Many mothers found themselves in an unpleasant situation when their beloved child realized his creative abilities by painting linoleum with pen ink. There is no need to scold the child. In this article we will advise you on what to wipe and how to remove pen ink from linoleum. We will present to your attention the best ways to fix the problem.
- 2.1 Folk remedies
Features of removing pens from linoleum
The main advantages of a pen over a pencil when writing are that the ink is much brighter in color and is practically resistant to abrasion. Even after years, letters written in ink remain clearly legible. This is due to the composition of the ink - it contains a dye responsible for the color and a special oil that ensures durability.
Unfortunately, sometimes this advantage turns into a negative side. If the pen leaks and ink drips on the linoleum in the apartment, or the floor is scrawled by children who have not yet learned to value cleanliness, it will be very difficult to remove dirt from the floor. The decorative floor covering absorbs color pigments well and is difficult to wash.
There are quite a few ways to wipe a pen off the floor. But before starting work you need to evaluate:
If the coating is very old and has already lost its attractiveness, and ink stains are splashed in all directions and have long since dried, then there is no point in saving such linoleum. Most likely, it will not be possible to remove the stains - it will be much easier to wait for repairs and replace the entire coating.
But if the linoleum is new and beautiful, and the dirt is small and has appeared recently, then you can use one of the cleaning methods. All of them are based on dissolving the ink and wiping it off the floor with minimal loss.
How to remove a ballpoint pen from linoleum
The ink in a ballpoint pen has a particularly persistent composition and is therefore difficult to remove from linoleum. Old ink leaves unsightly and very noticeable dark purple stains. In order to remove dirt, it is necessary to use chemicals and household products with an aggressive composition - alcohol or alkaline. In this case, the product will be able to penetrate deep into the dirt and, if not wipe it off completely, then at least make it less noticeable.
You can wipe the paste off the handle from linoleum using soap or washing powder, hydrogen peroxide, vinegar, soda and other means. But you need to prepare in advance for the fact that it will take a long time to scrub the floor; ink can be removed very reluctantly.
How to remove gel pen from linoleum
Despite the fact that the gel for gel pens is water-based, it also has very high durability. As a rule, gel pens leave bright blue or cyan stains on the linoleum.
You can wipe them off using the same methods as ballpoint ink - using alcohol-containing products and alkalis. If the stain is old, it is impossible to guarantee that it will completely dissolve. However, in this case, gel pens have an advantage: if the dirt can be at least properly lightened, it will no longer be so noticeable.
How to wipe a handle off linoleum using household chemicals
If simple home remedies do not help remove ink from linoleum, or you initially have doubts that they will help, you can use household chemicals. Such agents are more aggressive and have a stronger effect.
Gasoline, bleach and chlorine powders have an unpleasant odor, so after treating linoleum it is necessary to properly ventilate the room. You can only wipe off the stain while wearing gloves; it doesn’t hurt to use a protective mask, this will avoid inhaling harmful fumes and getting them on the skin and mucous membranes.
How to prevent flooring from getting dirty?
To reduce the need to remove stains from linoleum, you should take care of its protection. For this purpose , it is recommended to periodically treat the coating with special means . Among them are mastics that do not cause a slip effect, linseed oil and drying oil.
An additional protective barrier can be provided by treating linoleum with polish. Even if ink or gel gets on such a coating, it will take longer to be absorbed.
You will find many useful tips and recommendations on removing pen ink from various surfaces and objects here.
Useful tips
Simple rules will help preserve the beauty and cleanliness of linoleum.
It happens that even the most thorough treatment does not completely remove the stain from the floor. In this case, you can use the following method - take a piece of linoleum with a similar color and pattern and cut out an area from it that is slightly larger in size than the area of contamination.
A piece of fresh linoleum is placed on top of the stain, pressed tightly, and then a sharp stationery knife is used to cut the bottom layer of coating along the edges of the piece. After this, the cut-out piece with ink stains on the bottom will remain to be removed, and in its place, fresh, clean linoleum will be inserted exactly along the contours. The edges of the “patch” need to be treated with fine sandpaper, lightly coated with glue and pressed down properly so that the piece is fixed in the right place.
What to do if the stain remains?
It’s great if there is a piece of material left after the repair work. In the place where the blockage is located, change a small section of linoleum. To do this, cut a slightly larger piece from the remainder, trying to do it in such a way that the pattern matches. Place a new piece on top of the old one and use a sharp utility knife to cut through both layers. Try to do this in one go so that the layer below is also cut through, then the edges will match. The edges are treated with sanding paper, lubricated with glue and pressed until completely set.
A video on how to clean linoleum from any stains will help you cope with this task:
Features and effectiveness of trace removal
The high durability of the ink composition in a ballpoint pen allows it to quickly absorb into the top layer of most surfaces.
Because of this, dark stains from linoleum cannot be removed with ordinary water . But special household chemicals will significantly increase the chances of making the surface cleaner.
There are ways to solve the problem using folk remedies - even if they do not completely remove the marks, they will at least make them less noticeable.
The gel used to fill pen refills is water-based. But its durability is not as high as that of ink. Therefore, to wipe off linoleum, you can use ordinary household chemicals or folk remedies.
The gel removal efficiency is high . Even if the stains cannot be completely removed, they will not be as noticeable as marks from a ballpoint pen.
Linoleum care
If you look at the problem as a whole, then caring for linoleum is not difficult. Wet cleaning will help get rid of dust. If the contamination turns out to be more complex, then the surface can be cleaned with the addition of detergents. After this, it is recommended to rinse the floor with clean water and wipe dry to extend its service life.
Old stains will have to be thoroughly rubbed with a soft brush, because hard bristles, used repeatedly, can damage the top layer. Then the coating will have to be changed.
Linoleum is quite durable and abrasion resistant. But still it should be protected from contamination. If you find old stains, don’t be upset. It is important to remember the reason why the stain formed and then look for a solution to this problem.
How can I quickly remove ink?
To remove traces of paste or gel immediately after they get on linoleum, products that can be found in almost any apartment will help . This includes regular table vinegar and hydrogen peroxide with soap.
It is a little more difficult to find glycerin and potassium permanganate, but their effectiveness will also be quite high if you start cleaning on time.
Potassium permangantsovka
Potassium permanganate or potassium permanganate is a product that is often found in the medicine cabinet and is used as an antiseptic.
To remove pen marks, the powder is diluted with warm water to obtain a pale pink solution . Then moisten the area of the floor covering stained with the pen with the liquid and wait until the linoleum dries.
After the potassium permanganate solution has dried, wipe the floor with a cloth previously soaked in linseed oil. If the pen marks cannot be removed the first time, the procedure is repeated.
The advantage of this method is the low price of potassium permanganate . Disadvantage: if the potassium permanganate solution is too concentrated, light spots may remain on the linoleum, especially dark-colored ones. The price of potassium permanganate is from 37 rubles.
Glycerol
The advantages of the product are ease of use and affordable price.
The price of glycerin is from 20 rubles.
Hydrogen peroxide and soap
Hydrogen peroxide (3%), which can be bought at any pharmacy, will help remove ink from linoleum. The procedure is as follows:
When using peroxide, you should wear gloves that protect your hands from chemical burns. And the treatment of an ink or gel stain should be carried out starting from the edges and gradually moving towards the center. This will make the light stain on the linoleum appear less noticeable. The price of peroxide is from 15 rubles.
Warm vinegar
Another remedy that allows you to deal with ink on linoleum during the first hours of contamination is table vinegar.
It can be diluted with water in a ratio of 1 to 1 . Can be applied undiluted to a sponge and then treated with pen marks. If the ink or gel is fresh, the chances of removing stains are quite high.
How soon should action be taken?
You need to remove ink or gel from linoleum quickly before it becomes embedded in the floor covering. The delay leads to deep penetration of the dye into the pores of linoleum. If you ignore the problem, you will not be able to completely remove the marks from the pen - it is possible that you will have to change part of the coating.
The speed with which you should react to marks from a pen also depends on the type of linoleum. It is easier to remove ink and gel from PVC coating. With natural linoleum it is much more difficult.
If in the first case there is a chance to deal with the problem yourself, in the second you may need to either contact a cleaning company or replace part of the floor covering.
Folk remedies
You can try to remove pen marks using improvised means. The list of the most common includes salt, citric acid and soda. Glue, turpentine and regular matches are suitable for cleaning the floor. The melamine sponge does a good job of removing even old stains.
Use of salt and citric acid
The process of removing ink or gel from the floor includes the following steps:
To enhance the effect, salt can be added to the citric acid pulp. It is added to a solution that is ready for floor washing and the crystals are ground until a homogeneous mass is obtained.
Baking soda can be called a universal remedy for removing any dirt from different types of floor coverings. It copes with both fresh and old pen marks on linoleum.
To remove stains, follow these steps:
Melamine sponge
A porous sponge made from compressed crystals and melamine fibers is used to remove dirt from the surface of tiles and plumbing fixtures. It can also handle linoleum.
To do this you will have to perform the following steps:
The advantages of the sponge are affordable price, high cleaning efficiency of linoleum and ease of use.
The disadvantages include the possibility of damage to the skin of the hands by the grinding elements. Therefore, you should only use the sponge while wearing gloves. The price of a melamine sponge is from 60 rubles.
Matches
To remove ink or gel from flooring, you can try using sulfur from match heads .
Before erasing pen marks, matches are moistened with water. After this, use match heads to erase the stains until they completely disappear.
For large stains you will have to use several match heads. After rubbing, the linoleum should be washed with water and soapy water.
Regular stationery PVA glue will help remove marks from the pen. It is poured onto the linoleum and wait until the liquid dries. After drying, the glue is removed. Together with it, stains are usually removed from the surface.
Another type of adhesive that helps remove pen marks is BF. It is used for gluing:
Turpentine
You can try removing stains with turpentine. But before you wipe off ink or paste from the flooring, you should try wiping a small area or separate piece of linoleum. This will ensure that the product will not corrode the coating.
Moisten a rag with turpentine and begin to wash away the traces of the pen. After dissolving the contaminants, the coating is wiped with soapy water. At the final stage of cleaning, the floor is dried with a clean napkin and cloth.
Auxiliary methods of pollution control
You can try to remove a stain from an ink pen or paint with hydrogen peroxide. This liquid removes green stains beautifully. Apply a small amount of peroxide to a cotton swab and wipe the contaminated area.
How to deal with stains that have already dried out?
- Dip a rag in turpentine, treat the problematic area, and then wash the area with a soap-based solution and wipe dry. It is better to try this method first on an inconspicuous area.
- Stains on the surface of linoleum (from coffee, tea) can be removed with any chlorine-containing solution.
- Traces from a writing pen are removed using matches. To do this, moisten the head of a match in ordinary water and then actively rub the stained area until the stain is completely gone. Afterwards wash the surface with soapy water.
- Sprinkle soda on the problematic area and pour vinegar on top.
Removing stains with chemical compounds
Special chemicals are effective in removing pen marks: bleaches, stain removers and chlorine-containing powders. If you don't have such products at home, you should try removing ink or gel with hairspray.
Chlorine powder
Chlorine powders are used at home to clean floors . The method is considered one of the most effective for removing ordinary dirt, but it will also help with ink.
The advantage of the technique is accessibility. The disadvantage is that the part of the floor being cleaned may become lighter in color, and the smell of chlorine will linger in the room for several hours. The price of chlorine is from 200 rubles.
Stain removers and bleaches
To wipe handles off linoleum, you can use bleach or stain remover . For example, white, which should be diluted with water in a ratio of 1 to 5 and applied to contaminated areas.
It is not advisable to leave the product on the surface for more than 2 minutes. Together with the stain, it also affects the color of the material, so the linoleum will become lighter. The price of whiteness is from 80 rubles.
Vanish is also used to remove marks , a product used to clean plumbing fixtures. Its effectiveness is lower than that of white. But use does not affect linoleum so much. The color of the coating remains natural. Price – from 300 rubles.
Petrol
A popular product for removing any type of dirt from the floor, including ink. A sponge or rag is soaked in the liquid, the stain is wiped and left to dry for 30-40 minutes. After this, the area to be cleaned is washed with water.
Instead of gasoline, you can try using kerosene , which has a comparable effect on linoleum.
Hair fixation spray
Hairspray in aerosol form can be quite effective in removing stains . The product is applied in a thin layer to the ink or gel stain.
After 10-15 minutes, when the varnish has dried, its remains must be removed. To ensure that no traces of the aerosol remain on the linoleum, the floor should be rinsed thoroughly. A cloth soaked in soapy water is best for this.
The price of hairspray is from 60 rubles.
Acetone
Another tool that allows you to remove fresh and old ink is regular acetone or nail polish remover. The price of acetone is from 30 rubles.
The cleaning principle is as follows:
Do not rub the floor covering too hard with acetone, as the natural shade of the material will disappear. It will no longer be possible to remove such traces - you will have to completely change the linoleum.
Cleaning from construction dust and dirt.
It happens that first they laid new linoleum, and then made repairs later. And all the construction dirt and dust settled on the linoleum. In this case, after you have removed all the debris from the floor and noticed traces of putty, use a spatula and carefully clean off the dried putty. This is faster and easier than trying to wash it with water and a rag.
When there are no hard-to-remove stains left on the linoleum, all you have to do is wash the floor several times to remove possible whitewash and dust. The water needs to be changed until it becomes clear after washing the floor. Do not forget that you need to change not only the water, but also be sure to rinse the rag after each wash, because... a dirty, unrinsed rag will itself stain clean water. If, after cleaning, it seems to you that the floor is clean, but has completely lost its shine and freshness, then rinse the floor one last time with clean water with the addition of vinegar or potassium permanganate.
Features of removing ink from a pen from linoleum
An undeniably positive property, such as durability, turns into a disadvantage when the ink ends up in the wrong place. It is quite difficult to wipe off ink from linoleum due to the fact that they contain a special oil that ensures their chemical resistance. Before deciding on a method for solving the problem, let’s evaluate the following pollution parameters:
If the floor is quite old, and ink is splattered all over its surface, and the stains are old, then washing such linoleum is very problematic. It is better to completely change the coating during a major overhaul. If it is difficult to see such stains, then you can use pumice or sandpaper, but in this case scratches will remain on the linoleum.
How to remove ballpoint pen ink from linoleum?
It is a little more difficult to remove ink from a ballpoint pen from linoleum than from a gel pen, especially if the ink stains are long-standing. To get rid of contaminants yourself, you need to use products containing active ingredients such as alcohol and alkali.
How to remove gel pen from linoleum?
Since the production of gel pens uses a water base, it is a little easier to wipe off such ink using the same means as for a ballpoint pen. If the stain is new, then getting rid of it will not be difficult even with a simple damp cloth. If the stain cannot be wiped off, it can be lightened using a swab soaked in hydroperite.
How to erase a pen from linoleum?
Folk remedies
You can erase a pen from linoleum using the following folk remedies: Salt and citric acid
Take one teaspoon of salt, add five drops of acid or a teaspoon of lemon juice. Mix and apply the product to the stain. After half an hour, wash the floor. After that, wipe with a dry cloth.
Soda and mustard
You can remove the stain using a baking soda paste. Dilute the soda with water until thick, add a little mustard. Place the prepared grounds on the stain. When the substance hardens, rinse the stain with water.
Table nine percent vinegar
Apply vinegar diluted with water to the sponge. To remove a fresh stain, just wash off the ink with such a sponge.
Matches
You can remove dirt from linoleum using sulfur match heads. This option is ideal for small stains; if the area of contamination is large enough, the process will become very labor-intensive. Use wet match heads to rub the stains until the stain is removed. Wash the floor with a soapy solution. After that, wipe with a dry cloth.
Melamine sponge
This “must have” will help you remove stains from gel and ballpoint pens from linoleum. The sponge acts mechanically. It also releases active chemicals that attack even stubborn stains. Good reviews from housewives about this “lifesaver” sponge force them to purchase this miracle not only for these purposes. It gets rid of most stains in the kitchen and bathroom.
Pumice and sandpaper
Thanks to these devices, you will probably quickly be able to wipe the handle off the linoleum, but you will inevitably damage the floor in the affected areas. This method is only suitable in cases where the appearance of the floor covering has “nothing to lose.” Small scratches will not spoil the overall picture.
Household chemicals
Bleaching
This “Soviet” method will quickly and effectively help remove ink stains. Dilute bleach in water according to instructions. Rub the stain thoroughly with this solution until it disappears or becomes more faded. Using this method, you will protect yourself from most bacteria.
Bleach
You can remove ink stains with white. Prepare the product by mixing bleach and water in a ratio of 2 to 10. Wash the linoleum coating thoroughly with this solution. Then wipe with a dry cloth.
Petrol
Car owners will be able to wipe off the paste from the handle from the linoleum using foam rubber, after first moistening it in gasoline. Do this procedure with gloves. Spray the floor with gasoline, leave for half an hour, then wipe the floor covering. An ink stain can be wiped off in the same way if you use acetone, ammonia or turpentine instead of gasoline.
Hair fixation spray
A fresh stain can be removed by spraying it with hairspray. After ten minutes, wipe the dirty area with a simple cloth.
Dishwashing liquid
Apply a few drops of dishwashing detergent to the stain and remove after half an hour by wiping with a wet cloth.
How to avoid damaging linoleum when removing pen stains?
If you do not want to shorten the service life of the floor covering, then before removing the ink from the linoleum, find out what type of material was used to cover the floor:
If an ink stain appears literally before your eyes, don’t hesitate! Most likely, you can remove it without consequences using a sponge soaked in peroxide or even water. This delicate treatment is ideal for any floor covering. The sooner you start removing the ink stain, the better.
We hope that now you will not be angry because of the carelessness of your family members who accidentally ruined your floor with ink, because they did not do it on purpose. You know how to wipe a handle off linoleum. If your children's creative impulses come true and result in ink patterns appearing on the floor, you are already armed with the best ways to remove ink. The children, we hope, will not be punished. They always try to make things better and will not understand your complaints. The main thing is to choose the right remedy to remove the consequences of their activities. Do not forget that when using caustic chemicals you need to protect your eyes, hands and respiratory tract with personal protective equipment. The main thing is to take care of your health!
We remove the mounting foam from the floor.
Sometimes, during repairs, polyurethane foam gets onto the linoleum. To get rid of it, first of all, you need to let it dry. You shouldn’t touch it until it’s dry; it’s much more difficult to remove it this way than when it’s dried out. But when the foam has dried, you can cut it off with a knife or other sharp object, but not under the “spine”, but only the top layer, removing which you will definitely not damage your linoleum. Then soak a rag in water and apply it to the remaining foam. Give the foam time to soak. And then remove it from the floor surface.
Removing polyurethane foam from linoleum.
If this does not help, then contact a hardware store. They have special products for cleaning surfaces from foam. After carrying out such actions, as always, wipe the floor clean.
