Removing glue from wood furniture requires simple tools and methods, but which one best depends on your wood’s status – whether it is still in a raw state, stained, or painted.
Depending on which category your wood furniture falls under, you will need some of the following tools and items:
- An expired credit or debit card (or something similar)
- A razor blade
- Cleaning cloths
- Sandpaper
- Furniture polish
- Acetone-based nail polish remover
- Mineral oil
- Cotton swabs or cotton balls
- White vinegar
- Disk soap
- A hair dryer or a heat gun
It is important to differentiate your wood (raw, stained, painted) because certain tools and items will not be recommended.
For example, mineral oil can be effective on stained or painted furniture but not on raw wood. Raw wood would soak in the oil, which won’t be as effective in removing the adhesive from the wood.
If your wood furniture already has a gloss finish, start with the gentleness solutions and methods and move towards the rougher ones if necessary.
Keep reading to discover which tools, materials, and methods you need to remove glue from wood furniture depending on whether your wood is raw, stained, or painted.
Also, check out our wood glue guide if you need tips on finding the best products.
How To Remove Glue From Raw Wood Furniture
As raw wood can absorb oils, removing adhesive isn’t a recommended method as it won’t be effective.
To remove glue from raw wood, you will need the following tools and materials:
- Acetone-based nail polish remover
- A single-razor blade
- Sanding paper
- A hairdryer
- Cotton swabs or cotton balls
- Clean rag
- Hot water and liquid dish soap
Which sandpaper grit you will need depends on the roughness of the wood. Check out our frequently asked questions to learn more about sandpaper grit and how to choose the right grit.
Follow these steps to remove dried glue from raw wood:
- Use the single-blade razor (one that has a handle) to get it under the glue
- Slowly trace the glue with a razor blade, carefully peeling it off the wood
- Put the hair dryer on the heat setting to heat the area to soften any remaining glue
- Dip a cotton ball or cotton swab in acetone (or acetone-based nail polish)
- Place it over the adhesive and gently rub it off
- If the adhesive is stubborn, first allow the acetone-soaked cotton ball to soak the glue for at least 15-20 minutes
- Soak another cotton ball in acetone and rub the adhesive off the wood – if the adhesive is still stubborn, try replacing the cotton ball with a toothbrush that you won’t mind throwing out
- Dab a clean rag in soapy hot water and clean the area
Some glue types are easier to remove, while others can be very stubborn as the bond they form is very strong.
If you are working with heavy glue, such as super glue or gorilla glue, you may be unable to remove all glue residue at once.
This doesn’t mean that the method isn’t effective. You may need to repeat the above steps once or twice or as many times as necessary.
ProTip: If you don’t have a single-blade razor with a handle or aren’t comfortable using one, replace it with sandpaper. You can sand the adhesive down.
How To Remove Glue From Stained Wood Furniture?
Getting glue off stained wood can be easier than raw wood as you can also implement the oil method. On the other hand, you will need to be more careful not the scratch the stained surface.
To remove glue from stained wood, you will need the following items:
- Hair dryer (or a heat gun)
- White vinegar
- Mineral oil
- Liquid dish soap and hot water
- Bowl
- Clean rug
If the glue is still wet, follow these steps:
- Mix ½ cup vinegar and 2-3 drops of liquid dish soap in 1 cup of hot water in a bowl
- Dab a clean rug into the mix
- Apply pressure and use a circular motion to rub off the glue
- Use clean soapy hot water and a clean towel to clean the area
If the adhesive is very strong, soak a rag in the mix, cover the glue with it and let it soak through for at least 15-20 minutes before you start to rub it off the wood.
If the glue is already dry, follow these steps:
- Turn on your hair dryer (or heat gun) on the heat setting
- Heat the glue until it softens
- Dip a clean rag in soapy hot water and cover the glue with it (use tongues or another tool to protect your hands)
- Let it sit there for about 30-60 seconds
- Dab the rug in mineral oil and apply it to the glue
- Use a dry and clean cloth to remove the glue
Take a look at our wood glue for furniture guide for further tips.
How To Remove Glue From Painted Wood Furniture?
To remove glue from wood furniture, you will need the following tools and items:
- An expired credit card or debit card
- Acetone-based nail polish remover
- Cotton balls
- Cotton swabs
- Clean towel
- Furniture polish
Follow these steps:
- If there is more glue on your wood furniture, you can try scraping most of it off in layers with an expired credit card or debit card. (Some sources may recommend a sharp razor blade for this. We don’t, as this may scrape your furniture)
- Soak a cotton ball in acetone (or acetone-based nail polish remover)
- Place it over the glue
- Let it soak for a few minutes
- Dab a cotton swab in acetone
- Use gentle pressure and a circular motion to rub off the glue
- Use furniture polish to clean the area
ProTip: If you don’t have acetone at home, replace it with mineral oil and follow the same steps.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is sandpaper grit? What do the numbers mean?
When you shop for sandpaper, each should have a grit number printed on the back. The grit number usually ranges from very low to one thousand (or even more).
With sandpaper grit, the sequence doesn’t follow logic. You may assume that the higher the grit number, the higher the roughness of the sandpaper.
The lower the grit number, the rougher the sandpaper.
The higher the number, the finer the sandpaper.
Sandpaper in the 1,000 range is an extremely fine grit with very small abrasive particles.
How to choose the right sandpaper grit?
The lower-numbered grit sandpaper is much rougher. This allows you to remove rougher materials with less effort in less time.
Using low grit sandpaper will also leave some scratch marks on the surface you are sanding.
Use fine (high grit) sandpaper if you want a smooth finish.
You can start with low-grit sandpaper and then switch to high-grit sandpaper.
Choose the right sandpaper based on the grit number.
Micro Grit Sandpaper
Micro grit sandpaper is the higher grit number with fine abrasion.
- Ultrafine
- CAMI: 800 – 1000
- FEPA: P1500 – 2500
- Used for:
- Final sanding
- Polishing thick finishes
- Superfine
- CAMI: 400 – 600
- FEPA: P800 – P1200
- Used for:
- Final wood finishing
- Extra fine
- CAMI: 360 – 320
- FEPA: P400 – P600
- Used for:
- Initial wood polishing
- Very fine
- CAMI: 240
- FEPA: P240 – P360
- Used for:
- Sanding finishes between consecutive coats
- Sanding finishes on drywall
- Sanding finishes on wood
Macro Grit Sandpaper
Macro grits are lower grit numbers, and these are rough abrasives.
- Very fine
- CAMI: 150 – 220
- FEPA: P150 – P220
- Used for:
- Sanding on raw wood
- Fine
- CAMI: 100 – 120
- FEPA: P100 – P120
- Used for:
- Preparing wood for finishing
- Cleaning plaster
- Removing water stains on wood
- Medium
- CAMI: 80
- FEPA: P60 – P80
- Used for:
- Sanding raw wood in preparation to remove varnish
- Coarse
- CAMI: 40 – 60
- FEPA: P40 – P50
- Used for:
- Sanding away debris
- Sanding with less effort
- Extra coarse
- CAMI: 24 – 36
- FEPA: P12 – P36
- Used for:
- Hardwood floor sanding
To remove glue from wood furniture with sandpaper, start with a #600-grit sandpaper without damaging the surface. Once you get very close to the surface, use a #1200-grit sandpaper for a fine and smooth finish.
You may need to apply a satin or dull gloss finish to even it out with how the rest of the surface looks.
What Commercial Product Can Help Remove Glue From Wood?
There are the above-described effective home solutions to get the glue off wood furniture. And there are also commercial products that are designed to achieve the same.
One of these commonly used products is Goo Gone.
There are also other adhesive remover commercial products. Check to make sure the one you are looking to try is suitable for wood, then follow the instructions on the product on how to use it properly for best results.
Before using a commercial product on a bigger surface, test it. Choose a hidden spot and try the product to ensure it won’t damage your wood furniture.
Conclusion
You can remove glue from wood furniture with effective methods that require the following materials and tools, depending on the status of your wood (raw, stained, painted):
- An expired credit or debit card (or something similar)
- A razor blade
- Cleaning cloths
- Sandpaper
- Furniture polish
- Acetone-based nail polish remover
- Mineral oil
- Cotton swabs or cotton balls
- White vinegar
- Disk soap
- A hair dryer or a heat gun
Sandpaper can be very helpful in sanding off the glue. There are several sandpaper grades, depending on their grit number.
The higher the grit number, the finer and less abrasive the sandpaper is.
The lower the grit number, the rougher and more abrasive the sandpaper is.
Which sandpaper grade is best for you depends on the status of your wood (raw, stained, painted). You can use lower-grit sandpaper on rougher wood surfaces, but this could leave scratch marks.
For a fine finish, choose higher-grit sandpaper. This could take longer to get done, but it will leave you with a smooth, scratch-free surface.
Mineral oil can help remove glue from wood, but it isn’t recommended on raw wood. If you apply mineral oil on raw wood, this will most likely absorb it.
In this guide, you have discovered effective solutions to removing glue from wood furniture, with specific methods for different types of wood – raw, stained, and painted.
Once the glue has been removed from your wood furniture, either by a home solution or a commercial product, finish by cleaning the surface with a clean cloth and applying furniture polish to make it look new.
When removing glue from wood furniture, start with the gentlest option and move to tougher options as needed.
After removing the glue from your wood furniture and wiping the area down with a clean cloth, you may need to use wood varnish to refinish wood surfaces that have already been varnished.
