I scraped up peal & stick tiles to find tar paper underneath how do I get it up without ruining the hardwood?

Question

On top was carpet pulled that up and there was tiles then scraped them up and come to tar paper started scraping the tar paper to find hardwood floors and I do not want to ruin them. Plus it was hard to get the tar paper up!

Answer 1

Try washing in with very hot soapy water - just a test spot.  It seems to me once a long time ago I pulled up some old flooring, found tar paper - and it actually loosened up considerably just by washing the floor with hot soapy water.  Get a plastic scraper to scoop up the gunk.

Answer 2

No offense to you at all but sounds like some pretty lazy, ignorant, former residents.

   I want to assume since you allude to the fact that you did get the tar paper up, there is still residue. No offense to answer 1, but I can't imagine hot, soapy water having much effect.

  

   I guess a question would be, is it the tar like substances from the paper, that have gummed up on the floor? Does the floor seem to have a finish coat on it? Are you certain it's hardwood, or laminate?

   I think you have some re-finish work ahead of you in any case. On small spots I'd try mineral spirits, IF the wood has any clear coat substance on it. If it doesn't, any solvent you use will cause some of the residue to leach into the flooring.

   In a more general sense I'd try goo-gone on spots, or Murhpys Oil Soap mixed, to clean the wood. At some point you may still have to sand and re-finish.

  The fact that you've removed all the trash flooring is to your credit. Restoration will be more the challenge.

Just my two "sense"

Answer 3

If it is not nailed or stapled down, try a hair dryer or a heat gun on it to heat it and see if that will loosen it enough to pull it up without damaging the flooring. Do it in a corner somewhere where it won't show first before you do it all over.

Heat guns are sold in the paint dept at Home Depot.