How to wash linoleum to make it shine

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Linoleum is one of the most affordable and easy-to-use floor coverings. It does not absorb water like parquet or laminate, and it is not as difficult to remove stains as, for example, carpet. However, such an unpretentious coating also has its weaknesses. Knowing them and following simple rules, you can keep your floors in excellent condition and significantly extend the life of linoleum.

This type of flooring, like linoleum, is very unpretentious, but it also has weak points that you need to know about

You can quickly ruin a new coating if you choose the wrong cleaning product. Read our article on how to avoid irreparable mistakes.

What you need to know about cleaning?

Although linoleum is one of the most practical types of flooring, lack of proper care will lead to loss of shine and shortened service life. Caring for linoleum consists of the following steps:

Dry cleaning, a broom or vacuum cleaner will help.
Wet cleaning.
Adding shine.

Before you take care of linoleum that has just been laid, you should know that wet cleaning is only recommended a month after laying. During this period, you should limit yourself to a vacuum cleaner (broom). During the first 30 days from installation, it will adapt to the environmental conditions of its new “habitat”.

During the acclimatization process, you have to wonder what to wash the new linoleum with to make it shine early, because you can damage the coating. It also absorbs moisture from the external environment, and if you add to it cleaning with additional moisture, linoleum can be hopelessly damaged.

Some features:

Household, as well as commercial linoleum, are prohibited from being washed with abrasive compounds and rags.
If you need to wash away heavy stains, hot water should not be used.
There is also no need to over-moisturize; you can even wash the floor with a wrung-out rag.
After wet cleaning, it is advisable to wipe the linoleum with a piece of dry flannel or any other piece of cloth that absorbs moisture well.

Note! Daily cleaning in compliance with the above rules gives shine to the coating, without additional products.

An important maintenance process is dry cleaning.

Typical damage to linoleum and how to fix it yourself

Perhaps the most common damage to linoleum is cracks. While they are small, they can be covered with a chair or a small rug, in general, making them invisible. But if a crack has already appeared, it will certainly grow over time, and it will have to be patched.

Increase its length by cutting just a couple of centimeters from both edges with a sharp knife.
Gently clean out any debris that has accumulated inside.
Treat the sections with alcohol to degrease.
Apply glue to the inside (this can be Moment or special glue for linoleum).
Place the coating firmly on the floor, press it down with something heavy and leave for 1–2 hours.
After this, remove any remaining glue from the surface.

If the linoleum is torn, you need to replace the damaged area.

Cut out an even square where the hole appeared.
Try to select a piece of new linoleum so that the pattern completely matches.
Remove all debris and degrease the surface with alcohol.
Apply glue to a piece of linoleum, especially on the edges, and apply it to the floor. The joints must match completely.

It’s easy to replace a damaged area of linoleum, the main thing is to check that the pattern matches

Often linoleum fades and becomes stained. This is usually caused by high humidity. For example, you may notice such changes near the sink or in the area where your pet's water bowl sits. Honestly, it’s easier to prevent such damage by wiping the floor with a dry cloth in a timely manner. But if trouble has already happened, try washing the linoleum in the entire room with soap or vinegar solution. The whitish and yellow spots will fade and become less noticeable.

Selection of means

Before you start cleaning, you need to find out what you can use to wash linoleum to make it shine. The first step is to find a means to wash it. Plain water will not help with severe contamination. If there are any, then you need to use special equipment, including:

Products for daily floor cleaning.
Concentrates that create a dirt-repellent film on the surface of the coating.
Universal means.
You can also wash a linoleum floor with soapy water.

Another important point: it is extremely undesirable to mix these products with each other - the result may be unexpected. For this coating, you cannot use household chemicals with bleach; the same goes for washing powders, soda, and alkalis.

Glorix

Despite the fact that this linoleum cleaner has positive reviews, it is the only one whose label indicates precautions for use - protecting hands and respiratory tract from contact. You should immediately think about the safety of its use in everyday life.

This product is intended exclusively for cleaning linoleum floors. Although the company also offers universal variations - for all types of flooring.
The shelf life and storage method are standard - store for 18 months out of the reach of children.
One cap containing 50 ml (total package volume 1 liter) of concentrate must be diluted with 4 liters of water and used for its intended purpose.
When removing difficult stains, apply the undiluted mixture to the problem area for 5 minutes and then rinse off.

Reviews: the product of this brand has a pronounced aroma, but not strong. Almost all consumers note that the smell of this substance is more reminiscent of a mild cosmetic than a repulsive synthetic one. But it does a poor job of cleaning linoleum – it leaves stains on the surface and does not remove grease well.

Cleaning linoleum after renovation

To make the linoleum shine after repair, you will have to work hard, especially if the floor was not covered with plastic film. But even this does not guarantee complete protection against contamination. The sequence of actions is as follows:

The first step is dry cleaning, because before you return the shine to the linoleum, you need to clean it of construction debris. Carefully scrape off the putty and collect all scraps and other construction debris.
Next is wet cleaning using household chemicals. Moreover, the rag needs to be rinsed well and the water changed.
The last stage is polishing. To do this, you need a piece of rags and a weak solution of potassium permanganate. Wash the surface with this mixture and wipe dry.

Constant care of linoleum will make the floor beautiful and the owner happy.
The most difficult stains for linoleum after repair are traces of polyurethane foam; they are quite difficult to remove. To do this, the first thing you need to do is cut off the foam as close to the surface of the coating as possible, and cover the area with a damp cloth overnight. The foam will sour; if this does not happen, you will have to use a special product to remove contamination. It must be used in accordance with the instructions. It is in these ways that linoleum can be restored after repair.

Using a steam cleaner correctly

When using a steam cleaner for cleaning, you must remember that it can only deal with water-soluble contaminants, such as greasy or limescale deposits, food stains, and street dirt.

Advantages of a steam cleaner:

environmental friendliness;
safety;
does not require cleaning products - savings and health benefits;
antibacterial effect;
does not leave scratches or streaks.

The operating principle of any steam cleaner is based on treating a dirty surface with a jet of hot water steam and then removing the softened dirt using a nozzle. Stubborn stains can be pre-treated with acetic acid.

Features of wet cleaning

Before you begin wet cleaning, you need to sweep or vacuum well. Next, use a detergent to carry out wet cleaning. Do not forget that this type of flooring is resistant to abrasives, bleach and high temperatures. To ensure that there are no streaks on the floor, it is necessary to thoroughly wipe the surface with a dry cloth after wet cleaning.

When stains are found, the first thing you need to do is get rid of them; the type of product used depends on the type of contamination:

Grease stains - dishwashing liquid will help get rid of them.
Gasoline or kerosene will help get rid of a large number of stains, including: iodine, coffee, food coloring, traces of shoe polish, machine oil. If the area of contamination is small, then ammonia and nail polish remover can be used for such stains.
Tile cleaner can help remove lime stains.
Ink - you need to lightly rub it with a pumice stone so as not to damage the surface of the linoleum, and then rub it with force with flax oil.
Mold and rust - a solution of citric acid and bleach will help remove them.

Note! All mentioned stains must be washed immediately, without delay. They can eat into the structure of the coating, and then it will not be possible to restore its previous appearance.

Contaminants must be removed before polishing

How does the indoor microclimate affect linoleum?

Linoleum flooring is so versatile that it can be installed in any room, be it an apartment, a cottage or outbuildings. The service life of the material and its appearance will directly depend on operating conditions, including temperature and humidity indoors, that is, its microclimate. These characteristics can vary greatly depending on the time of year.

In premises intended for permanent residence (house, apartment), a constant level of humidity and temperature suitable for residents is usually maintained. It is also optimal for using linoleum. But in a country house or outbuilding, the temperature is almost the same as outside - hot in summer and cold in winter, and humidity does not depend on the forecasts of the Hydrometeorological Center. Under such conditions, linoleum either softens, then hardens and becomes brittle, which is why it quickly deteriorates and loses its qualities.
A linoleum covering laid on a concrete or wooden floor, installed in accordance with all building regulations on top of a high-quality waterproofing layer, will last quite a long time. But if we are talking about a room with hastily put together flooring without hydro- and thermal insulation, then linoleum under such conditions will quickly lose its ductility and strength.
The service life and quality of linoleum directly depends on the floor on which it was laid
The residential building maintains a high temperature during the cold season due to heating. This inevitably causes condensation to form. If it’s frosty outside, the excess moisture freezes out. But in warmer weather they concentrate indoors, especially on the floor. Linoleum accumulates moisture, causing it to fade, become vulnerable to mechanical damage, and begin to delaminate.

Polishing to shine

The question of how to make linoleum shine is of interest to many. Over time, the coating fades and loses its attractive appearance. Restoring beauty - this is how you can call a wide variety of methods and means proposed below:

A proven option for washing linoleum so that it shines perfectly at home is potatoes. Several tubers need to be boiled in water. Cool the broth and add it to the water for washing the floor, mix well. Wash the floor and rub thoroughly with a dry cloth. The broth can be replaced with starch, you will need 2 tbsp. spoons, dissolve them in 1 glass of cold water, pour into water for washing the floor and mix thoroughly.
Cow's milk. It has been used for a long time, and the effect is as expected. Milk should be diluted with water in a 1:1 ratio. Wash the floor with this water and wipe dry.
Flaxseed oil, drying oil. The selected product must be applied to the linoleum surface using a piece of woolen cloth. There is no need to heavily saturate the fabric with drying oil or oil. Next, the surface is polished with flannel cloth.
Polish for shine of linoleum. There are quite a lot of similar products on the shelves of household chemical stores, but their composition is naturally chemical, and not everyone wants to use it. But only this remedy will help restore old linoleum and give a long-lasting effect, which cannot be said about folk methods.
Polymer mastics. Their use is possible, but it is not convenient. The application process is labor-intensive, the result is long-lasting, but over time the layer created on the surface will crack.

Using traditional methods to make a linoleum floor shine, you need to treat it quite often, but if chemicals are used, the effect will be longer - up to 1 month.

Thorough polishing is the key to shiny linoleum

Safety is an important aspect of choice

It is important for ordinary consumers choosing a cleaning agent for floors to be careful. After all, not all products are equally effective, and those that have proven themselves well need careful testing and evaluation to eliminate potentially dangerous components in the composition.

Inhaling the vapors of some products can cause coughing, breathing problems, and even suffocation for allergy sufferers.
Children are constantly in contact with the floor, playing on a seemingly clean floor with residues of chemical components, they can become poisoned gradually - cumulatively.
Housewives who are directly involved in cleaning and come into contact with detergents are at the greatest risk. After all, even cleaning with gloves does not guarantee that water containing linoleum cleaner will not get on exposed skin.
Pet lovers should be no less vigilant, because pets spend most of their time on the floor - sleeping, eating and playing.

Note: for daily cleaning, using clean water is sufficient. Specialized preparations should only be used during general/Saturday cleaning. In addition, you can alternate between washing linoleum with homemade and chemical compounds - a week after a week, for example.

What can't you clean it with?

To begin with, let's take aside products that are not suitable for linoleum , for example:

Avoid hot water immediately. It can make him swell.
Often housewives, sharing their experience, recommend using soda. And put it aside. The alkali contained in this product causes damage to the surface over time. Baking soda is more suitable for dishes with a smooth structure.
Abrasive products scratch it.
Solvents and bleaches, which we sometimes use to remove stains, will discolor the design, and in severe cases can leave a corroded stain, all the way to the base.

It turns out that everything is not so simple, I wiped it with a rag and forgot. Any thing requires proper care, linoleum is no exception. After we have put the substances that are harmful in our case into the drawer, let’s think about what can be used.

Cleaning linoleum from dried wallpaper glue: tips, recipes

Wallpaper glue that remains on the floor after renovation can be removed in three ways:

Soapy solution. Suitable in cases where the glue has not dried on the floor for several days and is quite “fresh”.
Special floor cleaner. There is a large assortment of them in the store and each one effectively fights pollution.
White spirit will help remove traces of old and dried glue from the floor.

Linoleum cleaning products

Drying oil

The advantage of drying oil for linoleum is that it not only cleans the surface, but also gives it shine

Another way to remove dirt from the kitchen floor is to use drying oil. Wipe the surface with the product and then polish with a silk cloth. As a result, the linoleum will become shiny, and cracks will not appear on its surface. The procedure should be carried out once every few months.

Getting rid of iodine and brilliant green stains

It is very difficult to remove iodine or brilliant green stains. There are several rules that will help you cope with the task:

if you just dropped a drop on the floor, start cleaning immediately;
use soda, to do this, apply it to a damp cloth and apply it to the stain;
you can try to wipe the stain with camphor alcohol;
Elderberry pulp is applied to the damaged area of linoleum.

Important : if you do not have time for the specified work or the products that were presented, know that the stain from brilliant green will sooner or later disappear under the influence of household chemicals used during cleaning.

How to remove old stains?

You can clean linoleum from old stains with dishwashing gel. It is recommended to distribute the gel over the entire stained area and rub with a soft sponge. Then remove the residue with a damp cloth.

Felt pens, markers, iodine, brilliant green are unpleasant stains on linoleum that can be removed with vodka or medical alcohol. The method is as follows:

Mix 0.5 liters of water, 150 ml of the selected alcohol-containing liquid and 0.5 tsp. dish soap, stir.
Wash the linoleum with the resulting solution.
Wait until it dries, then wash with warm water.

Old residues and traces of food can be removed using any care concentrate.

"Our mother"

A very effective, expensive product designed for cleaning linoleum, packaged in a 500 ml bottle - a small volume for the price.

According to the manufacturers, this special product is so safe that it is recommended for cleaning floors in children's rooms.
Absolutely harmless - it can easily be used without gloves or a respirator, since it is produced on a plant basis.
It not only cleans extremely effectively, but also disinfects flooring without damaging it or discoloring the pattern.
It belongs to the universal types of products of this kind - suitable for washing parquet, tiles, etc.

Reviews: the floors simply shine after using this product. According to the majority, this is an ideal product for washing linoleum for shine, which, by the way, does not fade for a long time. It washes off paint and grease equally well, and is also very economical in use. The aroma is generally non-toxic - delicate and floral, almost neutral (exactly what all housewives desire).

It is important to consider: for greater safety and to preserve the health of all family members, it is better not to be lazy and still additionally wash the detergent from the linoleum, even if the manufacturer claims that the liquid does not require rinsing.