Linoleum flooring shouldn’t be confused with Vinyl. Vinyl can handle a lot more wear and tear than linoleum, whereas with linoleum you need to be more careful as to the type of cleaners used.
Table of Contents:
Linoleum Floor Quick Cleaning
What you will need:
- Vacuum Cleaner
- Mop (sponge or cloth—preferably self-wringing)
- Bucket
- Hot Water
- Mild Dish Soap
- Old Towels
- Rubber gloves (optional)
Instructions
- Vacuum the floor thoroughly on “hard floor” setting, paying special attention to under cabinets, appliances and corners where dust accumulates.
- Put 6 or 7 drops of dish soap in the bucket and fill with a gallon of hot water.
- Dip mop in soapy water and wring thoroughly to avoid putting excess water on the floor
- Mop one section of floor at a time (about 5’ x 5’ per mop-dip), rinsing mop in soapy water and wringing thoroughly before each section.
- When finished mopping entire floor, rinse mop thoroughly; empty and rinse bucket, and fill with clean hot water.
- Dip mop in clean hot water, wring thoroughly, and rinse-mop sections of floor with the clean, hot water.
- Using old towels, dry floors (linoleum contains grooves and if not sealed properly, will quickly absorb any excess liquid, giving the floor a dull , dingy look).
Linoleum Floor Deep Cleaning
Once or twice a year, your floor will need a deep scrubbing, especially if it has deep grooves or designs.
What you will need:
- Vacuum Cleaner
- Nylon-bristol scrub brush.
- Mop (sponge or cloth—preferably self-wringing)
- Bucket
- Hot Water
- Mild Dish Soap
- Old Towels
- Rubber gloves (optional)
Instructions:
- Vacuum the floor thoroughly on “hard floor” setting, paying special attention to under cabinets, refrigerator and corners where dust accumulates.
- Put 6 or 7 drops of dish soap in the bucket and fill with a gallon of hot water.
- Dip scrub brush in soapy water and scrub floor in a circular motion, dipping the scrub brush in the soapy water as needed.
- When done scrubbing entire floor, empty and rinse bucket, and fill with clean hot water. Rinse floor using same steps as #5-7 above.
Restoring the Finish
After years of wear and/or improper cleaning, your linoleum may loose its shine. If your linoleum appears dull or dingy, you may want to refinish it.
What you will need:
- Nylon-bristol scrub brush.
- Mop
- Ammonia
- Bucket
- Hot Water
- Old towels
- Good quality floor wax**
- Clean cloth or soft rags
- Rubber Gloves (recommended)
Instructions:
- Using the mop, spread straight ammonia on the floor, working in sections.
- Allow to sit for a few minutes and scrub with the nylon scrub brush.
- When the entire floor has been scrubbed with ammonia, remove remaining residue by rinsing with a mop dipped in a bucket of hot water.
- Wipe dry using old towels
- Apply floor wax according to the directions on the label (generally, liquid floor waxes should be spread evenly with a cloth or rag and allowed to dry completely before adding a second coat).
- Wait at least one day before washing floor.
* Please note that ammonia can be a dangerous substance and should never be mixed with any other cleaners.
**You can find a good liquid floor wax for your linoleum floor at most janitorial supply stores, or at janitorial supply websites.
Additional Tips
- GOING GREEN: Many soaps and floor cleaners can contain harsh chemicals that are not safe for the environment. As an inexpensive and environmentally friendly alternative to traditional cleaners, add ½ cup of distilled white vinegar or apple cider vinegar to 1 gallon of water.
- NEVER use harsh cleaners, high PH (base) cleaners, or abrasive cleaners on your linoleum floor as it will corrode the linoleum and ruin the finish.
- Linoleum floors are easy to clean and most stuck on dirt will come off with a little extra elbow grease. However, for those tough stains, try using a foaming cleanser, such as “Scrubbing Bubbles” and wipe with a damp cloth or sponge. The foaming cleanser should NOT be used to clean the entire floor, but only when necessary for tough stains or problem spots.
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
spray an area with dow scrubbing bubbles wait a minute then wipe with a clean wet cloth.
To avoid doing more laundry by using towels to dry the floor, I rinse my floors with hot water mixed with 1 cup of distilled white vinegar(NO WATER SPOTS!! this method also works for rinse water with dishes and glassware!)