How to remove bike tire rubber dust that's fused with synthetic rug

March 5, 2022 3:27 PM

I used bike rollers like this over the winter. Underneath them, on a synthetic rug, there’s now a patch of rubber compound dust that was shed by the rear tire and has somehow fused with the rug fibers. I was only partially able to vacuum it. It's not chain lube (it was a freshly waxed chain and flakes from that were easy to vacuum up). Neither the tire nor the rollers ever touched the rug — the rubber dust has just been accumulating on this spot for 3 months. How best to remove it without making things worse?
posted by theory to Home & Garden (2 answers total)

Depending on the pile of the carpet, use something slightly sticky to pull it.

I like those kneaded rubber erasers for things like this, because they won't get stuck within the fibers, but will adhere to the carbon. Also, sometimes just some tape, try masking tape or something that's not too sticky like duct tape. Just be patient and keep at it. You may have some luck with play-doh (which was invented to clean wallpaper) but it might leave little bits in the fibers (but it dries and you can vacuum that out).
posted by typetive at 5:19 PM on March 5, 2022

How small is the rug? Freezing might help you pick more of it out. Even putting a bag of ice on it for a whole may help.

Got future reference, I’ve seen Continental tires shared a horrifying amount of black junk, but when I use regular Vitoria tires, it’s fine. Trainer tires are also better at not spewing
posted by advicepig at 6:10 PM on March 5, 2022