Asked on Feb 07, 2017

How to clean really dirty linoleum floors?

Judy Thurston
by Judy Thurston
We rent and the floors were not cleaned when we moved in, our bathroom floor, the floor by our front door and our kitchen floor is filthy dirty, and i tried everything i could think of but the dirt and stains keep coming back! Does anyone have any ideas that would help me!icon
  30 answers
  • Janet Pizaro Janet Pizaro on Feb 07, 2017

    Try making a solution with hydrogen peroxide and baking soda into a paste. Leave on the floors over night. Then clean with white vinegar and water.

  • William William on Feb 07, 2017

    I would try one cup ammonia to one gallon of hot water. I use it once a month to remove built up dirt and wax on my vinyl floor.

  • William William on Feb 07, 2017

    Not the best substitute, but one cup vinegar to one gallon water and a few squirts of Dawn dish soap.

  • Pgl Pgl on Feb 08, 2017

    Take a butter knife and scrap over the stain. If you find you get a gummy residue that is wax , if it is a bit slimy that is soap build up. To get rid of the wax a use a brush and a good cleaner in warm water, if it is slimy that is soap build up , use warm water and vinegar and a Sponge MOP the sponge mop absorbs best. Now if you still have a stain tell us the color and we can tell you how to get rid of it

    • See 2 previous
    • Kay Lilland Kay Lilland on Feb 10, 2017

      Wax need not come from landlord. Fastidious housekeepers (like grandma) apply liquid or paste wax

  • Pgl Pgl on Feb 08, 2017

    Got it go to the automotive department in your store or go to a car supply store and get grease and tar remover. Anything coming back yellow cast has an oil by product in it and being black am guessing in came in on shoes. I raised three boys and have seen what shoes worn working in cars can do, they even can cause the souls of the shoes to slowly fall apart.

    • Judy Thurston Judy Thurston on Feb 08, 2017

      Will mean green work if i dilute with water? Because i know Mean Green has a degreaser mixed in it? Because i have some of the Mean Green, trying to keep it chemical free and less$$?

  • Jennifer | CrazyDiyMom Jennifer | CrazyDiyMom on Feb 08, 2017

    Our very first house we bought had nasty floors like that, but I didn't know how bad they were until something had spilled and hardened. I tried everything to get it off and ended up grabbing the bottle of "Awesome" cleaner I had as a last ditch effort. I spray it on the floor and started srubbing away and it had started to clean up. Once I got it off I looked at the floor and realized the one foot section where I scrubbed was a lot lighter then the rest of the floor. I thought I ruined the floor. Until I really looked and realized the floors were that dirty! I ended up scrubbing the entire floor with that stuff and it cleaned them perfectly. Awesome cleaner is that cheap stuff you find at the dollar store! Good luck!

    • See 6 previous
    • Debra Miller Debra Miller on Mar 06, 2017

      Awesome works best straight. Do not dilute.

  • Pgl Pgl on Feb 08, 2017

    I have used mean green but do not dilute, just wipe up and then rinse with mop and water

  • Susan Susan on Feb 08, 2017

    TSP cleaner from WalMart cleans floors down to the bone!! To keep the grime from coming back after they are clean, you could put a coat of nònyellowing polyurethene on them, and to clean, just damp mop.




  • Lynn Goins Lynn Goins on Feb 09, 2017

    I moved into a duplex once that had textured linoleum flooring in the kitchen. It has a lot of wax and dirt build-up!! I got out my can of Comet and one of those dark green scouring pads plus some water and scrubbed away! It was a pretty big kitchen, but I was able to do the edges and the rest of the floor in one evening. The hardest part was the rinsing to get the Comet up. I think I rinsed four or five times before I was satisfied. Then I put on two coats of Future floor wax letting each coat dry. It was super easy to take care of it from then on.

  • Kay Lilland Kay Lilland on Feb 10, 2017

    First determine if you have linoleum or sheet vinyl!!!!!

    • Judy Thurston Judy Thurston on Feb 10, 2017

      Well in our kitchen we have linoleum, and in our bathroom/hallway/by front door is the kind that if it gets wet you fall down on your butt,i think it is sticky on one side and its placed on the floor? Does that help at all!

  • Brenda Rodriguez Brenda Rodriguez on Feb 11, 2017

    We have a steam mop, bissell,got it for 10$ @ Goodwill awesome!!

    • See 1 previous
    • Itsmemic Itsmemic on Apr 11, 2018

      Was told by the carpet store than installed my vinyl flooring to NEVER use a steam cleaner on the floor. It will loosen up the glue.

  • Far20678461 Far20678461 on Feb 16, 2017

    Try the simple first. I actually used Mr. Clean , those white sponges that take finger marks and grime off surfaces, on my son's linoleum floor, and they worked perfectly on the high traffic areas. They aren't expensive either.

  • Irene Gronewald Irene Gronewald on Feb 16, 2017

    spic n span in the box hot water rinse...apply future mop on wax

  • Debra Ward Metz Debra Ward Metz on Feb 20, 2017

    My mom used Spic n Span all her life and her floors sparkled...!

    • See 1 previous
    • Pjj11945116 Pjj11945116 on Feb 20, 2017

      When I use Spic n Span make sure you rinse the floor after you clean with Spice n Span

  • Debra Ward Metz Debra Ward Metz on Feb 20, 2017

    That's true.

    I think it tells you that on the box.

  • Bgr14701905 Bgr14701905 on Feb 22, 2017

    I use a lot of the cheep dollar easer two on a pack and water and pinesol it cleans floors great

  • Mary Liegel Mary Liegel on Feb 22, 2017

    Spic n Span in the box works better than liquid...for anything you would use spic n span for.

    • See 1 previous
    • Itsmemic Itsmemic on Apr 11, 2018

      Spic and Span is HIGHLY toxic to pets. !!! I washed my woodwork with it...one dog licked it...and ended up in the ER very very sick. They told me this is common. So dogs walk on the floor...lick their feet? Same thing..

  • Cheryl Cheryl on Feb 28, 2017

    Tried them all in my rental nothing worked so I ended up sanding the old wax off the flore after cleaning applied Quick Shine that said on line was best for super shine in Lino which I did. Is very nice and I feel so happy a couple days of work but that was 2 years ago and getting compliments still now how clean and shines my floor looks. I've noticed if my floor is shined I'm a happy girl. I got the Quick Shine at Walgreens.

    • Judy Thurston Judy Thurston on Mar 01, 2017

      Cheryl: We rent and the linolium already has a shine to it i think but i need to get the shine to come back? Is there any other ideas you might have for me to try? I'd be glad to hear them? Thanks!

  • Keeton Logan Janice Keeton Logan Janice on Mar 01, 2017

    I used ammonia, need good ventilation, and can be slippery,

    but I poured it on the floor and used my broom as a scrub brush after it was cleaned and rinsed I used Quick Shine looks nice

    • Judy Thurston Judy Thurston on Mar 01, 2017

      Keeton Logan Janice: Couldn't i use just Quick Shine after i sweep my floor or wouldn't you reccommend me to do that? Ammonia will that take the shine away?

  • Keeton Logan Janice Keeton Logan Janice on Mar 01, 2017

    ammonia cleaned all of the old wax up, then I waxed with the Quick Shine, but as I stated lots of ventilation is a must

    • Judy Thurston Judy Thurston on Mar 01, 2017

      That sounds like the best idea or tip yet on how to clean my floors? Thanks a whole bunch!!!!!!!!!!

  • Cheryl Cheryl on Mar 01, 2017

    Hi, Quick Shine probably will add a shine over what you have. 1st try it in a less noticeable spot. I always test new products over old products I know nothing about to check drying times or if it gets cloudy etc. However floor must be clean because this is tough stuff and anything you might wax over will be there for good.

    • Judy Thurston Judy Thurston on Mar 01, 2017

      Hi, So how long will Quick Shine last on my floor after i use it(how long it will keep my floor shiny and clean) In other words how often will i have to use it, every time i clean the floors? And where can i find(buy) this Quick Shine at, and how big of bottle, and how much will it cost me? Please Repond back ASAP! Thank-You!

  • Bit13140959 Bit13140959 on Mar 02, 2017

    I use Clorox foam bleach after I have sprayed the floor with vinegar let it sit and do small areas wipe clean with paper towel and then clean floor with vinegar water and your sponge mop.

    • Judy Thurston Judy Thurston on Mar 02, 2017

      But if i use vinegar and water on floor, than use Clorox Foam with bleach wouldn't that mess the floor up? Because i heard bleach was bad to use on floors? I am not saying you don't know what your talking about,you do i am just letting you know what i heard? Please Reply back ASAP! Thank-You!

  • Keeton Logan Janice Keeton Logan Janice on Mar 02, 2017

    yep, in fact I did mine today, cleaned the floor with the ammonia had garage door and living room door open for ventilation, make sure floor is nice and cleaned, I also have a shark steamer I went back over it. just 1 little hair left on the floor will show. then I waxed it with Quick Shine. looks great.

    • Judy Thurston Judy Thurston on Mar 02, 2017

      Well i will have to get some ammonia, and Quick Shine and try it on my floors? Where can i get the Quick Shine at? Do they sell it in stores i hope, or do i have to get it online? Because i usually don't shop online a lot? Do i just put ammonia in a bucket with water or what, because I've never tried it before? Please Reply back ASAP! Thank-You!

  • Nancy Nancy on Mar 05, 2017

    We have a rental with a wood look linoleum floor. After 6 yrs our renter moved out and the floor was a mess. I used my steam mop with the water. That was it! It was a lot of work because floor was soooo filthy. Cleaned about a 5x5 section at a time checking to see when mop head began to get dirty. Then rinse head and mop a second time. The linoleum had little grooves in it so there was years of gunk that filled these groves. It was beautiful when completed. Hope this works for you!!

    • Judy Thurston Judy Thurston on Mar 05, 2017

      You say you used a steam mop with water, well what if i don't have a steam mop? Please Respond back ASAP! Thank-You!

  • Momentumjanitorial Momentumjanitorial on Mar 15, 2017

    You can opt to use a baking soda and vinegar mixture to remove these stains in the most eco-friendly way possible. To ensure a safe and deep clean, however, you may want to leave this task in the hands of a professional carpet cleaner. Hope these tips will definitely help you.

  • Janice Janice on Apr 11, 2018

    Since it is filthy, you will have to clean over and over as there are likely layers and layers of dirt to get through. Keep at it and eventually you should reach the actual linoleum. Sad that you have to deal with this.....

  • Jina Jina on Apr 11, 2018

    is to really linoleum? Or is it vinyl flooring?

  • Joni Stover Joni Stover on Sep 14, 2018

    Hello! We rent and the people before us clearly smoked by the back door. There is caked on ashes and build-up on the linoleum and on the metal strip by the door. Any ideas how to remove it?

  • Bebo Kanyak Bebo Kanyak on May 21, 2021

    I cleaned houses for years and have seen some really nasty floors. The best thing I've used is straight ammonia (you will need to open all your windows so there will good ventilation and I Do NOT recommend this if you have breathing issues). Make sure there are no children or pets in the home.. Keep your face away from it because it will take your breath away. Pour the ammonia onto the floor. Let sit a couple minutes then use a scrub brush (or you could try a broom like someone else suggested) and wear rubber gloves. Rinse the floor with hot water and a rag. If there is still some grime, do the section again and then continue as follows...start again with the same section (don't rinse yet), then start the next section. When done with the second section rinse the previous section with hot water and a rag. Just continue on the same way for the whole floor. This work fantastic. Honestly, it's some work but so worth it. If you find the shine has dulled you can then wax the floor. Just remember, wax does cause build up after a while.

  • Johnavallance82 Johnavallance82 on Nov 30, 2022

    MAYBE AFTER YOU HAVE MADE IT NICE AND CLEAN, aDD a rUNNER WHERE THERE IS A LOT OF TRAFFIC.