Asked on Apr 09, 2019

How to clean old linoleum?

I have old linoleum floors in my kitchen that lost their luster. They are stained and I have tried everything. Vinegar, bleach, hydrogen peroxide with baking soda. Any clues?

  18 answers
  • Leah Leah on Apr 09, 2019

    Clean with Krud Kutter original concentrate. Then use mop and glow or a floor wax. Use to be one called Future. Use a sponge mop for mop and glow. Could be glo.

    • Suzanne Novoselac Suzanne Novoselac on Apr 10, 2019

      If you use the Krud Kutter, be sure to use it on a small area at a time. I discovered it's really slippery if you use it on a large area. Be safe! It worked well on my floor though.

  • Gk Gk on Apr 09, 2019

    Once your floors are as clean as you are going to get them use some Mop and Glow to give them a nice shine. I used to have a kitchen floor similar to this. I would get down on my hands and knees and scrub with a brush and warm soapy water to get all the grooves and indentations as clean as possible, wiping up the excess soap with a rag, followed up by a rinse with clear water. I eventually replaced this floor with a vinyl tile floor. I went over the old floor with the vinyl tile. It was easy to do and I used a pre adhesive primer first so they tiles would really stick. I know when it's time to put down a new floor I will have to tear it all up and replace the underlayment but it's been 7 years so far! Next time I hire someone to do it!

  • William William on Apr 09, 2019

    Once a month I use one cup of lemon scented to one gallon hot water. Removes ground in dirt and built up floor wax. Then I use Mop and Glo. Once a week I use a few squirts of Dawn dish liquid to one gallon hot water.

  • Nursejnm Nursejnm on Apr 10, 2019

    Scrubbing bubbles bathroom cleaner gets out ground in dirt. Spray on, wait 15 minutes, wash floor with your usual cleaner. I do this once a month, then just damp mop in between.

  • Lynn Lynn on Apr 10, 2019

    Hard to believe, but I used Scrubbing Bubbles on my 87 year old floor! I sprayed it with the cleaner, then covered the space with a damp cloth....my floor was so dirty, I had to clean each square by using a scratch free scrubber...you know, those little green pad pan cleaners...it was amazing ! the floor looks perfect and now I mop it with vinegar and water to maintain it...good luck!

  • Angela Garzetta Angela Garzetta on Apr 10, 2019

    i had the same problem until i accidentaly spilled the "awesome" cleaner, found at Dollar Stores...and it completely lifted the dirt out. I continued to use it on the floor and it was really "awesome". I used it until we replaced the floor with ceramic tile. Good luck!

  • Vicky Pryor Vicky Pryor on Apr 10, 2019

    What about linoleum that is yellowed? Anyway to solve that?

  • Howi Howi on Apr 10, 2019

    Hi,

    Linoleum cost isn't all that much, replace it,,,,, Really.

    Howi

  • Vivian Vivian on Apr 10, 2019

    I agree with Howl, by the time you scrub away the dirt and stains the original surface is gone and the shine will not be good. Best thing is to cover with new or if the floor is flat you can paint it( no holes or cuts that is). This could be less expensive for now. Seal with a poly product for painted flooring. Ask you Lowe’s paint professionals for help with paint and sealer. Or your local paint store.

  • Melody Rodriguez Melody Rodriguez on Apr 10, 2019

    I have the same issue 🥴

    What I find works for me is a product called Totally Awesome which can be purchased at Dollar Tree or Dollar General ( at least in my area).

    I let the cleaning solution “marinate” on the floor for about 5ish minutes. Then I take a floor scrub brush with an extended handle and..... of course, scrub up all the yuck.

    Next, I mop the floor as usual.

    Hope this suggestion helps. It has for me 🤓

  • Kim Kim on Apr 10, 2019

    Mister clean eraser? And maybe some powder spic an span mix with some water to make a watery paste

    • Karen Karen on Oct 09, 2020

      Mr clean eraser types work well but being on hands and knees is tough!! Square by square ugh!! There has to be a better way. I live in apartment built in the 60s, so not many options

  • Leah Leah on Apr 11, 2019

    I recommended Krud Kutter because it cuts through crud without scrubbing. You spray it on and let it set for a bit, and wipe up with a microfiber rag as you go along. I never even thought some one would spray their whole floor at once. I imagine if you did that it would be slippery. Rinse your rag or mop as you go along. I use to get down on my hands and knees to deep clean a floor. Then use Mop And Glow in between..Now I have a prewaxed floor that I use a microfiber mop with a light cleaner. Krud Kutter would remove the wax if I used it now. I hope you have found a way to help you with your floor.

  • Ebby Ebby on Apr 11, 2019

    Had a dingy yellow-gold linoleum kitchen floor when we moved in our current home. Couldn't afford to replace it as hubby starting a new business and money REALLY tight. After trying many of the aforementioned cleaners, the only thing that worked to get ALL the built up wax, dirt, grime, and other products that had been used was....sitting on the floor with a stiff brush and a toothbrush for the corners and tight areas (including base of baseboard where it meets the floor was....AMMONIA. Be VERY careful when using ammonia. Make certain the room is well ventilated, wear a mask, rubber gloves and goggles to protect from splashes and spills. The floor looked brand new once I was finished and I couldn't believe the bright, lovely warm yellow (not gold) color of the true floor. I rinsed well with vinegar and water. Once completely dry, I dust-mopped with a dry mop. Only used Mop'n Glo after that, and did a water/ammonia mix to mop every few months just to make sure we had no more build up. Floor was already 21 years old when we moved in. It lasted another 8 before we replaced it due to a leak in the water heater. You HAVE to be careful when using ammonia, and I don't recommend it for many things, but it was a miracle worker on that floor!

  • Cindy Canales Rippey Cindy Canales Rippey on Apr 11, 2019

    Thanks for all y’alls suggestions! I tried most except for Krud Kutter, which I will try next. I will let you know how it turns out! Thanks again!!

    • LaDonna LaDonna on Apr 11, 2019

      I’d try the Magic eraser, I used it for the same problem it will take a lot because they do crumble but they do work really well it’s going to take some effort to do a whole floor though 😬😬

  • William William on Apr 12, 2019

    Sorry! Lemon scented ammonia.

  • Dodd Harris Dodd Harris on Jan 04, 2021

    I have an insanely 1940's period powder room, The floor is black linoleum with crazy flecks of gold (looks like glitter) I recently had to fix a leaky toilet that had caused the flooring to fail and separate from the subfloor. I wanted to preserve the original flooring that would be impossible to replace. We removed about 12 pieces of flooring and curved baseboards. They were so filthy and coated with 80 years of neglect that I started experimenting with pieces that went under the toilet (in case I damaged them) the best luck came with ...wait for it... OVEN CLEANER. It just lifted all the sticky residue off and left the linoleum clean and intact. After a quick waxing the floor sections look amazing. I'll add a picture ASAP

  • Chas' Crazy Creations Chas' Crazy Creations on Feb 02, 2023

    Here are several tips and tricks that might help you https://chascrazycreations.com/floor-cleaning-hacks/

  • Mogie Mogie on Feb 03, 2023

    This can get rather involved if I were you I would consider getting new flooring. You can get remnants (left over pieces from bigger jobs) for a fraction of the original cost.