• Vinyl tiles are slow to remove.wooden texture of the floor - ideal background image by Elnur from Fotolia.com
  
  Old vinyl floors are some of the most difficult flooring materials to remove. The adhesive on the backs of the tile bonds the vinyl to the substrate; as the adhesive ages it becomes less pliable and therefore harder to remove. There are several ways to help make the process go faster, removing the vinyl and adhesive, allowing a new floor covering to be installed.
  
  

Cut and Scrape

• The time-tested method of removing vinyl floor tiles and adhesive is to cut and scrape. This means using a utility knife or razor blade to slice the vinyl up into strips. A floor scraper is then inserted beneath each strip and pushed until the strip comes up. Frequently, the top layer of vinyl will come up quickly when it has been cut, but the layer below takes more scraping. This method is often used in conjunction with others.
  
  

Heat

• The drying natural process makes tile adhesive harder and brittle, holding fast to the subfloor. Heat can help to moisten and soften the adhesive, making it easier to remove. A heat gun, hair dryer or clothes iron placed on a wet wash cloth can heat up the adhesive enough to soften the adhesive enough to pull the vinyl and adhesive up in one go. Heat can also be used to heat leftover adhesive after the vinyl covering has been pulled off, making the adhesive left on the floor easier to scrape up.
  
  

Adhesive Removers

• Adhesive removers are solvents that break down the adhesives used to hold vinyl flooring in place. These solvents render the adhesive less tacky, which means it can be pulled or scraped up. Adhesive removers give off high levels of VOCs (volatile organic compounds) and airborne chemicals, which requires ventilation. Depending on the adhesive removal technique and the adhesive used, it may be possible to lift the corner of the vinyl, apply some adhesive and pull the tile up a little at a time, working the adhesive below it. Adhesive removers can also be used to soften the glue enough to scrape it up with a floor scraper.