Linoleum cleaning

Linoleum is inexpensive, practical, and easy to lay on the floor. A wide range of patterns, colors and even surface textures allows you to choose such a coating for any room in the house. However, most often it is found in the kitchen and in the corridor, that is, in those rooms where pollution occurs most quickly. Even this resistant material can quickly lose its beautiful appearance, covered with cracks, stains, scuffs and scratches. What to do to avoid these troubles and extend his life as much as possible? Let's look at how linoleum is cleaned, and also learn some rules for caring for it.

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What is linoleum? Features of its operation

The word "linoleum" comes from the Latin linum - linen, linen and oleum - oil. Currently, it is mainly made from practical and inexpensive polymer materials, so it has a lot of advantages, among which the following can be especially distinguished:

• Resistance to temperature, humidity, many mechanical influences.
• Easy to operate and maintain.
• Low cost.
• Easy styling.
• Durability.
• High sound and heat insulation properties.

This versatile and popular material could not be left without the attention of optimizers, so today there are several types of linoleum on the market that are divided by the method of manufacture:

• Natural - this material is environmentally friendly, wear-resistant, durable. It has fire resistance and antistatic properties. Located in a higher price category relative to other species.
• Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) is the most common and cheapest of all other varieties, very easy to care for and practical. Of the disadvantages, we can only distinguish that at low temperature it becomes brittle and loses its ductility.
• Alkyd or glyptal - it loses somewhat to PVC due to its greater fragility - cracks appear on it much more often. This view is not worth buying for the corridor and kitchen, but it is perfect for bedrooms.
• Relin or rubber linoleum - waterproof and plastic. It consists of two layers, the total thickness of which is 3-6 mm.
• Colloxylin - is made from nitrocellulose, which provides moisture resistance and flexibility to this coating, giving a characteristic shine. This variety is not unstable, so you should not choose it in the kitchen.

In addition, linoleum is divided into two types according to the absence and presence of a base. Moreover, a coating without a base consists of several layers and has high wear resistance. There is a wide range of different patterns and colors. There are two types of material based on:

• With a foam base - durable, very flexible linoleum, suitable for living rooms and has a wide range of patterns and colors.
• On a jute (fabric) basis - suitable for rooms where large crowds are not expected and good thermal insulation is needed.

Important! The wear resistance of this coating depends on the thickness of the protective layer.

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The main enemies of linoleum

First of all, it is worthwhile to figure out which of the means cause damage to this coating in order to leave them away:

• To clean linoleum, never use very hot water. Of course, it copes better with dirt, however, besides this, it can cause bloating of this coating.
• Soda is great for cleaning different surfaces, but not for linoleum. The alkali, which is part of it, creates a lot of microcracks on the surface, which expand over time and accumulate dirt.
• Any abrasive products - cleaning or washing powders, they contribute to the appearance of scratches on the surface.
• Also, do not use bleaches (especially chlorine-containing) and various solvents. They cause discoloration of the pattern and can even corrode linoleum to its base.

Important! If it is difficult to clean the dirt on your floor, it’s better to use the recommendations below.

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How to care for linoleum?

Wet cleaning of linoleum is a necessary step to maintain cleanliness in the house. And although this flooring does not require too uniform handling, like some other types of materials, there are some rules for cleaning it:

• Use only soft rags to wash linoleum. Material that is too hard may scratch the surface. After washing the floor, either discard the used rag or wash it thoroughly and dry it. But it’s better to take a new one.
• For daily wet cleaning of floors without serious dirt, wipe them with a rag previously moistened with warm water. But weekly cleaning involves great care: use a soap solution to clean the floor - grate 100 g of laundry soap and dissolve it in slightly warm water.
• In case of serious contamination, use a solution of vodka with liquid soap. For 1 liter of water you will need 1 teaspoon of liquid soap and 200 ml of vodka. Wash the floor with the resulting solution, especially carefully wiping the most contaminated areas, then rinse the floor again with clean water and wipe dry.
• The simplest and cheapest way is water with vinegar (1 glass of vinegar per 1 bucket of water). Use it for daily wet cleaning of rooms where food is prepared. In other rooms, wash the floor once a week. This method will save you from stains on the floor.
• Cheaper than vinegar - only the water in which the potatoes were cooked. Just do not forget that it should be at room temperature.
• If you spilled wax on such a coating, carefully collect it with a scraper, and wipe the remaining stain with gasoline, immediately wash the floor with warm water.
• If there are a lot of traces of grass on the floor in the hallway, wipe off the dirt with water and a small amount of bleach. Then blot the treated area with a cloth pre-moistened with lemon juice.

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How to wash linoleum so that it shines?

Over time, the flooring dims, even if you wet the house every day. But how to care for linoleum to shine? Let's look at a few recommendations:

• Before washing linoleum, thoroughly sweep it with a broom or vacuum it. So you can remove sand and dust, which, when washed, will leave small scratches and stains, perfectly visible on a smooth surface.
• Try to change the water as often as possible, especially if the floor is very dirty. Otherwise - you just rub the dirt, and not having achieved a pure shine.
• In any hardware store, you can easily find liquids for mopping. Among them there are those that are specifically designed for linoleum. They contain surfactants that clean and gently polish the coating.
• You can use a simple folk recipe: dilute milk in equal proportions in cold water, wipe the floor with this solution. After this, walk again with a rag dipped in clean water.
• You can achieve the brilliance of linoleum by rubbing it with linseed oil or linseed oil using a woolen cloth. After the treatment, polished area, carefully polish with a piece of silk.

Important! However, the latter method is quite traumatic, because after the procedure the floor will be very slippery.

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How to clean linoleum in the kitchen?

The kitchen is the most visited place in the house. Due to the specifics of this room, the floors in it are polluted more often and faster. The cause of dirt can be:

• Fat.
• Coffee and tea.
• Spilled sweet drinks.
• Juices.

In addition, you can even leave black strips with your shoes or, treating a wound, spill iodine on the floor. And if children like to walk in the kitchen, then linoleum can turn into a canvas for a real work of art, and you will have to wipe traces of felt-tip pens and ink:

• Old stains from tea or coffee, if they are in some inconspicuous place, it is better not to touch. But if they are too prominent, you will have to clean them with gasoline or kerosene.

Important! Wipe these stains very carefully, as these substances can harm the coating. Try not to go beyond the spot to prevent the appearance of a faded spot.

• If you have not eliminated stains from fatty foods immediately, then it will help you get rid of them ammonia.
• You can also use a dishwashing detergent. Dilute a small amount of the substance in warm water (1 or 2 tablespoons per bucket of water) and wash the entire floor. Thanks to this, you will get rid of fatty as well as sweet spots from soda and juice.

Important! Do not overdo it, so as not to launder soap stains.

• Dark strips from shoes can be easily removed with a regular eraser.
• Stains from iodine should be wiped with camphor alcohol until it disappears completely.
• Only fine-grained sandpaper will help remove the felt-tip pen and ink from linoleum. Gently rub the stain with it, being careful not to go beyond it. When the dirt has been removed, polish the cleaned area with a piece of woolen cloth.

Important! Whatever tool you use, pre-try it on a small inconspicuous area. If damage is caused during surface treatment, it will be imperceptible.

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Typical linoleum damage and methods for their elimination

Probably the most common linoleum damage is cracks. While they are small, they can be covered, for example, with a small doormat, in general, made less noticeable. However, if a crack has already appeared, then over time it will certainly grow, and it will have to be patched. To do this, do the following:

1. Increase it in length. To do this, cut it from both edges with a sharp knife literally 1-2 cm.
2. Carefully scrub the debris that has accumulated inside.
3. Slices are treated with alcohol to degrease.
4. Put glue on the inside (“Moment” or special glue for linoleum).
5. Firmly attach the cover to the floor, and then press down on top with something heavy and leave it for a couple of hours.
6. After that, remove the remaining glue from the surface.

If linoleum is torn, you will have to replace the damaged area, for this:

1. Cut a straight square with the knife where the hole appeared.
2. Pick up a piece of new linoleum so that the pattern matches completely.
3. Remove all debris and then degrease the surface with alcohol.
4. Apply glue to the linoleum flap, paying particular attention to the cuts, and attach it to the floor. At the same time, the joints should completely match.

Important! Often linoleum stains and fades. As a rule, the reason for this is high humidity. For example, you may notice such changes near the sink or in the area where a bowl of water for a cat or dog usually stands. It is better to prevent such damage by wiping the floor in a timely manner with a dry cloth. However, if a nuisance has already arisen, try washing the floor in the whole room with acetic or soapy water.So the yellow and whitish spots become slightly pale and become not so noticeable.

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Protection and prevention against mechanical damage

To prolong the life of the floor, linoleum must be cleaned correctly. And you need to start from the very moment when you just laid it on the floor:

• Special polishes, waxes and mastics for linoleum are on sale. Thanks to them, a protective film is created on the surface of linoleum, which prevents burnout, dust settling and the occurrence of minor mechanical damage. Such products should be applied to the floor immediately after the linoleum has been laid. In the future, it is recommended to carry out this procedure every three months.
• Heavy furniture items bring a lot of trouble, forcing linoleum to ugly holes. Light objects - chairs, tables, are also not far behind: due to rearrangements from place to place, they leave scratches on the surface.

Important! Before you put furniture in a room on which floor linoleum is laid, it is worth sticking pieces of felt on the legs. It will soften the mechanical effect of the object on the surface, and even move it will polish it.

• Due to exposure to sunlight, the pattern and color of the flooring can become very dull. In rooms with windows facing the sunny side, try to keep the curtains closed during the day.

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Stock footage

Linoleum is a wonderful invention. However, he also needs some care. We hope that our tips and tricks will convince you that taking care of linoleum so that it shines is not at all difficult. Now cleaning will take away from you a minimum of effort and time.