How to Clean Yellowed Linoleum

In time your bathroom linoleum can turn yellow.

In fact, it might not be the actual linoleum that has yellowed, it might be the wax and it’s caused by the reaction between the flooring and rubber backed rug or rubber shoes.

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It isn’t quite easy to remove these yellow stains if they have penetrated too deep into the floor surface.

For that reason, it is very important to clean your linoleum regularly.

Tips to Clean Yellowed Linoleum

1.      Buy a can of “Bar Keepers Friend” which it is a cleanser and is available in either powder or liquid. After wetting the floor, sprinkle Bar Keepers Friend and let it sit for 10 – 15 minutes. Then, rub with a sponge and remove the dirt with a cloth or paper towel.
2.      If the linoleum turned yellow under a rubber backed rug, you can use Magic Eraser to scrub it. Wet the floor and add some bleach and then scrub with Magic Eraser. Put back the rug only the floor is completely dried.
3.      In time your linoleum wax yellows. In this case you can use an ammonia based floor stripper.

But before that, mix a solution from baking soda and lemon juice. Use a brush to apply this mildly abrasive past to the yellow area and let it for 20 minutes.

Rinse the linoleum with a sponge or a damp cloth.

Clean thoroughly the area with warm water and dish soap. Allow time to completely dry.

Next, you can apply the ammonia to strip any dirt build-up. Scrub the area again using a sponge and then rinse with water and let it dry.

The last step is to apply 2 coats of floor wax.

In this way you can keep your linoleum like new for many, many years.

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