Removing new carpet yourself is an excellent way to save on the overall cost of a flooring upgrade project.

Tip

Personal protective equipment is important for ongoing safety.

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removing old carpet

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Cut the Carpet Into Manageable Strips

Use a utility knife tocut the carpetinto strips.

The size of the strips depends on what you consider manageable.

Be careful not to sink the blade too deep into the carpet, as you may hit the subfloor.

overhead view of tools for removing old carpet

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Cutting carpet into strips can make it easier to remove, roll, and dispose of.

Continue pulling up the carpet until it has been removed entirely from one wall.

Work around the room until the entire perimeter of the carpet is free.

Clear the area and use a pry bar to remove baseboards

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With gloved hands, grab the end of the carpet and pull it up from the stairs.

Use the pry bar to pry up the tack strips one at a time.

Some communities will have roadside pick up for small quantities of carpet and other construction material.

Cutting carpet into manageable strips with a utility knife

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Otherwise, you will need to take the old carpet to the nearest recycling center or landfill.

you’ve got the option to also rent a dumpster for easy disposal right outside your house.

The baseboards only need to be removed if the carpet runs underneath them.

Unhooking carpet from the tack strips using pliers

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Typically, beginner DIYers are able to handle this job.

Pulling up carpet using pliers

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Remove carpet pad with a floor scraper

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Pry up tack strips with putty knife and hammer

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Disposing of carpet and cleaning up carpet removal with vacuum

The Spruce / Kevin Norris