How Do I Clean Old Linoleum Good Questions: How Do I Clean Old Linoleum Dear Apartment Therapy,I'm in the process of moving to a new apartment. The whole place had beautiful wood flooring except for the bedroom. I got the OK from the building super to tear out the ugly stained berber flooring and replace it with some lovely wood floors or maybe those tiles from FLOR. I was hoping to find wood floors underneath that I could re- finish, but instead I found a weird but pleasant surprise... Got a good question you'd like answered? Send your queries and a photo or two illustrating your question, and we'll see if the ATLA team or our readers can help you out. I never thought I would say this, but it has really cool linoleum flooring (cool+linoleum = oxymoron...but anyhow). It had glue all over it, which I've tried my best to clean away, but it is still slightly yellowed with age and has some paint splatters. My boyfriend thinks I'm crazy to even attempt cleaning it up, but I really like the pattern!!!

Is there anything I can buy that will make it look as good as the day it was installed in the 50's/60's? Congrats, we're envious of your cool archeological discovery! You have good reason to want to keep that atomic-age linoleum design...we would too and are happy that you're looking to keep it rather than have it removed. From what we've researched, what you cwant to note when cleaning linoleum is to avoid cleaning with hot water and alkaline based cleaners (so avoid Mr. Clean and other ammonia based cleaners), both which eventually turn the surface yellow. The yellow tinge is likely years of chemical reaction to previous cleaning with standard cleaners and warm or hot water, affecting the top coat sealant. The only way to bring back yellowed linoleum is to use a mixture of chlorine bleach with water, letting it set for 30-45 minutes. For mildly yellowed surface this might work; more aged and damaged linoleum may require the use of a dry powder with bleach like Ajax to completely remove the aged and yellowed sealant.

Rinse after scouring with cool water and then use a mixture of 1 part vinegar with one gallon of water to neutralize the bleach; best automatic pool cleaner 2015this process may need to be repeated several times. best steam cleaner for pet accidentsAnd to be safe, try doing this in an inconspicuous corner to see if the cleaning aids in brightening your linoleum before treating the whole surface.pool cleaner reviews 2013 australia After you're all finished, do yourself a favour and protect that newly cleaned surface with a permanent sealer to prevent further yellowing.commercial carpet cleaning buffers

[Linoleum cleaning tips from Do It Yourself]Cleaning Linoleum Floors DiyHow To Clean Old Linoleum FloorsHomemade Floor Cleaner For LinoleumLinoleum CleanerCleaner FloorsMop FloorsPainted Linoleum FloorScrubbing FloorsHomemade Floor CleanersForwardPinner said: Oh my word...this is amazing! best way to clean a high pile rugI made the mistake of using mop n glo a couple years ago and it made dirt get into the linoleum and no matter how much scrubbing I did it didn't work, BUT this solution did. carpet cleaning equipment auctionMy floors look brand new. How to Clean Resilient Floors Learn how to keep your vinyl, cork, or linoleum floor clean with these easy tips. Share your take on this idea!Upload your photo here. If your home includes a floor made from vinyl, cork, or linoleum, you have a resilient floor.

Such floors boast a slight softness and give, which makes them more comfortable to stand on but less durable than hardwood or ceramic tile floors. Heavy furniture may cause dents. Chairs scooted across the floor may gouge the surface. Sharp objects that are dropped may make cuts. In addition to guarding these floors from damage, you can help keep them in top condition by cleaning them properly. Vinyl Floors: General Cleaning Clean vinyl floors by removing dust and dirt with a broom, dust mop, or vacuum cleaner. Controlling grit and soil is crucial to prolonging a vinyl floor's attractive appearance. A quick wipe with a damp mop works well for vinyl floors between deep cleanings. Choose a nonabrasive all-purpose cleaning product or the product recommended by the vinyl manufacturer. Some products are no-rinse solutions while others need to be rinsed well, so make sure you check the instructions on the container. If you are unsure of the floor's composition or coating, check with the home's previous owner, real estate agent, or rental agent.

If you still don't know, use a mild vinegar-and-water solution to clean the floor; Water-base or acrylic-base floor polishes can be used on many resilient floors but may not be compatible with some no-wax floors. Vinyl Floors: Care Don'ts Do not use abrasive cleaners, scrubbing tools, or beater-style vacuums to clean vinyl floors.Avoid harsh detergents and cleansers, paste wax, solvent-base polishes, and products that give a shiny look. For a dull no-wax vinyl floor, use only products made specifically for no-wax vinyl. Vinyl Floors: Common Stains Some stains on vinyl floors may be permanent, especially if the floor is old, but these techniques can at least lighten the discoloration. You may have to repeat the process several times.Black heel marks: Rub the area with an art gum eraser or a nonabrasive scrubbing pad and nonabrasive cleanser, or rub with regular toothpaste. If the stain remains, try using rubbing alcohol (91% isopropyl).Crayons: Rub with lighter fluid or odorless mineral spirits.

Hair dye: Rub the area with rubbing alcohol. If the stain still shows, scrub it with lighter fluid or odorless mineral spirits.Ink: Wipe the spot with rubbing alcohol; If the stain is still visible, rub with lighter fluid or odorless mineral spirits.Lipstick: Rub the stain with rubbing alcohol.Paint and varnish: Immediately wipe up any wet spills. If the stain is dry, carefully scrape it with a plastic card (such as a credit card) or a thin spatula. Remove residue with rubbing alcohol. Permanent marker: Gently rub with lighter fluid or odorless mineral spirits. Rubbing alcohol may also remove marker stains.Rust: Rub the cut side of half a lemon over the rust spot. If it remains, pour on a small amount of salt-water solution and rub with a lemon.Scuff marks: Buff off scuff marks with a tennis ball attached to a broom handle. Cut an X in the tennis ball and slide the broom handle into the hole. The texture of the ball removes surface marks from vinyl.Shoe polish: Scrub the spot with lighter fluid or odorless mineral spirits.

If the stain still shows, rub it with rubbing alcohol.Tar: Scrub the spot with lighter fluid or odorless mineral spirits. If the stain still shows, rub it with rubbing alcohol. Cork Floors: General Cleaning Cork flooring is a soft surface that offers cushion as well as durability -- thanks to pre-applied finishes. Cleaning cork flooring means cleaning the surface finish. If the cork surface is sealed with polyurethane (most cork floors are), clean with water and mild detergent or white vinegar, then rinse well. If the cork is unfinished or waxed, follow the cleaning instructions for polyurethane but apply solid or liquid wax. Avoid polishes if you prefer a matte finish. To be perfectly safe, check with the cork flooring dealer or manufacturer to find out what cleaning methods they recommend for your product.In addition to regular cleaning, make your cork floor last longer by using commonsense care. Avoid dropping sharp objects and sliding heavy furniture across the floor. Buy extra flooring at the time of installation to replace damaged areas in the future.