If you’re thinking about renovating your home, linoleum flooring seems to be a wonderful option to consider, but most people don’t know how to clean linoleum floors.
Although it has its detractors with memories of those ugly 70’s linoleum tiles, modern design has created much more attractive, stylish alternatives.
As always, every material has its own rules when it comes to cleaning and preserving them. Let’s read some strategies for you to get the best out of this durable, noble material.
What is Linoleum Flooring?
Linoleum is obtained through linseed oil, also known as flaxseed oil. This makes the perfect replacement for wood. Scientific research deems it as “easy maintenance, recyclable, antibacterial, antistatic and hypoallergenic”.
This is combined with wood flour, cork, and pine resin to create a resistant yet flexible material. Linoleum can be found on the market in tiles or in rolls. Since it’s made out of wood, mostly, it’s sensitive to moisture.
Should You Install Linoleum in Your House?
Installing linoleum would be a great idea! It can last a long time, you have a ton of alternatives, and it’s safe for use in humid rooms such as the kitchen, bathroom, laundry room or basement, because it’s resistant to bacteria, mold, and mildew.
Some areas like Texas can get extremely humid at certain times of the year, so linoleum will work great thanks to its great resistance to humidity.
How Should You Clean Linoleum Floors?
One of the main advantages of linoleum it’s its durability. Since it’s a combination of several materials, it’s treated in a way that it’s resistant to most types of cleaning products and common techniques. However, because it’s made of organic materials, they are somewhat susceptible, especially to water.
As always, a good installation saves a lot of trouble. This goes for pretty much every single floor material you can think of. If you install it correctly (yes, you can do it yourself!) and take good care of it, it can last for decades.
Linoleum floors will mostly require sweeping and mopping to stay clean and sanitized.
Sweeping Your Linoleum Floors
Having a linoleum floor will make your sweeping time a walk in the park. It doesn’t absorb dust or dirt, it repels it, hence the term “hypoallergenic”. Just apply your regular sweeping routine every day or every other day.
Using an anti-static broom will make it twice as easy. You can also use a dry microfiber mop.
Mopping Linoleum Floors
If you installed it properly, you’ll have no issues mopping your linoleum floors whenever you wish to. When mopping you can use straight white vinegar, mopping and then letting it sit for 15 minutes before rinsing with warm water.
This is what a “thorough” cleaning would look like, because regular cleaning will only require warm water. Make sure you dry the floor after mopping or any other time water is spilled.
Waxing Your Linoleum Floors to Keep Them Clean & Shiny
Wax will keep your linoleum floors nice and shiny over the years. You should apply wax at least twice a year, but once every quarter would be ideal.
Waxing is one of the few things in cleaning that should be done with proper, specialized products. Liquid acrylic floor wax is preferable over paste wax for this type of flooring.
Additional Care For Your Linoleum Flooring
Linoleum floors can turn into a yellowish color after a few years, especially when exposed to sunlight or because of spills. To fix this you can mix baking soda and lemon juice.
Just mix them until you form a paste and then scrub lightly using a toothbrush. Remember to rinse with water and dry afterward.
Mixing baking soda and bleach would be a good alternative. Usually, mixing bleach with any other product is not a good idea but baking soda is one of the few exceptions.
You can fix stains and spots by using a mild cloth and a neutral detergent (pH 6 to 8).
Avoid ammonia or ammonia-based cleaning products. Also, be careful with pointed objects such as high heels because they may dent your floors.
Conclusion
Linoleum is an outstanding choice for your floors. Technology has allowed the creation of modern, elegant patterns, including imitations of classic floor choices such as wood, marble, and ceramics.
If you’re renovating on your own and you want to apply linoleum floors as a DIY project, remember to follow instructions carefully and look for advice from several sources before going in.
Keep in mind that water is your number one enemy for organic floors. Don’t let water sit for too long!
And remember, if you need to hire a cleaning service to use the right techniques for each type of surface, don’t hesitate to contact us!