How to update old linoleum with your own hands

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Modern versions of linoleum are durable, but over the years the floor covering may lose its visual appeal.

If abrasions appear on the linoleum, the material has lost its elasticity, but there is no significant damage to it, you can update it by painting.

Painting will also allow you to redesign the flooring if you want to update the interior, but decide to save on buying a new one.

General procedure

⦁ Before painting, the surface of the linoleum is cleaned with medium-grain sandpaper, then the dust is carefully removed.
⦁ The surface is washed with an aqueous solution of soda, and then completely with water.

⦁ For better adhesion, degrease the linoleum with a solvent - white spirit.

⦁ Damaged areas are puttied and then sanded.

⦁ Cover skirting boards, furniture plinths and other surfaces adjacent to the floor with construction tape to protect them from paint.

⦁ Painting begins from the wall opposite the door, the paint is applied with horizontal strokes, and then with vertical strokes.

⦁ If after the first layer has dried the color is not bright enough, the surface is repainted.

How to remove a strong burn on linoleum

A serious problem can only be resolved by installing a patch. It’s worth accepting that it will most likely still be visible. However, if you do not repair the coating, sooner or later water will get into it. Due to dampness, fungus and mold may develop under the material.

In this case, you will need to find a piece with the same pattern as on the damaged area. It’s good if you still have spare parts after the repair, then the process will be greatly simplified. You will also need to buy type A cold welding adhesive (it is suitable for gluing new materials).

The workflow is as follows: cut a patch from a new piece. It should perfectly match the pattern with the old coating. It is important to cut 2-3 cm more on each side. Apply the patch to the damaged area so that the patterns match completely. Then carefully attach the patch on top with masking tape to hold it in place.

Afterwards you need to take a sharp knife. Use it to cut through the patch along with the piece to be replaced, then remove it. There may be old glue underneath, which should be cleaned off so that nothing interferes with the new spare part. Then use glue to attach the patch and let the composition dry. Once this happens, cold weld along the seam. It will dissolve the polyvinyl chloride along the edges, the joints will be almost invisible, and the patch will become one with the coating. This step must be completed, otherwise the seams will come apart in the future.

Instead of patches, you can purchase a special set of stickers at a hardware store. In this case, it is unlikely that you will be able to select a perfect picture. However, if you try, you can stick them on so that no one will guess that they were used to hide the burnt area.

Alkyd based dyes

Such materials are a modern version of well-known oil and enamel paints.
With their help, the coating acquires a bright color, resistance to abrasion and fading. Alkyd paints have high adhesion. The main disadvantage of such dyes is their persistent pungent odor. In addition, light colors become yellowish over time.

To cover linoleum, it is better to use the following options: ⦁ Classic enamel. The paint will dry in 5-6 hours, forms a durable coating, and fills microcracks and pores of the material well. ⦁ Chlorinated rubber paint. This coating withstands the effects of aggressive substances - alkalis, acids, alcohol compounds. insensitive to impacts and scratches, not prone to cracking. The paint layer will dry in 2 hours. ⦁ The pentaphthalic option is budget-friendly, but practical: it fits well, the coating is durable, does not crack and is colorfast. The main disadvantage is the long drying period - about a day.

Acrylic paints

A good option for work: during the process you will not feel an unpleasant odor, and the uncured composition can be easily removed with water.

The acrylic coating has good adhesion to the polymer surface; over time, the paint layer will not turn yellow. The paint is resistant to mechanical stress.

Acrylic compounds are more expensive than alkyd ones. When painting linoleum, it is better to choose waterproof and moisture-resistant options.

Oil paints

If you need to fit into the most modest budget, you can choose this option. At the same time, this coating has some advantages - it adheres well to the surface, lays down in an even layer, dries quickly, after which it retains a pleasant glossy shine.

The disadvantage of oil dyes is the poisonous pungent odor, which makes work difficult, as well as the fragility of the layer - it wears out quickly.

Heat-resistant paints

Temperature-resistant materials are suitable for rooms with sudden temperature changes and intense exposure to sunlight. The paint layer does not suffer from changes from -30 to +300 degrees. These paints dry within 4-5 hours.

Restoring old linoleum

If all precautions were in vain, and your floors have lost their original shine and brightness, you can try updating the old linoleum.

Wet cleaning

Very often, to restore the shine to linoleum, it is enough to wash it thoroughly.
To do this, you can use special formulations prepared at home.

When caring for natural materials, it is advisable to also use natural ingredients.

To clean natural coatings, use a specially created Forbo product or its analogues. We dilute the product with warm water in a ratio of 10 parts water to 1 part product; in case of severe contamination, you can increase the concentration to 3 to 1. The resulting solution is applied to the floor surface and left for 10 - 20 minutes. Then the floors are thoroughly brushed and the dirty foam is washed off.

Design ideas

If the free floor surface is small, the use of a single color dye is justified. For large open spaces, a more creative solution can be found. ⦁ Stripes.
The bright striped floor looks impressive and modern. Depending on the design and color scheme of the room, you can apply wide or narrow stripes, with straight or irregular edges. The direction can be straight - perpendicular to the window to avoid glare or diagonal. You can decorate only part of the floor with stripes, thus creating a kind of “rug”.

⦁ Simple geometry

. The pattern on the floor in the form of a honeycomb or checkerboard looks impressive. Bright tartan is also suitable for interiors in ethnic style.

⦁ Patterns and drawings.

Depending on the style of the room, you can decorate the floor with a stenciled pattern or a hand-painted one. Such a pattern should not be too bright and clash with the color scheme of the room. A contrasting painting applied to a neutral background looks original, and even an image made in light colors can be easily cleaned, unlike a carpet or woven runner.

When choosing a material and painting method, you should focus on the functionality of the room. Heat-resistant and moisture-resistant options are suitable for the kitchen or bathroom; acrylic or alkyd paints can be used for living rooms.

Main contaminants and methods for their removal

• To clean the surface from stubborn dirt, it is worth preparing a soap solution. In this case, half a piece of laundry soap is dissolved in a bucket of water. Don't worry if all the dirt hasn't come off after the first wash. You can wipe the floor again, and then the result will not be long in coming.

Important! To ensure that the soap dissolves well in water, it is recommended to grate it on a coarse grater.

• When you notice small stains of wax or paraffin, proceed as follows: cover this area with any rag and run an iron over it. The substance will appear on your scrap, and the surface of the linoleum will remain clean.
• Greasy stains and stains can be easily removed with standard dishwashing detergent. “Ferry” showed himself well. When this option does not completely eliminate the problem, proceed to radical measures. For example, treat the area with turpentine.
• If you have shoe streaks on your floors, there is a great way to deal with them. Just erase them with a standard eraser. It is especially good when fresh.
• You can get rid of traces of brilliant green on the floor with any alcohol-containing product. But remember that sometimes the procedure must be repeated three times. Don't give up if you don't succeed on the first try. Traditional methods: you can sprinkle regular baking soda on the stain and pour vinegar over it. As the baking soda dissolves, the stain should also go away.
• Paintwork that has dried without you noticing it is difficult to remove. It is recommended to immediately scrape off the paint with a knife blade, and then carefully wipe the stain with a solvent. Its effect should be immediately tested on an inconspicuous area of ​​linoleum, and only then used on the spot.

Fresh paint is simply wiped off with a regular rag.
After removing small defects, you can begin to restore the shine and color of the floor surface.

Renewing the shine and color of linoleum

To give your floor covering its original appearance, you need to do the following:

• remove small imperfections - we stated this earlier;
• Clean the floor properly with a stripper. This special substance will make it possible to ensure good cleaning of linoleum from outdated contaminants;
• It’s great to wash the linoleum with water at home temperature to cleanse it of the alkaline composition. Afterwards, you need to thoroughly wipe the floor with a dry cloth. This will make it possible to get rid of divorces;
• treat the surface with the first layer of polish. The product is applied in a thin path with a shift of 2 meters, and then rubbed evenly over the floor surface with a short-haired mop. It is better to perform the movements in a figure eight;
• apply a second ball of polish, but in this embodiment it is already perpendicular to the first application. The procedure is similar in nature. Everything is done to ensure that the substance is evenly distributed throughout the linoleum, without causing streaks.

Main! You should wait about half an hour between reapplying polish. Moreover, there can be from 2 to 6 such layers, everything depends only on the passability of the site and its operational indicators.

Polished linoleum

Now you widely know how to reconstruct linoleum, more precisely, its former shine and color, without the involvement of professionals.

Removing iodine and brilliant green stains from linoleum

In families where children are growing up, they often have to deal with wounds and abrasions. To treat microtraumas, iodine and brilliant green are usually used. Not many people manage to carefully open the bottle without causing stains.

• Apply alcohol to paper towels and work the stain in a circular motion. If you start removing the stain immediately, this method guarantees complete removal of it.
• If you don’t have alcohol on hand, it is recommended to prepare hot water (preferably at a temperature above 60 °C) and add an active liquid detergent to it. Mix the solution and pour it onto the stain, wipe it with a clean cloth using quick movements so that the brilliant green does not eat into the surface of the linoleum.
• A fresh stain of brilliant green can be wiped off with table vinegar. First, remove the spilled greenery using cotton pads or napkins. Then apply a little vinegar to the stain and scrub.

Related article: Elastane fabric: properties, use and care

Use gloves when removing fresh stains of green paint. To prevent the stain from spreading, immediately place used rags, napkins, and cotton pads in the trash.

Several ways to make linoleum shine

Not every cleaning product can guarantee an instantly perfect result, and clean floors not only contribute to the health of all family members, but are also an indicator of the housewife’s neatness. The frequently asked question of how to wash linoleum to make it shine can be easily solved with improvised means, bypassing chemical compounds:

1. To make linoleum shine, the surface can be washed by adding potato broth or a few tablespoons of potato starch to the water.
2. An old “grandmother’s” recipe advises mixing cow’s milk and water in 1:1 proportions, washing the floor with this emulsion and wiping dry with a soft, clean rag. After the second application, the floors will acquire the much-desired shine.

If it seems to you that the above manipulations are not enough, then there are several options for how to rub linoleum to make it shine:

• special polishes and polymer mastics allow you to quickly and effortlessly return the surface to its original shine and increase the protective properties of the top layer of the material, thanks to the creation of a thin moisture-proof film;
• A few drops of linseed oil or drying oil applied to a clean sponge or woolen cloth, which should be used to work the entire floor, and then polished with a piece of dry flannel, also perfectly restores shine.

Linoleum should be treated at least once every two months.

To give the floor additional protection against dirt, treatment with drying oil or mastic can be done twice. It is important to let the coating rest after rubbing for 8-10 hours, reducing the load and, if possible, not entering the room at all.

Regular cleaning and the use of special protective equipment will keep the coating in its original form. And it will last for many years, maintaining its shine and beauty for a long time.

What can't you clean it with?

First, let's put aside the products that are not suitable for linoleum. For example:

• Avoid hot water immediately. It can make him swell.
• Often housewives, sharing their experience, recommend using soda. And put it aside. The alkali contained in this product causes damage to the surface over time. Baking soda is more suitable for dishes with a smooth structure.
• Abrasive products scratch it.
• Solvents and bleaches, which we sometimes use to remove stains, will discolor the design, and in severe cases can leave a corroded stain, all the way to the base.

It turns out that everything is not so simple, I wiped it with a rag and forgot. Any thing requires proper care, linoleum is no exception. After we have put the substances that are harmful in our case into the drawer, let’s think about what can be used.

How to update linoleum at home

Many people do not ask themselves how to ensure that linoleum does not lose its appearance during use. It must be said that sometimes it is better to properly care for the surface than to restore it later. Proper cleaning will preserve the shine and integrity of the material.

You can slightly update linoleum and give it shine using wax.

It is important to take into account that each type of defect has its own methods and techniques for elimination. You should not look for one universal solution to solve all problems.

The procedure for updating linoleum should be carried out once every six months - this will preserve its shine and eliminate scratches and abrasions. If linoleum has a polyurethane base, it can be updated using special equipment. But it is important to note that it cannot be used for materials that are too thin.

Wax renewal procedure:

Various restorative products can be purchased in specialized stores. The technique for applying them can be very varied - it depends on the level of surface damage. After applying the protective layer, it is recommended to clean the surface with a vacuum cleaner. There is no need to carry out wet cleaning too often: water can disrupt the structure of the material.