Vinyl Glue Easily Removed With Dab Of Paint Thinner

Q: During a recent repair job to my kitchen's vinyl floor, the workman left a large adhesive residue. It doesn't clean off with household cleaners. Do you know how we can remove this without damaging the finish on the vinyl?

A: All you need is a bit of mineral spirits (often labeled "paint thinner") and a soft rag. Dampen the rag with the spirits (damp, not dripping) and rub the adhesive residue until it dissolves. This is usually easy while the adhesive is fairly fresh. When the adhesive is removed, buff away any remaining residue of mineral spirits with paper towels and clean the area with a mild detergent. This should do the trick.

It is important to only dampen the rag with the mineral spirits because you don't want the liquid running over the floor or getting into any seams, as it can dissolve the adhesive under the flooring, where adhesive is supposed to be.

A more Earth-friendly alternative to mineral spirits is a product called "Citra-Solv," which is biodegradable, made of natural citrus extracts, and is beginning to be available in hardware, home-product and natural food outlets. (If you can't find it in a local store, you can call the manufacturer, Chempoint Products of Danbury, Conn., at (800) 343-6588 to find the nearest distributor. The company also offers a mail-order catalog.) Use it in exactly the same manner as the mineral spirits, except you can skip the part about cleaning afterward with a mild detergent as long as you thoroughly buff it off the vinyl.

Do not let either the mineral spirits or Citra-Solv remain on the vinyl for more than the time needed to remove the adhesive, as both can potentially affect the finish of the vinyl if allowed to remain for more than a very short time. Citra-Solv will work equally well to remove tar spots, ink, chewing gum and grease spots.

Tip of the Week: Some time ago, Mr. HandyPerson wrote about a new product called a Space Bag, a nylon, airtight bag that compresses soft, bulky items into a much smaller volume for storage. You suck the air out with the hose of your vacuum cleaner. The contents are then impervious to air, dust, moisture, mildew, odors or bugs. Since that first mention, I've learned small punctures, such as those caused by a cat's claws, can reinflate the bag.

The bags come in two sizes, the small size capable of storing up to 10 sweaters ($9.95) and the large size able to hold two king-size comforters and a number of pillows ($14.95). The Space Bag can be purchased directly through New West Products in Menlo Park, Calif., by calling (800) 233-5152. There's a shipping/ handling charge.

(Copyright 1996 Universal Press Syndicate)

Mark Hetts' home repair column runs as space allows in the Home/Real Estate section. Send questions and comments to: Mr. HandyPerson, P.O. Box 70, Seattle, WA 98111.