, you could be dealing with a lot of excess dust and debris which would have otherwise been avoided.

Removing the carpet itself can be difficult if it is your first time having a go at it, but with these simple steps you’ll be DIY removing like a pro.

First, cut the carpet into strips. Doing this with the materials you have handy makes it a lot easier to remove the carpet from the floor.

Cutting carpet into strips makes it more manageable to remove, as you are dealing with smaller pieces instead of one large, heavy, chunk of fabric.

The size of the strips is up to your discretion, but think about the workload – you don’t want to be removing too many strips. However you don’t want to struggle moving a few strips albeit large ones!

You may need to replace the blade in your tools, like the utility knife, as the carpet fabric can wear down the sharp blade. Keep this in consideration before you begin your DIY as you might need to source more than one utility knife for the job, depending on how large an area of carpet you are removing.

This is where the back of the hammer can be useful – the removal of padding and staples. Be careful when undertaking this process as you don’t want any small, sharp objects flying into your eyes.

Carefully and safely secure the padding and staples in your fingers before you remove them, gently using force to get them out of the floor.

You don’t want to damage the carpet too much, mainly if you are planning on using carpet recycling programs for the old carpet – you would want it to be in the best condition possible.

To remove the tack strips, you will need to get the flat end of a pry bar underneath the strips.
Pull the pry bar upwards to loosen the tack strips. If it is easier, you can always use the end of a hammer instead.
Be careful of the sharp nails in the tack strips, which is why we recommend wearing heavy duty gloves and protective eyewear while completing this project.

The final step of the process is the clean up! Cleaning up after a carpet installation can be a slog of a task. There will be dust, debris, and of course – the old carpet to deal with.

The floor beneath the removed carpet will likely be dirty too, so the hardwood floors or concrete underneath the carpet padding should be vacuumed and cleaned. Whether you’re putting down new carpeting, new laminate floor or new flooring in general, it is best to start off on a literal clean slate.

Carpet is heavy and takes up a lot of space, especially rolled up in piles in your backyard. If it is in good condition, consider taking it to carpet recycling programs, otherwise it can be disposed of in the general waste or tip bins.

If you need help at any stage in this process, 1300 Rubbish can help in the removal or disposal of the carpet. They can take away the old carpet for you and make the removal process easier than if you were doing it entirely solo.