Whenever i try to clean it, some dirt does come off, but it seems impossible to actually make it clean.
I was wondering, what is the best product to use from coop or migros, or in general the best way to get to clean?
Our apartment has a small corridor which has linoleum on the floor. Over the years, this thing tends to attract a lot of dirt and grit.
No personal experience, but Google comes up with a few things which might be worth looking at.
I don't know if Migros or Coop have any of the things recommended, but a few tips can't hurt.
If you understand German well:
www.bodenleger-berlin.de/Anleitungen/DLW,%20Linoleum.htm
If you don't:
Mind boggling isn't it?
I have found that Mellerud products work where the standard things you find in Migros/Coop aren't effective. Mellerud makes a special linoleum cleaner.
http://www.mellerud.de/index.php4?se...me&LANGUAGE=DE
Coop Bau and Hobby carry some of the Mellerud line, if they don't have the linoleum cleaner ask if they can order it. Coop grocery stores generally don't stock these products.
ERA in Jona carries a more extensive selection of the Mellerud products, and have been happy to order something for me if it wasn't in stock.
Prepare a 5 - 10 % ammonia solution in water.
Open the windows and scrub the floors using a nylon scrub brush. You can leave the floors wet for 15 minutes, then mop up with warm water. This will efficiently remove the old wax and grease. Prepare a solution of 1 cup of vinegar to 1 liter of water and mop the floors (to neutralize the ammonia). Once dry, you can apply new wax/polish.
You can buy a solution to clean linoleum floors at Hornbach, but it is more expensive and it is ammonia based with some tensides added ... so basically the same as above.
[ Once dry, you can apply new wax/polish.
[/quote]
Was/polish to Lino? I have never heard of that. To get it clean, save yourself the stink of ammonia and use the cheapest cleaner you have and get down on your needs and scrub. It works, I did it.... polish... can you explain that one? It's plastic!! at the end of the day, rubber if you will, why polish??
Was/polish to Lino? I have never heard of that. To get it clean, save yourself the stink of ammonia and use the cheapest cleaner you have and get down on your needs and scrub. It works, I did it.... polish... can you explain that one? It's plastic!! at the end of the day, rubber if you will, why polish?? [/quote]
There are lino floors and vinyl floors. krlock3 mentioned lino so I answered to linoleum floors. Ammonia (Javel) smells but it is very efficient as a cleaning agent. And cheap. Standard detergents don't help with an old floor where previous owners have applied polish w/o cleaning the floor properly before.
As for your question,most manufacturers suggest a polish or wax for linoleum floors to protect the flooring. Vinyl floor manufacturers usually recommend against wax, especially once the protective sealant wears down. You can buy polishes that are safe for both linoleum and vinyl floors. Vinyl floors usually require resealing once the sealant wears down, and linoleum floors only require wax or polish.
You can google and see for yourself.
Are you sure it is linoleum and not vinyl? Vinyl is often sold as sheet goods, rather than tiles. If your hall is not extremely wide, you may not even see a seam. Most PVC floors are not meant to be waxed. Some of the products on the market clean and also coat the floor thereby making it harder to clean.
First you need to get all the residue off. I recommend the Mellerud products, making sure to choose the correct one for your floor. Always do a patch test to be sure you are not damaging the floor. Even using too harsh a scrub brush can do this. The colour may change as you are removing the dirt (similar to what happens when you scrub the grout in floor tiles).
Whatever you use, make sure the area is well ventilated, and if you have pets or children, best to make sure they are not nearby.
thanks for the replies, most helpful... i will watch out for the mellrud products.
to be honest, im not sure what the difference is between vinyl and linoleum.
Be careful with the Javel as it is actually bleach and could change the colour of the flooring. Scrubbing with washing -up liquid can work quite well.
Nice monkey. Don't know if this will work, but it worked for me. We got kind of desperate to get a tough stain out of lino in our old place, nothing worked, not bleach, not Mr Clean, his magic sponges or anything that should have gotten the stain out. In a moment of desperation I reached for the oven cleaner (foam stuff), I let it soak for a while, then wiped. It worked like a charm.
haha i did eye up the oven cleaner, but decided against.
Mellerud has two products you could choose from, one for PVC floors, that covers most synthetic floors. Then there is a cleaner for linoleum, so you do need to know which one you have. Why not take a picture and post it here? Linoleum is much harder than vinyl, and usually it must be waxed. It is often in smaller tiles while vinyl is in sheets. Vinyl dents, linoleum doesn't. Don't know if this helps Do you know how old the floor is? If it is very old and still in very good condition, it could very well be linoleum which lasts for years, as much as 40.
Here is the link with the index, in English, to the Mellerud product line.
If the flooring is very old, there is a possibility that it may contain asbestos. If it has any damage, or if you plan to disturb it, professional checking is recommended.
This site has a lot of good information about floor coverings. For instance:
http://www.theflooringlady.com/
Judging by that i think it must be vinyl. It is softer and is not in tiles, and it would dent more easily.
thanks a lot!!! The things you can find out at midnight on a monday on the englishforum, haha !!!
Sounds like vinyl from that description.
If it is vinyl, you could also try the WEGA product line, by SC Johnson. Here is the link (German only but the other English speaking coutry's websites don't have the WEGA product).
http://www.scjohnson.ch/de/products/index.php
First you would need the Wega "Radical" to take off all the old build up, and the floor will have no shine to it. then either the Wiwax or Brilliant next. But keep in mind that this product will put a coating on the floor.
SC Johnson is an international company so you might try sending an email if you want someone to better explain the use of this product. If I were you, I would first remove all the old residue, then you will see just how the floor looks and can decide what would look best.
Yeah, I was a bit confused about this.
Javel = bleach, some variety on the theme of sodium hyperchloride. Ammonia (NH3) solution is found in glass cleaner, and should always be treated with respect, as it is an irritant even at low concentrations, and it is toxic to fish. Never mix solutions containing ammonia with bleach, as poisonous chloramines can be released.
Cheers
Jim
Real Linoleum is an early Victorian invention made from linseed oil, pigments and a cork dust/wood flour paste, applied to a canvas backing and rolled into sheets.
Later PVC or a plasticiser were added for durability, but never asbestos.
The best way to clean the real stuff is with a mild vinegar solution using a wrung-out cloth, when dry the original polishing method involved a warm mixture of turps, milk and elbow grease! The easier way to polish it is to use a liquid wax. I can remember kitchen floors covered with it from my childhood, Lovely smell when it was new.
I doubt that your "Lino" is the original stuff though, as it's been out of fashion for many years, replaced by vinyl tiles and such. Making a come-back now though as it's considered eco-friendly.
Happy polishing!
I did try WEGA parkett but it didnt seem to help a great deal.