I use furniture glides rather than felt pads. They do raise the chair about 1/4", but they don't get dirty and don't scratch the floor.

The ones I use are about 1/4" thick, with a felt bottom. They stick, or are suppose to stick!, to the bottom of the chair. They peel off the white backing.

I just bought some at HD, Everbuilt brand, and they're as strong as ever. But I use the larger pads so don't know if that makes a difference.

You can clean the chair feet with mineral spirits or Goo Gone to remove old adhesive, etc.

Edit: see post farther down. Goo Gone will most likely leave an oily film.

This post was edited by annz on Wed, Oct 2, 13 at 2:55

" Or what I can do to clean or prep the foot so they stay put? "

You should clean off all the old adhesive every time an old pad is replaced.
I use WD-40 and a scraper.

We really like the nail-on ones

Here is a link that might be useful: Waxman 4718795N 1-Inch Nail On Round Felt Pads, Brown

I never cleaned off the old adhesive until recently. I did use goo-b-gone and since then, the pads don't stick well. I guess I need to really clean them, make sure all the goo and the goo-b-gone is gone, and try the Everbuilt brand. The stools are metal so I don't think I can (easily) use the nail-in style.

Thanks, I appreciate the advice and recommendations. It's one of those petty little life irritations that I need to fix before I go crazy.

You can also take a few swipes at it with some sandpaper - nothing major, just a little scuff.

I have the same issue with the felt pads on my kitchen chairs & stools. Since 2000, I changed yearly and they worked fine. Now they won't stick, even after cleaning with goof off and sanding to remove adhesive residue. I switched from whatever brand was at Home Depot to the local hardware store and no improvement.

We have the nail-on ones that laurajane02 linked, on our used daily kitchen chairs. We have never had a problem with them not staying on.

We use the tap in kind. Available at Amazon and other places, like here:

Here is a link that might be useful: tap in felt chair pads

OK, so weird....I've been having the same issue after years of them working just fine! Craziness!

I suppose it's good to know I'm not the only one with this silly problem. Craziness, like misery, likes company. Be careful when you pull the chair out to join me, I don't want the floor to get scratched.

Since there's three of you with the same problem, makes me wonder if they are no made in China using an inferior adhesive?

I've always been afraid the tap in kind would split my chair legs, but then my chair legs are fairly narrow at the bottom. I've used those sticky pads and they always fell off. I don't remember having any that stayed on.

This post was edited by marti8a on Wed, Oct 2, 13 at 15:20

That's interesting that others have had the same problem. Maybe there was a bad batch?
I stand corrected on using the Goo Gone. I now remember that it always leave an oily film that I have to clean with soap and water. Instead, I'd try mineral spirits, naptha, acetone, or sand paper to remove the old adhesive.

Mine are falling off too!! Why am I the ONLY one who notices in my house?

We could start a whole new thread of "Things only I seem to notice" and it would probably hit 150 posts quickly. In addition to the felt pad has shifted off the chair leg: cabinet doors left slightly open, only one paper towel left. Or a real favorite, when my husband walks through the pile of crumbs I've swept up before I can get the dust pan out to pick them up. But why dwell on the negative, crazy-making stuff?

ETA: To be fair, I imagine my husband has a (short) list of things I don't notice. I don't know what could possibly be on such a list, but one must exist. Outside the house stuff. When he needs milk (I don't drink it or use it so it doesn't occur to me to check the status before I go to the store. I consider that his responsibility.)

This post was edited by hhireno on Wed, Oct 2, 13 at 9:24

I agree HH. My dh never notices that he has left his dresser drawer ajar or that there is clothing coming out of the drawer when he closes it. Not once in the years we have been married has he put a new roll of toilet paper on the holder. He will get it out but leaves it for me to put on. He has never loaded or unloaded the dishwasher. Geesh.......................

It DOES make me feel better that I'm not alone with this issue! Obviously, with this many people reporting similar issues, the manufacturer HAS made some changes. I have some gorgeous Emeco aluminum chairs and I've used those stick on pads for decades now to protect vinyl, tile and wood floors. Never a problem till now. I was just about to blame the new floors we had installed but reading these comments I'm putting the blame squarely on the manufacturer. Perhaps there's a conspiracy between the pad maker and new floor manufacturers! My chairs aren't suited for the nail-in style. I have scoured and scrubbed ad nauseum before applying new pads....and within a few weeks, arrgh, off they come. Next we opted for the plastic "slide" variety of the same material as those furniture moving discs. Again, same issue. I guess the most irritating part is the glue residue that immediately gums up the floor, creating yet another frustration. Grrrr! I will keep watching this thread in hopes that someone comes up with an answer or some happy news of a product that works as well as the old pads.

i bought a large box of felt pads from HD ~ 1 1/2 months ago and put some on the bottom of some baby gates (some metal and some wood gates, so 2 different materials...) when we got a new puppy and so far they have been adhering extremely well...
haven't placed any on chairs or other furniture yet tho, tho i don't know why they would stick any differently on furniture- if anything i would think heavier items would provide better 'stick'.
i even put one of the gates on the deck occasionally to corral him out there and they're staying put even with cold and damp conditions!
maybe it was a bad batch that people were having trouble with....?

What are furniture glides? Sounds better than felt pads since they don't get dirty but I can't find any info on them.

These are the nail on glides that I've been using for 20 years on my kitchen chairs on the porcelain floor. I have replaced them over the years due to heavy use.

The stick on felt ones just never stay on and I detest the gummy residue they leave on the floor.

Here is a link that might be useful: glides

Thanks for the info and pics. Do you think they'd work okay on hardwood floors without marking or scratching?

Make sure to get good quality nail on glides as once I bought some cheaper ones and the nails would eventually wear or break through the plastic bottoms and scratch the floors. So I've been using the felts which also have been falling off leaving goop smudges that are hard to get off the floors.

I too, have the same problem with my most recent purchase of felt pads.

I also had a hard time removing the goop from the floor. I found that a tiny bit of Smart Balance was very effective at removing the goop. Cooking oil or butter might be just as effective.

I have never found a felt "Stick on pad" that doesnt come off or slide. Chair legs are not level with the floor and the felt pads push off until the edge of the leg touches the floor and continues to scratch. The only solution is a glide that tilts/swivels and sits flat on the floor. Glides with replaceable felt bases make it easy to replace when worn or dirty.

My son wanted to protect the floors in his new house and bought these online -- he swears by them. They glide easily on hardwood and do not fall off. No glue to leave residue, either. I am going to order some for myself -- the website has a way to measure your furniture legs to determine the size needed.
https://www.flexifelt.com/default.aspx?skinid=2

Here is a link that might be useful: flexifelt.com

Thanks for the tip. I ordered these today and will try to remember to report back. I've never had any luck with the stick on kind no matter how much sanding I did or how much alcohol I cleaned with. I also tried the nail in kind of nylon glides in my last home. When the nylon part cracked off without my noticing it, the exposed metal gauged my floor! The kind that worked for me the best in the past were the cheapest, but softest, felt. They seemed to "take" to the curvature of the leg bottom better and lasted the best. I actually found these postings, because I was trying to find the best glue to use with the soft felt. I'm glad I found your posting for the flexi-felt. I hope they do the trick but look acceptable, too.

I am ordering some from amazon that have a clear plastic stretchy "sock" that you stretch to fit tightly on the chair leg and they have a felt pad on bottom. Hope they work because nothing else has. (Flexi-felt clear leg tips)

I had good luck with Ikea felt pads but i havent bought them in a while. Still have lots of them and they work perfectly. just saying.

I am having the same problem with the pads not staying put. They move onto the side of the chair leg. This is leaving sticky residue on my floor. ARG!!!

I do have the same issue, since my toddler is very active he loves to pull n push the furniture, which leaves scratches on my wooden floors. Well I tried different types of felt pads, but those tend to fall off or tear apart, but then I tried these felt pads by Teleon brand and I simply love these, bought those on Amazon( https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01LBG9JNK/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1489443479&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=teleon+felt+pads&dpPl=1&dpID=41kQOaDbjqL&ref=plSrch) these are supper sticky and 1/4" thick, the color matches and blends in my furniture color. These come in a huge pack that is good enough for my whole house, infact I could save so many pieces for next turn. Now now scratches on my floor yeyy!