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Flaxbee

(13,661 posts)
Thu Aug 16, 2012, 05:09 PM Aug 2012

Best way to (easily) clean light-colored kitchen linoleum?


I currently am renting a cute little house with hardwood floors through most of the place, except the kitchen, which is covered in a light (mostly white, some tan) linoleum. I keep the floor swept/vacuumed, but I have never taken the time to scrub the floor. I scrub every other surface in the house, but I will admit that I avoid doing more to the kitchen floor than cleaning up spills, sweeping, and vacuuming often to suck up the kitty-fur tumbleweeds.

As a result, the floor needs to be deep-cleaned.

What is the best way to do this? Is there some non-toxic cleaner that will magically return the linoleum to its pristine white state? Or some super-wonderful mop I can use?

As an aside, why the hell do people ever use light linoleum anywhere?

Thanks in advance for any helpful hints.
20 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Best way to (easily) clean light-colored kitchen linoleum? (Original Post) Flaxbee Aug 2012 OP
This is not the greenest product, Curmudgeoness Aug 2012 #1
Huh. Interesting. Will keep that in mind. I don't think these floors have heavy wax, but Flaxbee Aug 2012 #3
Ace Hardware has a scrub brush with a broom handle that is specifically for linoleum. Lars39 Aug 2012 #2
OK, I'll look for that - we have an Ace nearby. Flaxbee Aug 2012 #4
It got the grime in the those itty bitty crevices, too. Lars39 Aug 2012 #5
I always get down of the floor to scrub it Curmudgeoness Aug 2012 #6
I just resent having to spend the time to sit on the damn floor and scrub it. Flaxbee Aug 2012 #8
Hey, I'm not saying I like it. Curmudgeoness Aug 2012 #9
About the knees... haikugal Dec 2012 #14
That is a good idea. Curmudgeoness Dec 2012 #15
I'm going to try it tomorrow... haikugal Dec 2012 #16
Good to know. I really don't understand why builders use linoleum - it's cheap, but really Flaxbee Aug 2012 #7
I would dearly love the original linoleum that looked like rugs and had pretty patterns. Lars39 Aug 2012 #10
They still make it TexasBushwhacker Aug 2013 #18
Surely the main issue dipsydoodle Sep 2012 #11
Spam deleted by Elad (MIR Team) Johnmichelsr Nov 2012 #12
Welcome to DU! hrmjustin Nov 2012 #13
this topic kaanguler Mar 2013 #17
Here.... MADem Sep 2013 #19
Message auto-removed Name removed Dec 2013 #20

Curmudgeoness

(18,219 posts)
1. This is not the greenest product,
Thu Aug 16, 2012, 09:20 PM
Aug 2012

but I found this out on time when I was a klutz and spilled a lot of Fantastik on an apartment linoleum floor that was so filthy looking, but scrubbing did nothing. By the time I got a rag and cleaned the spill up, I had a beautiful white spot on the floor. I poured a whole bottle on the floor, spread it around with my hands, left it sit for a little while, and wiped it all up. I was shocked at how beautiful that floor was under all the wax/dirty/whatever.

Flaxbee

(13,661 posts)
3. Huh. Interesting. Will keep that in mind. I don't think these floors have heavy wax, but
Fri Aug 17, 2012, 02:02 AM
Aug 2012

dirt has accumulated in the little linoleum crevices and I really want a clean floor (before we move ... not motivated to do it before then!)

Lars39

(26,116 posts)
2. Ace Hardware has a scrub brush with a broom handle that is specifically for linoleum.
Thu Aug 16, 2012, 11:24 PM
Aug 2012

I couldn't afford the shark steam thing so that was my solution. I used an ammonia solution, scrubbed, then mopped, doing small sections at a time. Not the easiest, but it got that &*#%^%# off-white linoleum clean.

Flaxbee

(13,661 posts)
4. OK, I'll look for that - we have an Ace nearby.
Fri Aug 17, 2012, 02:03 AM
Aug 2012

I'm not averse to scrubbing, I just don't want to be on my hands and knees, and I don't want to do it often!

Curmudgeoness

(18,219 posts)
6. I always get down of the floor to scrub it
Fri Aug 17, 2012, 06:45 PM
Aug 2012

but I can't handle the pressure on my knees either. So I sit with my legs crossed in front of me and scrub that way. Where there's a will, there's a way.

Flaxbee

(13,661 posts)
8. I just resent having to spend the time to sit on the damn floor and scrub it.
Fri Aug 17, 2012, 08:53 PM
Aug 2012

I have other things I actually WANT to do.

But duty calls.

Harumph.

Gotta do what you can to protect the knees, though.

Curmudgeoness

(18,219 posts)
9. Hey, I'm not saying I like it.
Fri Aug 17, 2012, 09:54 PM
Aug 2012

And I'm not saying I do it often. But I am saying that this is my answer to saying my knees while scrubbing the floor....you know, maybe once every 3-4 months.

haikugal

(6,476 posts)
14. About the knees...
Thu Dec 13, 2012, 04:27 PM
Dec 2012

I haven't done it yet on my very dirty light colored kitchen floor (dogs, cats..people walking dirt in and me not well) but....I plan to use a foam garden kneeling pad. I think it will help.

I use biogreen clean and it does a nice job on almost anything. I don't have wax buildup so can't speak to that.

Curmudgeoness

(18,219 posts)
15. That is a good idea.
Thu Dec 13, 2012, 07:28 PM
Dec 2012

I don't have one, but have considered one for working out in the yard and garden. It never occurred to me to use one in the house. Duh. So far, sitting instead of getting on my knees works for me, although it probably takes me longer to get done since I can only do a small section that I can reach at a time.....but I get it done.

I am going to get myself one of those to see if it works.

haikugal

(6,476 posts)
16. I'm going to try it tomorrow...
Thu Dec 13, 2012, 09:44 PM
Dec 2012

I'll be working on small areas as I go as well. I'll let you know what happens...I think as long as I can have 3 points of contact and a free hand I'll do fine..

Flaxbee

(13,661 posts)
7. Good to know. I really don't understand why builders use linoleum - it's cheap, but really
Fri Aug 17, 2012, 08:49 PM
Aug 2012

frustrating.

And I really do not want to spend my time grubbing around on the damn kitchen floor! Argh! Why can't easy-to-keep-clean materials be convenient and inexpensive?

Lars39

(26,116 posts)
10. I would dearly love the original linoleum that looked like rugs and had pretty patterns.
Fri Aug 17, 2012, 11:38 PM
Aug 2012

From reading about them, the pattern went all the way thru, so even worn spots looked ok.

TexasBushwhacker

(20,214 posts)
18. They still make it
Thu Aug 29, 2013, 07:35 PM
Aug 2013

It's actually a much greener product than vinyl tile. It's made of solidified linseed oil, tree rosin, sawdust, and chalk, plus pigments, so it is biodegradable and safe for landfills. The tree rosin is naturally anti-bacterial, so that's why you still see it in hospitals and schools to this day. The term "linoleum" became generic for all tile, so true "lino" now has the trademarked name "Marmoleum".

Linoleum/Marmoleum comes in dozens of colors:

http://www.forbo-flooring.com/Commercial-flooring/Products/Linoleum/The-next-generation-of-Marmoleum/

dipsydoodle

(42,239 posts)
11. Surely the main issue
Wed Sep 5, 2012, 05:54 PM
Sep 2012

is whether its real lino, made of natural fibres, or vinyl. If its real lino I'd use meths to clean of any dirty wax deposits and the clean the residue off with baby wipes - the cure of most ills. If its vinyl then almost nothing is likely to damage it.

Response to MADem (Reply #19)

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