How to care for linoleum: tips for careful operation
Linoleum is the most affordable flooring. This material is laid in apartments, institutions for various purposes, industrial facilities. Therefore, the daily care of linoleum and the rules for its conduct excites not only ordinary residents, but also employees of enterprises and state institutions responsible for the sanitary condition. Manufacturers of PVC coatings give recommendations on the operation of products. Companies specializing in the production of detergents take these tips into account when developing linoleum cleaning products. The buyer's task is to purchase a special detergent that is ideal for the type of flooring being used. To do this, you should carefully study the information on the package, which necessarily reflects the method of use of this detergent.
Content
How to wash natural linoleum?
In order to preserve the beauty of natural linoleum for longer, it is necessary immediately after laying to cover its surface with a protective composition. After applying special mastic, it is necessary to carefully polish the coating. As the protective layer is thinning, re-processing of linoleum is carried out. During the year, such procedures will have to be carried out two to three times, depending on the intensity of operation of the coating.
The protective layer serves for such purposes as:
- dirt repulsion;
- decreased adhesion of the material;
- increase in wear resistance;
- increase the service life of the floor covering.
Natural linoleum consists of natural components that are unstable to chemicals with strong dissolving power. The group of dangerous for linoleum products includes alkaline and acid-containing substances, as well as white spirit and all its analogues. The use of these and similar substances to clean the floor is strictly prohibited. You should also protect linoleum from accidental ingress of aggressive fluids during repair work. Why should you use a covering material, for example, a plastic film.
For daily care, use a vacuum cleaner or a soft rag pre-moistened with water, to which special detergents are added in an acceptable concentration. Manufacturers also place this information on the packaging.
Important! In order not to damage the surface layer of linoleum during cleaning, try to use equipment that does not have sharp edges and corners.
PVC Care Guidelines
Regular care will avoid the appearance of strong contamination of the floor, so you will not think how to wash linoleum. PVC coatings include polyvinyl chloride, so solvents and acetone should not be used during floor cleaning. Since these substances easily enter into a chemical reaction with polymers, which include polyvinyl chloride.
For quality care and reliable protection of the floor made of PVC coatings, a polymer layer should also be periodically applied.This will protect the coating from mechanical loads and from ultraviolet radiation, which affects the brightness of the color of the coating.
The protective layer should be applied to a dry, clean floor in two steps. After the treatment, the premises do not go for ten hours. Heterogeneous PVC coatings, in which the top layer is very thin, are most in need of protection.
Stain removal tricks
Young mothers caring for young children do not know how to wash the green from linoleum. No matter how carefully you handle this medicine intended for external use, anyway, at least a drop is spilled. Often there are cases of complete overturning of the bubble. To minimize the consequences of such negligence, it is necessary to immediately begin cleaning the spots from the spilled green.
Doctors working daily with a brilliant green alcohol solution recommend using camphor alcohol to remove stains from the surface of linoleum. Usually this tool is also in the home medicine cabinet. You can try and vodka, but the effect is weaker. In general, if time suffers, then the green spot will gradually disappear itself under the influence of detergents. However, in any case, measures must be taken to lighten the stain with household chemicals that are currently available in the house.
An effective folk remedy is elderberry, which is pounded and the resulting slurry is applied to the stain. Having intensively rubbed the place of pollution with a rag, you can see how the spot of brilliant green instantly disappears.
Stains from iodine are wiped off with the help of soda, which is poured on a damp cloth. Covering the stain with a rag, leave for a while. If the stain does not disappear, then the exposure time is increased.
Replacing the site - make a patch
Linoleum is usually not installed near fireplaces and stoves, as flying sparks can burn through the surface. For the same reason, it is necessary to carefully handle burning matches, which are able to melt a thin film of PVC coating. This is especially true for smokers. Unfortunately, getting rid of such a burnt spot will not succeed. We will have to replace this site with a new piece of linoleum.
To ensure perfect matching of the picture and evenness of the edges, you must:
- put a new piece of linoleum on top;
- cut through two canvases with a special knife at once;
- remove the flap with a defect;
- to clean the floor surface from the remains of glue;
- dry the base;
- apply glue and hold the sticker of the cut out new piece;
- if necessary, seal the seams with cold welding.
Professional polishing of linoleum
Linoleum polishing is carried out in order to restore the integrity of the protective layer, as well as to give the surface an additional shine. Experts recommend polishing at least once a week. In rooms with high traffic, the need for this procedure may increase.
- First carry out the usual wet floor cleaning.
- Next, the surface is treated with water, in which the detergent containing polishing agents is previously dissolved.
- In large production areas, linoleum is polished using special polishing machines. Such equipment is available for cleaning companies that provide services to all comers for the provision of professional cleaning of premises.
An idea of the operation of this equipment can be obtained by watching the following video.
General cleaning after repair
To minimize contamination of the laid linoleum during the next cosmetic repairs, it is necessary to close the coating with a protective material. In this case, you don’t have to painfully think about how to wash linoleum after repair. It will be enough to carry out wet cleaning in the usual way.
If the degree of pollution is high over a large area of the room, then it is better to bring in cleaning professionals from a cleaning company. Modern equipment in combination with effective detergents will clean any coating from building dust and dirt. Linoleum again sparkles with bright colors, as if it had just been laid on the floor.
General coating care recommendations
So here is one more thing:
- Protect linoleum from being crushed by legs from furniture. To do this, use nozzles, but not rubber. You can also apply protective sheets that allow you to distribute the load.
- At the entrance to the room should place special rugs that collect dirt, sand, dust.
- Protect linoleum from direct sunlight to prevent discoloration.
- Furniture items cannot be dragged along linoleum, because the probability of damage to the coating is very high.
- Do not use concentrated bleaching agents when cleaning the floor.
- Before wet cleaning, clean linoleum of dry debris with a brush or vacuum cleaner.
- Do not use chemical solvents to remove stains.
We hope that this material will help you learn how to care for linoleum. A stain or damage to the flooring will not baffle you. After all, you know what needs to be done so that linoleum decorates the room for several more years and copes with daily stresses.
Lydia 
Tamara Kostyushenko
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