Tom asked: How do I remove spray on sunscreen from a tile floor? My daughter has been using spray on sunscreen in the kitchen. The area where she’s been doing this has a thin, sticky film that I can’t seem to scrub off the floor. It’s waterproof, of course, so any type of soap and water doesn’t work. It won’t go away, and the stickiness attracts dirt like a magnet. Please help.
Spray on sunscreen is meant to stay in place no matter what elements it is exposed to. While this is a great feature for sun protection, it can make it difficult to remove from other surfaces. Though it may seem harmless, over time, sunscreen can leave a stain if allowed to set on a surface. It is best to remove it promptly and completely following the instructions below.
You Will Need:
- Bucket
- Water
- Soap or detergent
- Household ammonia
- Soft cloths or sponges
- Soft towels
Steps to Remove the Sunscreen:
- Fill the bucket with warm to hot water.
- Add the appropriate amount of soap or detergent.
- Add a small amount of ammonia to the water. This is the component that will help to cut through the water-proof barrier of the sunscreen.
- Agitate the water to mix the soap and ammonia.
- Moisten the soft cloth or sponge with the mixture and use it to gently scrub the area clean. Repeat until all of the sunscreen is removed.
- Rinse the area thoroughly with clean water and a clean cloth.
- Dry with a soft towel.
Additional Tips and Ideas
- For a quick clean-up, spray the area with Windex and wipe with a soft cloth. The ammonia in the Windex may be enough to cut through the sunscreen so that it can be removed.
I’m a School Custodian and have seen the damage that sunscreen can do to a tile floor. Sunscreen eats through floor wax and stains vinyl tile…almost permanently.
The only way I can remove/minimize the stain is to strip the wax with a commercial wax stripper and an aggressive scrub pad. Then I refinish the floor with fresh wax. Even after such a process, I can still see a faint stain.
Needless to say, our school has a policy that sunscreen shall only be applied over a carpet, or at best, outdoors, preferably not over a painted surface.
I find it surprising how much damage sunscreen can do to a floor or painted surface…makes you wonder how good it really is for your skin.
My grandson sprayed suntan lotion all over my hardwood floors. How do I clean it?
Deb,
This is the article that you need: How to Remove Lotion Oil from Finished Wood.
I also thought I was the only one. My husband uses Neutrogena Sport spf 100 and sprays it every morning before going to work (he does construction) and it gets all over the bathroom floor, and like the OP said, it attracts dirt and is waterproof. Nothing has worked yet, so I’ll be trying these suggestions today. Then, I need something to protect the floor in the future so I don’t have to do this every day.
I had good luck using Simple Green and a scrub brush, on a bath tub, tile and vinyl flooring.
One of our grandchildren sprayed Banana Boat Sport sunscreen (50 +) and drew a happy face on the concrete surrounding our outdoor swimming pool, at our condo complex. We are facing a $200 fine. Anyone know how to clean this off the concrete?
Thanks.
Look! We’ve answered your question! Yay!
I’ve tried everything!
Multi-purpose cleaner, straight ammonia, Windex! The only thing that I’ve found that even remotely begins to works is to use the ammonia to sort of soften up the sunscreen, and then use an almost-dry magic eraser and some good old fashioned elbow grease. Needless to say, I’ve only cleaned off two or three tiles as each one takes a ton of time.
I haven’t used the exact combination listed above so that will be the next thing that I do. Wish me luck!
Thank you so much for the question and answer!!! I thought I was the only one. It’s nice to know I’m not the only one who forgets to put things up right away! Can’t wait for the spot to come up now, except it is most of my living room floor!