25 better remedies than washing linoleum at home to make it shine

Linoleum is a very popular material, it is laid everywhere, so the question of how to wash it from various contaminants arises quite often. The coating should not only be regularly cleaned using folk or professional means, but also take care of it, this will significantly extend the service life.

How to take care of linoleum

Linoleum maintenance includes gentle handling, regular cleaning and protection of the flooring. The floor material is protected from direct sunlight, sudden temperature changes, sharp and sharp objects.You can protect the surface by applying specialized compounds.

Polish

Varnishes are liquid protective compounds that are applied to the surface of linoleum to prevent premature wear, thus extending its life and preserving its beautiful appearance. After application, the liquid creates a protective film which, depending on the product chosen, can be matte, semi-matte and glossy. Varnish can be called differently: putty, varnish, wax, polymer, emulsion - all this is essentially the same thing.

Before applying the polish, it is necessary to thoroughly clean the linoleum, then pour a protective liquid over the coating in several layers.

The drying time between layers and their quantity depends on the specific product and is indicated on the packaging. Typically, the fully applied protective film is allowed to dry completely for 8-10 hours, ensuring that there are no drafts and direct sunlight. During this time, you can not walk on the linoleum and put furniture on it.

Linseed oil or drying oil

Linseed oil and drying oil are used to make linoleum shine. In addition, the applied oil will prevent cracking. The tool is used to wipe the floor with a sponge, a small amount of oil is enough. Then rub to dry with a soft cloth.

Carpet

If linoleum is laid in the apartment, then a carpet should be placed in front of the entrance, on which dirt and sand brought on the soles of shoes from the street will accumulate. This will prevent the linoleum from getting dirty and damaged by coarse particles. But you can not put a damp carpet or a cloth for wiping shoes on the coating itself, because linoleum is afraid of moisture.

furniture leggings

For furniture legs that are not wide enough, special cover plates should be used, which will distribute the weight of the furniture over a large area. Often the linoleum is protected by gluing felt patches to the legs.

Timely cleaning

Regular cleaning is an important part of linoleum maintenance. This will prevent stubborn dirt from forming, give the siding a fresh look and help maintain general cleanliness and hygiene in the home.

Sweep and vacuum

Before starting wet cleaning, the floor is swept or vacuumed to remove large dirt particles. They try to choose a broom or a brush that is not very hard.

Wash with warm soapy water or special detergent

The cloth should be soft, preferably purchased from a hardware store specifically for this purpose, although an old soft cloth is also suitable. Special detergents are preferred over regular soaps as they help maintain the protective film on the linoleum surface. To wash the floor, a small amount of the product is dissolved in a bucket of water, this is enough.

Thoroughly wring out the cloth

Linoleum is washed with a damp cloth, after wringing it well. If water gets under the linoleum, it can swell, rot the floor, give off an unpleasant odor and form a fungus.

Cleaning methods

There are many proven ways to clean different types of dirt. The general recommendation is not to delay the removal of dirt from the linoleum surface, as it is always more difficult and time consuming to remove old marks than new ones.

Gum

A regular eraser will help remove any black streaks that remain on the shoes. To do this, carefully erase the traces of the linoleum with an eraser, like a pencil drawing in an album, then rinse with soapy water and wipe dry.

Vodka

Vodka well removes grease stains from the surface of linoleum, it will cope even with old ones. To remove contamination, a solution is prepared from a liter of water, a glass of vodka and a teaspoon of dishwashing liquid, moistened with a cloth, wash the floor, then rinse with a clear water and wipe. Ideal for light colored linoleum.

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The vinegar

The vinegar will remove the marks left by the ballpoint pen from the surface of the linoleum. The contamination is covered with table salt and moistened with vinegar for 5 minutes, after which the problem area is washed.

Tile cleaning fluid

A product that helps clean tiles will also help remove dirt from linoleum. To do this, the liquid is applied to the contaminated surface, wiped with a soft cloth, washed with clean water and wiped dry.

Gasoline, kerosene, turpentine

If on the floor covered with linoleum there are stubborn stains or the consequences of repairs, such as traces of paint, glue, primers, strong solvents will cope with it. Harsh products can discolor the pattern, so you should try them on an inconspicuous area first. To remove the stain, a cotton ball is moistened with a solvent, the dirt is rubbed off and immediately washed off with soapy water. When working with gasoline, kerosene and turpentine, be sure to wear rubber gloves and ventilate the room well.

Bleach

If there are grass stains, rust, mildew, paint or felt marks on the linoleum, bleach will help remove them. There are special bleaching agents for linoleum on sale, but you can also use the usual chlorine-containing ones, for example, "Whiteness".It should be remembered that chlorine in bleach can damage the coating, so "Whiteness" is diluted with water in a ratio of 1 to 10 (1 part bleach to 10 parts water). In the resulting solution, a cloth is moistened with which the stains are wiped off, after which the floor is washed with clean water and wiped dry.

First, on an inconspicuous area, check if the bleach will discolor the coating.

putty

To clean the dirt, use a special putty, which can be purchased at hardware stores.Transparent is used for a new coating, dark linoleum is treated, which already has a sufficient service life, it will hide microcracks.

matches

Matches will help remove stains left by ink or paste from pens. The sulfur head of a match must be moistened with water and rubbed over the dirt. The sulfur reacts with the stain causing it to disappear.

Sauerkraut juice

Stubborn household dirt, even old ones, is well removed by sauerkraut juice. The acid contained in the product acts on the stains by eliminating them. To treat the surface, you need to apply a little juice to it, after some time rub it with a sponge and rinse with clean water.

Elderflower porridge

Greasy spots are removed by preparing a porridge of fresh elderberries and rubbing the problem area with the composition. Some varieties of elderberry are poisonous, so be careful.

How to Remove Brilliant Green or Iodine

No matter how carefully you try to open a bottle of Brilliant Green or Iodine, splashes can still fall to the floor. How to get rid of them? If the stain is not visible, you can just wait and it will fade over time with regular floor cleaning.But it is better not to let go and try to eliminate pollution with the means at hand.

Soap, laundry

To remove a new stain of greenery, laundry soap or regular laundry detergent is suitable. These products are the softest for the linoleum surface. Soap is rubbed on a grater and dissolved in boiling water, the composition is cooled and applied to the stain for several hours, then washed off with a cloth, after some time the procedure is repeated.

The washing powder is simply poured onto a moistened surface and the same manipulations are carried out. After the first treatment, the spot becomes clear, after two or three it completely disappears.

Vinegar and potassium permanganate

A mixture of table vinegar and potassium permanganate (for half a glass of vinegar, several crystals of potassium permanganate) helps well to remove stubborn traces of brilliant green. A cloth soaked in the solution is left on an old location for a few minutes, then wiped with a damp sponge. If remnants of the brilliant green are still visible, they are bleached with hydrogen peroxide. After removing the stain, the area is washed with a damp cloth.

Ammonium or rubbing alcohol, nail polish remover

Ways to effectively remove old traces of brilliant green. They are applied to a cotton ball and treated with a stain, after which they are washed off with water.

Starch

Starch is effective against fresh iodine stains. Contamination is moistened and covered with a damp cloth with potato starch. You can use potato peelings instead of powdered starch, they have a lower starch concentration so a longer exposure time will be needed.

soda and vinegar

The method is used to remove old iodine stains.The contaminated area is covered with powder, a little vinegar is added and left to act overnight. Wipe with a cloth in the morning.

How to get rid of black bars

Black streaks on linoleum that remain from the rubber soles of shoes can be easily wiped off with an eraser. After that, be sure to wipe with a damp cloth so as not to trample dirt. You can remove stains with a few drops of baby oil on a cotton ball.

Cleaning after renovation

When renovating, it is best to cover the linoleum with plastic wrap. Thus, no building material will get on the coating, and after completion of the work, it remains only to remove the film and wash the floor in the usual way. If the linoleum is still dirty, you should try to remove the pollution immediately.

For example, a fresh primer can be easily wiped off with a soft cloth, while a dry primer will need to be removed with a special wash or acetone solution.

Means for cleaning linoleum from the consequences of repairs are selected depending on the type of pollution. Here are some general guidelines:

• Traces of lime and cement dust are removed in several stages. First, they wash the floor with warm water with the addition of sodium chloride and soap shavings, then wipe the surface with a weak solution of permanganate potassium. After drying, rub with a woolen cloth and apply linseed oil.
• It is better to remove fresh paint, while the use of soda and other alkalis is not recommended, they will give the coating brittleness. Better to use a drop of vegetable oil. Dried paint is removed with solvents, having previously checked in an inconspicuous area, whether the coating is deteriorating.After removing the stain, the linoleum is washed and rubbed with linseed oil.
• The polyurethane foam, if fresh, is scraped with a spatula in the direction from the edges of the stain to the center. After that, the site is treated with a special agent to remove all traces. The dried moss is cut off, the remnants are soaked in a professional compound and wiped off.

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Shine

To preserve the shiny appearance of linoleum in the literal and figurative sense of the word, when washing floors, add potato broth, potato starch or milk to the water. After such treatment, the coating acquires a shine. If you want to improve the effect, the floor can be rubbed with special varnishes, polymer sealants, drying oil or linseed oil.

So that the shine does not fade, the treatment should be carried out regularly, about once every two months.

Fat elimination

Grease stains often appear on linoleum, especially laid in the kitchen. To eliminate them, various methods are used, ranging from improvised to professional means.

home remedies

Small and large grease stains can be treated with products found in the kitchen, medicine cabinet, workshop and even in the garden.

Alcohol

Alcohol can be used to clean linoleum even from complex fatty contaminants. To do this, rub the problem area with a cotton swab soaked in alcohol or a cloth, then rinse with a damp sponge.

Elder

Elderberries are kneaded into a porridge, you can do this with a blender, apply to the stain and leave on. After some time, the gruel is removed and the surface is wiped.

Turpentine

Turpentine is a remedy that is left as a last resort if others have not helped. They must act very carefully, wiping the stain with a small amount applied to a cotton ball. Then rinse the floor thoroughly with a damp cloth.

Special means

Blot the fresh stain with a towel, trying to wipe it off completely. If the contamination is persistent, you can use dishwashing liquid or a product specially designed for linoleum. The product is spread over the greasy stain, rubbed in circular motions with a soft sponge, then washed with a damp cloth. Products such as Mellerud, Loba, Longlife have proven their effectiveness in the fight against fat.

How to use the steam cleaner correctly

When using a steam cleaner for cleaning, it should be remembered that only water-soluble contaminants such as grease or limescale, food stains, street dirt are susceptible to it.

Advantages of the steam cleaner:

• respect the environment;
• security;
• does not require cleaning agents - cost savings and health benefits;
• antibacterial effect;
• leaves no scratches or marks.

The principle of operation of any steam cleaner is based on the treatment of a dirty surface with a jet of steam from hot water and the subsequent removal of softened dirt using a nozzle. Stubborn dirt can be pretreated with acetic acid.

How to update the view

Even with regular maintenance, after a while linoleum can fade and lose its attractive appearance.This happens especially often in rooms where the floor has a heavy load. For example, in the kitchen, linoleum can suffer from cooking grease splatters, fallen food stains and other contaminants that need to be removed regularly , which may cause the print to fade and lose gloss.

To renew the surface of linoleum, wax sealants are used. To properly apply the protective layer, follow these steps:

• They thoroughly clean the floor, removing dirt and removing old polish with the help of special products.
• Wipe the mopped floor dry to avoid streaks.
• Apply the putty with a roller, a special mop or a polisher.
• Let the surface dry for at least 10 hours.
• Vacuum the renewed floor.

Complex pollution cases

From time to time you need to clean the floor of stubborn stains, especially if there are young children in the house. But even if chewing gum falls on the linoleum or candles drip wax, the coating can be cleaned, giving it its original appearance. What tools will help you cope with this task?

Chewing gum

To remove the gum from the liner, freeze it. You can do this by placing an ice cube on it for 10 minutes, then gently scraping it off with a blunt object like the blunt side of a knife.

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Wax

There are several ways to remove the wax. First, the dirt is scraped off with a soft spatula, and the remains are washed off with gasoline, after which the surface is washed with soapy water. Second, the wax can be reheated for easier removal. It is best to do this with a construction hair dryer, covering the stain with a towel, the melted wax is removed with the same towel.If you heat with an iron, there is a risk of damaging the surface of the coating. To prevent this from happening, the floor is covered with a thick layer of towels that will absorb the melted wax.

If the wax is stained, traces may remain after removing the stain on the linoleum, especially the light. To remove them, dilute "Whiteness" in water in a ratio of 1 to 10 and wipe the problem area.

Felt pen

You can remove felt-tip pen marks from linoleum with turpentine or gasoline. To do this, a cotton ball is impregnated with the agent and the dirt is wiped off, then washed first with a soapy soap, and then with a clean cloth.

Rust, mold

You can remove rust and mold from linoleum with lemon juice. The juice is applied to the stain and rubbed with a sponge, then the product is washed off with water.

Ink

The ink is removed with sulfur heads soaked in matches, rubbing the dirt well with them. Another way is to use fine-grit sandpaper, which is used to rub the stain very carefully so as not to damage the surface too much. Rub the treated area with linseed oil, which does not need to be washed off.

Rating of popular detergents

When choosing a linoleum care product, consider its purpose. Daily cleaning fluids are available and you may need to use cleaners for specific types of dirt, especially after repairs.

TaffStuss

The tool will well clean the linoleum even from the dirt that stuck together during the repair. It is a cleaning foam used for dry cleaning.

white spirit

A powerful product that will help deal with stubborn dirt and eliminate the consequences of repairs on smooth and rough linoleum.The solvent being very aggressive, it is necessary to work with protective gloves and always with an open window.

646

The advantages of the solvent include its effectiveness and ease of use. The product removes traces of paint well after repair. However, one should not forget about its flammability and toxicity.

"Mr. Clean"

If you add just one capful of Mr. Proper Floor & Wall Cleaning Fluid to the water, it will help you easily wash off the coating even from old yellowed stains. To mop the floor without leaving streaks, remember to squeeze the cloth well.Additional advantages of the product include its pleasant aroma.

Answers to questions

When caring for linoleum, questions often arise about the correct and effective cleaning of the coating. Below are the answers to some of them.

• How to wash linoleum with a relief?

Embossed linoleum is more difficult to clean than smooth linoleum. For its high-quality cleaning, the floor is poured with soapy water, left to act, then the water is removed with a brush, acting carefully so as not to damage the surface. A special solution for cleaning linoleum will help to effectively remove dirt. For cleaning it is convenient to use a vacuum cleaner and special attachments.

• Why do red spots appear on linoleum?

Red spots can appear accidentally due to the fact that a food product (for example, beets) has fallen on the ground, a juice or a fruit drink has been spilled, the contamination can be the traces of a felt pen or of a pen. These problems can be easily eliminated with the appropriate cleaning products.But there are more serious situations when the linoleum turns red due to damage to the upper layer of the floor material and its partial delamination. In this case, it will not work to cover or clean the stain; only a partial or complete replacement of the coating will help.

• Dark spots appeared on the linoleum. What to do?

The reason for the dark spots that appear on the linoleum may be the glue on which the linoleum is placed. If they appear through the thickness of the coating, they cannot be wiped off from the outside. It remains only to disguise them with carpeting, furniture or replace that section of linoleum.

• How to wipe stain from linoleum?

Fresh stains can be washed with alcohol, vodka, acetone or another solvent. If the affected area is large or the dirt is embedded, it may be easier to carefully replace the stained linoleum by cutting it out.

• How to remove yellow stains from linoleum?

Laundry soap will help with the yellow stains. A solution is made of it by grating and dissolving it in warm water. Contamination is wiped off with a sponge or cloth soaked in liquid, then wiped dry.

• How to wipe stains on linoleum of unknown origin?

First, they try to remove unknown stains with a damp cloth, then use a soapy solution. If this does not help, use more powerful means. You can try to get rid of unknown construction stains left during repairs with a stain remover.

Linoleum has gained popularity due to the variety of color solutions, the ability to choose high-quality flooring at an affordable price, and ease of maintenance.Knowing and following the simple rules of daily cleaning, stain removal and coating protection, you can maintain the appearance of linoleum for a long time and extend its life.