Two or three drops of brilliant green that fall on linoleum can ruin the floor covering forever. At first glance, it seems that the only way out of this situation is to completely replace the floor covering.
This is wrong. Provided you respond promptly to the appearance of green marks and use numerous methods for removing green marks, there is a chance to completely restore the original appearance of linoleum.
We’ll tell you in this article how and what you can use to clean a stain from brilliant green from linoleum.
What to do first?
In order to remove a green stain from linoleum without leaving a residue, you need to remember two rules for preparing for cleaning:
Cleaning begins as soon as the green stuff has spilled on the floor. Every minute you delay the beginning of the cleaning process reduces the chances of complete removal of contamination.- A fresh trace of brilliant green is first blotted (with a cloth or paper napkin) and only then treated with a cleaning composition.
It is very important to blot rather than rub the stain (thereby increasing its area).
Only after the preparatory measures have been carried out can the main cleaning begin.
The most effective means
The best way to remove brilliant green from linoleum is regular table vinegar. It effectively removes such contaminants without damaging the floor covering. The combination of vinegar and soda will remove even old stains that have been absorbed into the linoleum.
Dried traces of brilliant green dissolve alcohols perfectly:
- salicylic;
- ethyl (medical);
- camphor;
- ammonia;
- technical.
Important The less time has passed since the contamination, the easier it is to wash the brilliant green from the linoleum.
How can I remove a stain?
There are a sufficient number of ways to remove brilliant green stains from linoleum, but it is still better to start cleaning with the most gentle and health-safe products .
Laundry soap
A fresh stain of brilliant green can be removed from linoleum using laundry soap (72%).
Algorithm of actions:
- grated soap (4 tbsp) is dissolved in 0.5 liters of very hot water;
- The stain is generously moistened with a still hot soapy solution and left for at least four hours;
- Afterwards the surface is washed off with warm water.
Soap solution is a gentle product, so to completely remove the stain, all steps will have to be repeated at least three times.
Lemon
A quarter of a fresh lemon will quickly remove a trace of brilliant green from linoleum.
Algorithm of actions:
- Grind a slice of one lemon (with seeds, if possible) in a blender to a paste.
- The resulting puree is carefully distributed over the brilliant green stain on the floor covering, covered with gauze and left for thirty minutes. Lemon fades the stain, returning the linoleum to its original appearance.
After using lemon, the floor must be washed with hot water and soap. This will help eliminate possible differences in the shade of the cleaned and previously unstained surface.
Hydrogen peroxide
A product that is in every home medicine cabinet - hydrogen peroxide (6%) will help quickly clean brilliant green stains from linoleum.
Algorithm of actions:
- I moisten a terry cloth generously with peroxide and apply it to the stain on the floor;
- after fifteen minutes, the green mark is wiped with the same napkin until it disappears completely.
If hydrogen peroxide is not available, chlorhexedine can be used as a replacement.
Table vinegar and potassium permanganate
To remove green stains from synthetic flooring, you can use a mixture of vinegar and potassium permanganate . Preparing the cleaning product is simple: just mix 150 ml of vinegar and a few crystals of potassium permanganate. After moistening a soft cloth in the resulting mixture, wipe the stain several times.
Attention: too much potassium permanganate can turn the linoleum pink. Peroxide will help correct the situation. A cotton pad soaked in a pharmaceutical solution is applied to the stain for several minutes, after which the floor is washed with clean water.
How to remove with medical alcohol?
A universal remedy for stains of any origin is medical alcohol.
It is enough to fold the gauze in several layers, moisten it thoroughly with alcohol (no need to squeeze out the excess) and wipe the stain. To avoid leaving streaks on the floor, it is better to start wiping the dirt from the edges, gradually moving towards the center.
As soon as the green mark begins to lighten, it is covered with a napkin moistened with alcohol and left alone for three hours. During this time, the brilliant green will dissolve and not a trace will remain of the stain.
Kerosene
Kerosene can remove traces of brilliant green on linoleum . It is enough to cover the stain with a napkin soaked generously in kerosene and leave for sixty minutes. Afterwards the floor is wiped with a sponge rubbed with soap.
White Spirit
The brilliant green that has already been absorbed into the floor covering is perfectly removed by white spirit.
Algorithm of actions:
- Cover the stain of brilliant green on the linoleum with a cloth soaked generously in solvent.
- After two hours, the green mark is sprinkled with baking soda and watered with vinegar (2 tbsp is enough)
- During the process of a chemical reaction (the stain is covered with a large amount of foam), particles of brilliant green are released from the thickness of the floor covering and all that remains is to remove the contamination with a damp hoe.
If necessary, the solvent can be replaced with ethyl or technical alcohol.
How can you wipe off brilliant green from linoleum immediately after stains form?
They act like this.
- First, the contamination is covered with salt in a continuous layer.
- Leave for a few seconds and remove the bulk material, sweeping it onto a dustpan.
- The remains are carefully blotted with cotton wool, a soft cloth or toilet paper, without rubbing.
- A quarter of a bar of laundry soap is crushed using a knife or grater and the shavings are dissolved in 400 ml of warm water.
- Moisten a sponge with this solution and begin to carefully wipe off the green marks.
If marks still remain, apply dish soap (preferably powdered) to a damp sponge and treat them. After 10 minutes, wash off. Protects hands and respiratory tract. Try erasing tiny spots of “brilliant green” with an eraser and then cleaning with hydrogen peroxide.
How to clean different types of coating?
In order not to completely spoil the linoleum, the method of removing brilliant green stains is selected based on the type of flooring material.
So, cheap linoleum without a pile or foam backing cannot be cleaned with products containing acetone, abrasive powders, or alcohol (a thin base simply will not withstand such compounds).
The best option for removing brilliant green from this type of flooring is baking soda and vinegar. It's simple: first cover the stain with baking soda and then pour vinegar over it .
During a chemical reaction, particles of brilliant green are released from the thickness of the synthetic coating. All that remains is to wipe the effervescent mixture along with the brilliant green with a damp sponge.
Linoleum with a foam base can be cleaned with products containing chlorine. As an option, a stain of brilliant green is treated with Whiteness.
Dense linoleum with a felt base is the most wear-resistant flooring option. It can be cleaned with any means, abrasive powders. For example, nail polish remover will help quickly remove a dried stain of brilliant green .
It is enough to treat the trace of brilliant green with a cotton pad moistened with nail polish remover and leave it for twenty minutes (do not remove the cotton wool from the stain). After this treatment, the stain can be easily removed with a clean damp cloth or sponge.
What should you do if you spilled brilliant green?
In figuring out what to do and how to quickly wash off the brilliant green, speed is crucial. If the green stain washes off the skin on its own over time, you should not hesitate if it gets on other surfaces. It is necessary to prevent the stain from spreading.
- You need to take a rag, paper napkin or paper towel that you have on hand and press it firmly onto the stain so that the material has time to absorb as much of the green as possible. An alternative way is to cover the stain with table salt; it absorbs liquid very well.
- After this, you need to prepare a soap solution - dissolve a little toilet soap in warm water, take a stiff brush and a product containing chlorine. The stain is first treated with a chlorine-containing liquid and then cleaned with soap foam. It is very important to properly moisten the surface.
How to restore the surface after cleaning?
Removing green stains from linoleum does not leave its mark on the appearance of the coating. Most often, the treated areas lose their gloss, abrasions appear, and a slight change in color is possible.
restore the original appearance of linoleum :
- cow's milk diluted with water (ratio 1:1);
- boiled potatoes;
- a few drops of linseed oil or drying oil.
Rub any of the above products onto an area of linoleum previously cleared of brilliant green.
It is important to understand that folk remedies provide only a short-term effect (lasts no more than three days). After the action, it is necessary to repeat or use professional compositions for caring for linoleum (wax, mastic, polish).
They not only restore the lost gloss of the floor covering , but also create an additional protective layer that extends the life of the linoleum.
Before you begin restoring the original appearance of the floor covering, it must be washed over the entire area with warm water and liquid detergent. This will help level out the transition between the previously treated area of the floor and the intact linoleum.
Zelenka - features of the drug
In common parlance it is called brilliant green, but scientifically this drug is called brilliant green. This is a dye belonging to the triphenylmethane series and is used for antiseptic purposes in medicine and other areas of human activity. It is often used to treat skin for various types of damage, and is also a medicine for certain diseases.
On a note! Zelenka was first obtained in Germany at the end of the 19th century, but scientists learned about the antimicrobial properties of the composition only in the 20th century. In Russia, brilliant green spread widely in the last century during the Soviet Union. The popularity was affected by the low cost of production.
Zelenka
It is interesting that now brilliant green is used in medicine only in Russia and several other countries . This is due to the fact that there is an opinion among scientists that brilliant green may have a carcinogenic effect. Also, the popularity of brilliant green is low due to its coloring effect - stains from the product last a long time and are practically not washed off from the skin. And it is not surprising that sometimes in the process of opening a bottle, especially in a hurry, the contents end up on the floor. It is quite difficult to remove brilliant green from any type of base - it is such a persistent dye. The emerald composition quickly eats into the surface; a few seconds are enough for this.
On a note! Previously, brilliant green was widely used for dyeing fabrics, paper, silk, wood, and is still used to create a number of varnishes.
Green stain on linoleum
What not to do and why?
Despite the fact that linoleum is a durable and wear-resistant material, there are several points that can spoil the appearance of the floor covering:
Dry powders and abrasives.
Coarse particles of such products scratch the top layer of linoleum (especially noticeable on plain glossy surfaces). Scuffs very quickly become clogged with dust and dirt, causing the flooring to take on an unkempt appearance.- Bleaching, chlorine-containing compounds. Prolonged contact with such products discolors linoleum (by destroying a stain of brilliant green, there is a risk of getting a whitish trace in return).
- Product with a high alkaline content. At the same time that alkali eats away complex old stains from the surface of linoleum, it changes the structure of the material, making it brittle and brittle (cracks and breaks appear at the site of removed contamination).
Cleaning linoleum from brilliant green stains rarely takes place without the use of aggressive chemical compounds. Therefore, you cannot clean without protecting your hands with rubber gloves (there are high risks of chemical burns and severe allergic reactions).
What can spoil the surface
When trying to clean linoleum from spilled brilliant green, you must remember that some products can ruin it. Experts do not recommend using the following substances:
- Solutions containing alkali. Alkali makes linoleum brittle.
- Dry cleaning powders for removing brilliant green. Abrasive products leave cracks on the floor into which dust, water and other dirt get clogged.
- Bleaches containing chlorine. You should carefully wash the coating with this composition, as due to their influence it loses color.
Adviсe
Did you know that:
- the alcohol particles contained in the brilliant green begin to spread when in contact with water (do not rub the stain on the linoleum with wet wipes or wet rags);
- acetone is not the best remedy for removing brilliant green stains, but if there is no way out, then blot the dirt on the floor with a cotton pad soaked in acetone, trying not to touch clean surfaces;
- so that after removing the brilliant green stain with alcohol there are no streaks left on the linoleum, the floor must be wiped with a sponge soaked in a soap solution.
To determine how the chosen product will react with linoleum, it is worth testing it in advance on an inconspicuous area of the coating.
You will find useful tips and recommendations for washing brilliant green from various surfaces here.
How to remove brilliant green from linoleum using radical methods
If the methods used do not bring a good result, and a green mark remains on the linoleum, you should resort to a radical method, replacing the damaged area. The operation is carried out in the following sequence.
- The area of linoleum damaged by green paint is cut out with a small (up to 4 cm) margin around the edges.
- Using this template, cut out a piece of linoleum for the patch, selecting the pattern.
- Glue double-sided tape to the subfloor.
- Glue a cut piece of covering onto it, pressing it firmly to the floor.
- Cover the restored area with paper tape on top.
- Use a knife to cut slits and fill them with glue intended for cold welding.
This will make the seams invisible.
Knowing how to remove persistent stains from green paint on linoleum, preserve the original decor of the flooring.
Method 2: baking soda and vinegar
Sprinkle some baking soda over the green stains . Cover contamination with a layer of at least 5 mm |
Pour vinegar or acetic acid over baking soda. A reaction will begin with violent foaming. Add vinegar a little at a time until the baking soda foams. It is recommended to leave the liquid for a few minutes |
Wipe off the dirt with a cotton pad or cloth . Some people advise using a soft brush, but I didn’t have one on hand |
Result of work. I rubbed very hard, but I couldn’t wash off the brilliant green. The stain became lighter, but did not disappear. Re-processing did not improve the situation |
What they say on the forums
I haven't tried these methods, but people recommend them as effective.
1. Salicylic or boric alcohol , sold in pharmacies.
Cosmonautics:
Alcohol (salicylic or boric alcohol is sold in pharmacies), vodka will not be used.
Source www.u-mama.ru
2. Option of soaking stains with acetone and chalk or tooth powder. May damage surface
psnsergey: Sprinkle the affected area with chalk (tooth powder). Moisten with acetone. Wipe. Repeat several times. Principle: acetone dissolves, chalk absorbs. Chalk can be replaced with newsprint. One drawback: this is the removal of the top layer of linoleum and if the linoleum is unsuccessful, it will look very noticeable.
Source forum.ixbt.com
3. Option with multiple funds. But in the end, vinegar helped.
Alya13:
My daughter spilled the entire tube on the floor this summer. I called my husband, asked what to do, realized that there was nothing to do and they were waiting for me... in the evening at home and began to wash it. First I sprayed a lot of window cleaner with foam, but not all of it, then I scrubbed it with vodka, alcohol and nail polish remover, finally I googled it and there was some method, I remember exactly what with vinegar, I took a towel, poured it on and washed everything! There is not a trace and the color has not been eaten away. Just put on gloves, I burned my skin, I was so scared I forgot that vinegar corrodes
Source real-shopper.ru
Green stains: radical methods for eliminating them
If none of the above methods helped (and this happens, because a variety of substances can be used to make linoleum), but you want to deal with the stain at all costs, you should move on to radical measures. Whether they are acceptable - only a person who has encountered such a disaster as brilliant green on linoleum will have to judge.
- The stained linoleum is simply cut out, and a clean piece is placed in its place and secured. A kind of patch is made. To join linoleum, it is best to use special cold welding, and carefully select the pattern on the coating, which will make the joints invisible.
Glue on the patch, rub the joints and surface with a rag
- A new piece of covering can simply be glued in place of the cut out area using double-sided tape, but this option will not look beautiful if the joints are left untreated.
- Rearranging furniture can also be a life-saving option for the overall appearance of the room. But here you need to evaluate your capabilities - if the spot is in the middle of the room, then it’s unlikely that you’ll be able to put anything there, with the possible exception of a small table.
- In the latter case, the easiest way is to buy a carpet and cover the stained floor with it. However, this is a fairly large expense when it comes to buying a beautiful rug.
A stain on linoleum can be covered with a rug
Removing stains from wallpaper
If you stain your paper wallpaper, unfortunately, nothing can save it. You will have to block the stain with furniture or decor, or make repairs. But non-woven or vinyl covering can be saved. This process involves three stages.
- Process it. Moisten the “blot” with hydrogen peroxide to treat light-colored wallpaper. For colored people, it is better to use ammonia diluted in half with water.
- You are holding. Leave the product on for a couple of hours, during which the stain should lighten significantly.
- Repeat as necessary. If you are not satisfied with the result, repeat the action when the surface is completely dry.
It is not easy to remove brilliant green from carpet, linoleum, parquet or tiles. The situation is even more complicated with furniture made of fabric or leather. To be fair, it is worth noting that a bottle of brilliant green is quite easy to knock over or spill its contents when trying to remove the tight plastic stopper. To protect your home from green “blots”, use brilliant green in the modern form of a felt-tip pen.
Method 4: kerosene
We will prepare everything you need:
|
Apply a small amount of kerosene to a cotton pad . Use moderate pressure to scrub the stain off the floor. |
Result of work. The spots became a little lighter, but did not disappear. I tried pouring some kerosene on the stains first. The result is the same |
Primary measures
Cleaning brilliant green from linoleum is not so difficult. First, you need to remove the fresh substance from the coating. If the green stuff was recently spilled:
- Find an old rag, gauze or cotton wool (scraps of newspaper, sand, cat litter will do).
- Place these materials at the scene to absorb fresh liquid without allowing it to spread.
- At this stage there is no need to rub anything, as this will only stretch the stain over a larger area.
- When the solution is absorbed, collect the spread rags and throw them away.
There will be traces of brilliant green on the linoleum that have not been absorbed into the fabric. We will delete them.
If the brilliant green spilled as a result of the bottle falling, make sure that it did not break and that there were no glass fragments left on the floor. They should be collected carefully, protecting your hands with gloves.