Linoleum flooring is known for its sparkle and luster against artificial lighting, whether it be through the shine of the color of the flooring, or just due to how it is cleaned. Linoleum floor can chip as well as acquire abrasions that make it look rougher on the surface than a more commonplace carpet—or hardwood floor.
Cleaning a linoleum floor is all about dexterity and grit, however—there are plenty of different ways to clean and solution to mix in order to make your own linoleum floor cleaner recipe.
There are plenty of recipes, concoctions, and solutions one can use that is able to clean any type of mess on your linoleum floor. Linoleum floors are known to be able to handle all types of traffic and abuse from stains, but cleaning the floors bi-weekly (and even daily) can dissuade any type of messes that can find their home on your floor.
The Don’ts: Before we dive into what will help you clean your floors, it’s best to get the do nots out of the way, as this can actually damage and destroy linoleum.
- Never use ammonia-based cleaners.
- Doing so can strip and ruin your floors’ lustered exterior, that polish that linoleum is known for does not fare well under these cleaning products.
- Letting any and all types of water stay stained on the floor.
- Linoleum has the ability to stain quite ugly, and allowing a floor stain to dry is a surefire way for it to never have the same appearance again.
- Do not use anything that has a heavy amount of heat to clean your linoleum floor.
- Steam maps warp linoleum and can cause you to have a terrible eyesore to stay stuck in your home.
Now that you know the don’ts. Know that what you can do is a lot less limiting than what you can do. If you have a simple ketchup or condiment stain, dabbing with a paper towel within seconds of the spill can sometimes be enough to not have to face it again with heavier duty supplies.
Now what are the best cleaning solutions for Linoleum flooring? It’s an easy answer that only requires you to be willing to clean them!
Borax and Water:
Now it is important to remember that leaving water on your flooring can cause it to stain, but know that water is also linoleum’s best friend when it comes to cleaning other messes sprawled on the floor.
All you will need:
- ¼ cup of Borax
- 2 cups of Hot Water
- A Spray Bottle
- Microfiber Mop
- Combine both the borax and water into a spray bottle and spray down across your flooring.
- Use your mop (Make sure it’s clean!), mop up the mess and allow the area to dry.
- Once you’ve finished mopping with the solution. Go over the affected area again—this time, with only water.
Not only do the borax and water make for an easy clean, they also give your floor that aftermop polish that you may be in the market for.
The next best thing to use for your flooring is, you guessed it, Vinegar and Baking Soda. A staple of some of the best for at home DIY cleaning projects—with good reason. Vinegar and baking soda put in that hard work that everyone has lying around.
You Will Need:
- ¼ cup baking soda
- 2 gallons of Warm (not hot) water
- Bucket
- ¼ cup of white vinegar
- 2 tsp Castile Soap (Castile is good for not only your body, but also as an all purpose cleaner for most household stains!)
- Sponge Mop (or Microfiber Mop)
Note: If you want an extra sparkle, shine and scent, add ten drops of peppermint essential oil.
- Mix your baking soda, water, castile soap (and peppermint oil if you’ve added it) into your bucket and let the powder dissolve.
- Add your ¼ cup of vinegar.
- Wet your mop with the cleanser
- Scrub those floors, work it and get all that grime out.
- Once you’ve finished cleaning your affected area, go over all of it again with just fresh, cold water.
