Did you know that linoleum floors lose their shine even with regular cleaning? Yes, it will take some time before your floor starts losing shine. However, you need to ensure that you know how to make that dull appearance disappear.
Regular cleaning might not be effective on stubborn dirt on your linoleum floor. Regular mopping will help you maintain a clean home, but the stains will lead to some discoloration. Often the leading cause of the discoloration is a buildup of floor wax.
In this article, I will take you through how to make linoleum floors shine. We will also touch on everything you need to know to maintain a longer shine.
How to Shine Linoleum Floors?
Step 1: Cleaning
Before we can start looking at how to shine the linoleum floors, the first step is a thorough cleaning. The cleaning procedure is relatively simple for your floor. Start by sweeping or vacuuming the entire floor to remove any dust and dirt particles.
You could always use a dry microfiber to get rid of all the dirt on your linoleum floors. However, note that introducing water before sweeping off all the dirt and dust will turn the entire surface muddy. Cleaning will then become quite complicated and tiresome.
Mop with a solution of vinegar, lukewarm water, and a few drops of dish soap. Use one cup of white vinegar with a gallon of water for a more thorough clean. Understand that you should not use ammonia because it will damage your floor and strip the polish.
You then need to use fresh, clean water to rinse the entire floor. Rinsing is vital in ensuring that all the soap and vinegar residue is removed from the floor. Leaving soap to settle on your linoleum floor will reduce the shine.
Step 2: Applying Linoleum Wax Shine
Although floor wax isn’t ideal for vinyl floors, it is quite necessary for the upkeep of your linoleum floors. Note that you shouldn’t apply wax after every clean because this could lead to yellowing of the floor. Instead, you only need to apply wax every four to six months.
Regular waxing will help you maintain a shiny look throughout the years and decades to come. However, you need the right product if you want to get that perfect shine. Always use a liquid acrylic floor wax when re-waxing a linoleum floor.
Avoid paste wax because it won’t result in any sort of shine. Yes, it isn’t harmful to your linoleum floor, but it just doesn’t give you the desired shine.
You can start waxing the floor after it is completely dry. Now, waxing alone won’t give you that sparking floor that you need. Proceed to the next step to get a more shiny linoleum floor that will last for a more extended period.
Step 3: Floor Buffing
Immediately you finish waxing the entire floor; you need to start buffing using a lambswool buffing disk and a floor buffer. Although this step requires a lot of effort, the outcome is always worth it. Getting on your knees and using your hands is a small price to pay for perfection.
It will take you about 30 minutes to buff an average-sized living room or kitchen space.
How to Wax Linoleum Floors to Make Them Shiny?
Did you know that your linoleum flooring is sensitive to all acidic cleaning products? Waxing, therefore, help to maintain the beauty of your floor and protect it from the harmful cleaning agents.
However, how do you wax linoleum floors? Well. Let us take an in-depth look at the entire process.
Step 1: Remove Wax Buildup
Use specially designed strippers to remove wax from your linoleum floors. Understand that strippers made for vinyl can be rather harmful to your linoleum floors. You must, therefore, ensure that you purchase strippers that are specially designed for your floor.
Mix the stripper in lukewarm water and slowly apply it over your floor using a mop. Ensure that you give it enough time to soak – about 10 minutes. Work in small sections rather than the entire section at once.
You don’t want the stripper drying on your floor and creating a whole new problem. Use a brush to scrub the sections and mop up with fresh, clean water. Continue with the above steps until you complete the entire floor.
Give your linoleum floor time to dry up completely. Understand that your floor might appear somewhat dull, but this should not be a cause for alarm. However, never use a stripper on newly installed floors since there is no wax to remove.
 Step 2: Wax application
You need liquid acrylic wax for your linoleum floors. You will have to use two-three coats for the entire floor. However, you need to give the polish time to dry between the coats. Your floor will develop more shine when you add the extra coat.
You need to apply wax every four to six months to maintain the shine. Note that your floor might only lose shine on the high traffic areas. You can always apply wax to the specific areas that are affected rather than on the entire floor.
Buffing will help you get an even higher sheen. Now, buffing is rather labor-intensive and requires a lot of time. It will take you more than 30 minutes to complete your living room or kitchen space.
Finally, never use sealers for vinyl floors on your linoleum floors. These sealers are harmful to your floor and could cause severe damages. Completely removing all the old wax and applying three new coats of wax is recommended every 18 months.
How Can I Make My Linoleum Floor Shine Without Wax?
Sometimes, you might want to make your linoleum floor shine without y=using any wax. Well, this is entirely possible when you follow the procedure below.
Requirements
- Vinegar
- Hot water
- Dish soap
- cleaning bucket
- Broom
- Mop
- Nylon brush
- Towel
Procedure
- Start off by removing all the dust and dirt particles from your linoleum floor using the broom. You could also use a vacuum cleaner for this step. Removing all the dirt on the floor will ensure that the cleaning process is fast and straightforward.
- Mix one cup vinegar, a few drops of dish soap, and one-gallon hot water in a cleaning bucket (check the best bucket with a wringer.) The cleaning solution you create will give you a much better clean. Clean the entire surface of your floor using the solution.
- Sometimes, your linoleum floor might be losing its shine due to yellowing. In such circumstances, what you need is baking soda. Sprinkle baking soda on the affected areas and let it settle. You can then proceed clean using the cleaning mixture above.
- Proper cleaning will help restore the shine of your linoleum floor. Always ensure that you rinse your floors after every wash. Using a steam mop is an ideal way of ensuring that all soap residues are removed from your linoleum floor.
Tips for Keeping Linoleum Floors Shine
To prolong the life of linoleum floors, you must carry out proper cleaning. Below are a few tips to help you keep linoleum floors shinning.
- Always use a dry microfiber mop when removing debris and dust in high traffic areas
- Use a vacuum cleaner or soft-bristle brush once a week to remove dust and dirt from the entire floor
- Damp-mop your entire floor regularly using a solution of vinegar, hot water, and dish soap.
- Always use fresh, clean water to rinse off your linoleum floors
- Give your floor time to dry completely
- Ensure that there is no standing water on your floor at any time
- Perform a deep cleaning at least once every year
FAQs About Making Linoleum Floors Shine
1. Can you polish linoleum floors?
Yes, manufacturers recommend that you polish linoleum floors regularly to protect them. Polishing also ensures that your linoleum flooring looks great for longer. You will have to polish your floor when it turns dull due to traffic or wears.
2. Can my linoleum floors shine without using wax?
Yes, you can restore the shine of your linoleum floor without using wax. Mopping with hot water will help you remove dust and dirt buildup. Use a cleaning solution of vinegar, water, and soap dish to clean the floor thoroughly.
3. Can I whiten my yellowed linoleum floor?
Yes, you can whiten your linoleum floor using a solution of chlorine bleach. Let the solution sit for about forty minutes before cleaning up the affected areas. However, more damaged or aged linoleum floors will need the use of dry powder with bleach.
4. Will bleach damage my linoleum floor?
Understand that bleach is safe to use and won’t damage your linoleum floor. However, ensure that you dilute it with plenty of water.
Conclusion
It is quite natural for your linoleum floor to lose shine after a few years. The good news is that you can always restore this shine. This guide should help you restore and maintain the shine of your linoleum floor.
Note that you have to perform thorough cleaning at least once a week. Deep cleaning, however, needs to be done twice per year to maintain the shine.
