How to clean linoleum floors!

Another great tip has been given to me about cleaning those sometimes irritating linoleum floors. By using three great household items (baking soda, vinegar/water mixture, and a wet rag) one can have sparkling clean floors. Baking soda is perfect for the uneven, grooved surfaces of linoleum floors. Instructions at the link below.

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To see more: http://askannamoseley.com/2012/05/how-to-clean-pesky-linoleum-floors/

24 Comments

Dee W Rock Creek, OH

Good tip-I need to wash my floors this weekend, I'll let you know how I made out. Thank-you.

on Sep 21, 2012 · Like 2
Cathy B Phoenix, AZ

the scented Lysol is awesome too, diluted. Leaves a beautiful shine. Not as organic as the other b ut really cleans. Baking soda may dull and scratch some floors.

on Sep 22, 2012 · Like 1
Lisa Hoyt

The baking soda, vinegar and water works great.... you can even add a drop of blue dawn and or essential oil of your choice for frangrance! I started using this because my cats were licking the cleaner off my floor... all natural so no sick kittys!

on Sep 22, 2012 · Like 1
Carol Robertson

Are you talking about linoleum or vinyl floors??

on Sep 22, 2012 · Like 0
Melissa L

I use vinegar and water on my pergo floors - cleans them real nice.

on Sep 22, 2012 · Like 2
Bea F Corpus Christi, TX

I use vinegar and water to clean my floors too, really works.

on Sep 22, 2012 · Like 1
Sue Thomas

Would this work for laminate flooring?

on Sep 22, 2012 · Like 0
Lisa Hoyt

I think this would work on all kinds of floors... maybe not hardwood but I've used it on my pergo floors, vinyl flooring and tiles in the bathroom. Its all natural so its not going to hurt anything.

on Sep 23, 2012 · Like 2
Anna M Redding, CA

Carol Robertson I'm referring to linoleum floors.

on Sep 24, 2012 · Like 0
Anna M Redding, CA

Sue Thomas this is what I use for my laminate floors: http://askannamoseley.com/2012/04/how-to-cle...

on Sep 24, 2012 · Like 0
Paula Stoughton, MA

I use vinegar and water on my hard wood and nothing else

on Sep 24, 2012 · Like 0
Dawn Cooley Billings, MT

How can you get the shine back into vinyl flooring. who ever lived here before took all the shine off... i cant afford to buy new flooring so what can i use...

on Dec 03, 2012 · Like 0
Bernice H Yakima, WA

Dawn Cooley I just had vinyl planking installed on my floors, did not realize it had a dull finish in the store. Some had shiny, which I prefer. But I am used to it now. Maybe yours never had a shiny surface? you might ask KMS Woodworks and others on here. Maybe poly? Or contact a vinyl flooring manufacturer?

on Dec 03, 2012 · Like 0
KMS Woodworks Nederland, CO

You need to keep in mind the specifics of each floor, its composition and what you are putting on it. The far majority of wood floors in service have a synthetic "coating" on them. Sand in place floors are normally finished with some type of Polyurethane ..either oil based or water based. In these cases you are cleaning the "plastic" finish that is applied to the wood, commercial finishes are often a type of Aluminum oxide (which is a ceramic fine powder) mixed with another "plastic". ...»

laminates are multiple layers of MDF, paper and Acrylic...with the "plastic" acrylic layer being on top.
Any flooring product that goes down in sections ( square tiles, laminate strips, hardwood strips etc) all have "joints" where they meet. These "joints" are vulnerable to excess moisture which can wick down and contact the core materials, side etc. I most cases these areas are NOT protected by any type of finish.
The key to success with any floor cleaning is to use the bare minimum of water.

on Dec 04, 2012 · Like 1
KMS Woodworks Nederland, CO

You need to keep in mind the specifics of each floor, its composition and what you are putting on it. The far majority of wood floors in service have a synthetic "coating" on them. Sand in place floors are normally finished with some type of Polyurethane ..either oil based or water based. In these cases you are cleaning the "plastic" finish that is applied to the wood, commercial finishes are often a type of Aluminum oxide (which is a ceramic fine powder) mixed with another "plastic". ...»

laminates are multiple layers of MDF, paper and Acrylic...with the "plastic" acrylic layer being on top.
Any flooring product that goes down in sections ( square tiles, laminate strips, hardwood strips etc) all have "joints" where they meet. These "joints" are vulnerable to excess moisture which can wick down and contact the core materials, side etc. I most cases these areas are NOT protected by any type of finish.
The key to success with any floor cleaning is to use the bare minimum of water.

on Dec 04, 2012 · Like 0
Melissa Gutilla Stephens City, VA

I also use vinegar and water on my floors. I try to clean with all natural products because of my allergies whenever possible expecially in the winter time when I can't air the house out afterward. Sometimes I break down and use store bought stuff just to get a really good germ free feeling with 3 dogs and 3 kids sometimes it's needed. lol

on Dec 04, 2012 · Like 0
Bernice H Yakima, WA

KMS Woodworks Kevin.. I think Dawn Cooley above was asking how to get a shiny finish on her floors again. Can she put poly on it? Or something?

on Dec 05, 2012 · Like 0
Sherrie Nixa, MO

Linoleum flooring is a composite make up of natural composites and linseed oil. You need to use care when using a high alkaline cleaner. Vinegar is a high alkaline. It is more sentsitive to chemicals and abrasives. Frequent use of these chemicals without rinsing can cause cracking, shrinking and discoloration. It can leave the floor rough to touch, and poureous. Over wetting also does damage to this floor. These floors can be stripped and re-sealed. This information come directly from the manufactors.

on Dec 05, 2012 · Like 0
KMS Woodworks Nederland, CO

Sherrie You have your bases and acids mixed up....Vinegar is ACID...like lemon juice...Toilet bowl cleaner and bleach are alkaline. pH values below 7 are acid those above are alkaline. Vinegar is around pH 3
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_the_pH_of_... ...»

Keep in mind that pH uses a log scale so something at pH 3 is ten times more acidic than pH 4 and 100 times more acidic than pH 5
Dawn Cooley Most vinyl floors have an acrylic "film" on top that provides the shine. Marmoleum one of the original Linoleum type flooring comes with "topshield" from the factory. Forbo (the manufacturer) makes a product called "Marmoleum Finish" that can be applied to worn floors to enhance the shine. It contains propylene and acrylate copolymers..along with some glycol ethers and some other chemicla goodies. This product is very much like the gloss (stone) tile sealers.
You could test it out in an inconspicuous area to see it it helps.

on Dec 06, 2012 · Like 1
Sherrie Nixa, MO

Sorry I multiplied it instead of using the value. Sorry about that. I humbly apologize.
It is confusing. Because I have read tons of stuff today on linoleum flooring. I have read on Armstrong not to ever use ammonia but on others to use it for deep cleaning just to be sure to rinse it. On some I have read to use vinegar then to turn around and read absoulty nothing acidic on the floors. Even through vinegar is low PH it is also considered acidic. Then I read if you use ...»
to high or to low PH cleaners it can cause damage. I have read you can use bleach and others not to. This is confusing because a lot of these instructions are from manufactors! So I have no idea. I have read hundreds of people trotting the benefits of using vinegar as a cleaner on these floors. With great results! My head hurts, so I decided to call a manufactor and see what they have to say. Lets see if they call me back. : )
If you have new linoleum flooring they should give you spec sheet. Use it and follow it. Because the problem with new flooring they can cancel the warranty if you don't follow it exactly. But for everyone else from what I have read many people use this to clean their floors. Everyone can't be wrong.

on Dec 06, 2012 · Like 0
KMS Woodworks Nederland, CO

Some of the best cleaners are pH neutral...Bona is one of the better ones. Success comes with using the bare minimum of cleaner and ensure is it completely rinsed...again use the barest minimum. It is the cleaning residues that often dull a floor and act as "dirt magnets"

on Dec 07, 2012 · Like 1
Robyn Farwell West Lebanon, NH

Reading the link on this post it says to use baking soda. Wouldn't that "dull" the flooring and be used as an abrasive?

on Jan 10, 2013 · Like 0
Tammy T Rydal, GA

I've been using 1/2 peroxide and 1/2 warm water on mine and its working great. Love the shine and no streaks. I know they say not to use water but I've tried all the other cleaners and I'm a little bit of a clean freak as my kids use to say and I clean mine everyday (sometimes twice a day) according to the traffic. No damage.

on Jan 10, 2013 · Like 1
Robyn Farwell West Lebanon, NH

I thought I was the only "neat freak" or as my kids say, I have OCD LOL. Thanks Tammy. Will definitely try it.

on Jan 11, 2013 · Like 1