A retainer removal tool for a carpet retainer of a vehicle includes a shaft portion and a handle portion. The shaft portion has a cylindrical shape and includes an engagement tip has a hollow cylindrical shape and is configured to depress a tab of the retainer in a radially inward direction to decouple an upper retainer from a lower retainer. Further, a method for removing a carpet retainer of a vehicle includes centering a retainer removal tool over the retainer, depressing the retainer removal tool onto the retainer, disengaging a tab of the retainer with the retainer removal tool, and removing the retainer from the carpet.