How to Clean Linoleum Flooring: The Best Tips
Linoleum is a practical and beautiful floor covering! Find out how to clean and maintain a linoleum floor here!
The old-fashioned image of a linoleum floor is long gone: in the meantime the floor covering is available in really beautiful and decorative designs. In addition, the material is also proving to be biodegradable, as it is made from natural raw materials. In short: linoleum is a beautiful and sustainable floor covering! However, to ensure that linoleum lasts for a long time, a few basic cleaning and maintenance principles must be observed:
Cleaning linoleum flooring: The basics
- Linoleum consists of linseed oil, natural resins, jute fabric, fillers and cork flour, as well as limestone powder and pigments. These materials are not compatible with strongly alkaline cleaning agents. Above a pH value of 9.0, irreparable damage is caused to linoleum. Therefore, soft soap with a pH value of 10 to 12 is out of the question.
- When wet cleaning the linoleum, you should use a cleaning agent with a low pH value: Acidic or neutral cleaners are suitable.
- Use an absorbent mop for wiping, with which you wipe the floor covering slightly damp. Do not leave puddles of water behind – water spots on the floor could be the result. In any case, avoid rough mops or sponges as they scratch the linoleum.
- Never use soft soap or shine cleaner for cleaning. Both detergents damage the linoleum, and shine cleaner, for example, even causes a greasy film to form, making the floor look even dirtier.
The best tips
- To clean linoleum floor, you should regularly remove coarse dirt and dust from the surface: Use a vacuum cleaner or broom. Tip: A protective mat in front of the apartment door keeps dirt particles at bay. Also avoid walking on the floor with street shoes.
- If damp cleaning is necessary after basic cleaning, wipe the floor with a slightly damp cloth afterwards. Caution: The water should not be too hot. A lukewarm temperature is quite sufficient.
One of the following cleaning agents is suitable for linoleum:
- special linoleum cleaner from the trade
- a lacing of vinegar
- a few sharpened washing-up liquid
- Juice of one lemon
- some rinse agent
- a few drops of shampoo
- some curd soap suds
Add the respective cleaning agent to about 5 litres of lukewarm water and clean the floor with it. This will give a nice shine to the linoleum and remove dirt and grease.
- To remove stubborn stains, wipe them off with a damp cloth and a few drops of washing-up liquid.
- You can get a shiny layer on the flooring if you subsequently wipe the floor dry with a cotton cloth.
- If you can still see streaks of shoes on your linoleum, simply remove them with an eraser.
Linoleum floor care
- You can polish the linoleum for subsequent care after basic cleaning: Make a mixture of vinegar and vegetable oil (ratio 1:1) or linseed oil and turpentine (ratio 1:1). Apply the polish with a soft cotton cloth. This care provides shine and elasticity.
- Alternatively, floor wax can be used for the linoleum: Especially in kitchen or bathroom it protects the linoleum from water stains.