Help! I Want Clean Floors!

You know what works well on tough dirt and is very cheap? Baking soda! I use it on the stove, on that grease that just doesn't want to come up for anything - throw some baking soda with a scrubber and the grease cleans right off. Maybe it would work on the floor?

I have a wonderful product call Basic H. It gets the floor really clean. I can get it for you if you e-mail me at ____@____.com

I would use something like soft scrub, a bucket of warm water and nylon scrub pad. Oh and something to protect your knees =)

I would work in small sections and apply soft scrub with water and use circular motions with the nylon scrub pad. Do this to the whole floor, rinse with fresh water and a mop.

sounds like wax buildup to me. Remove the wax and your floors (and then stop waxing). They should look much cleaner once you remove the caked on wax.

Armstrong worked best for me.

But nothing works as good as replacing that linoleum with tile (check prices on Lowest, Builder's Surplus, etc). make it a do-it-yourself project with your husband. Make it a temporary priority. Do a small area at a time if you must.. Make it be a darker grout with a multicolor or multi-shade on the tile. Lots of handymen are good at this too. Get three prices from people recommended on Angie's List (inexpensive subscription needed -- or a friend who subscribes).

My mom cleans her linoleum floors weekly with bleach! If you do this, make sure the kids are not in the house till the smell is gone. She puts on a bleach solution and lets it sit 15 minutes and then she scrubs it on her hands and knees. Crazy, I think. But I thought you might want to know. Her linoleum is still sparkling and white.

I agree about the Shark steam cleaner. It didn't really clean up the dirt that well. I would spot clean the floor after a spill and dirt would show on the rag! Disappointing. Wish i could get my $80 back.

I use the magic eraser mop (no more on my hands and knees!) and Armstrong (expensive-made with ammonia.) Vinegar and water work well when I am in a hurry.

Sorry, I don't think the steamer will do it, either. Linoleum gets this way with age - they aren't so much dirty as they are stale. I have known people who have tile or wood floors, but my parents also used a very nice linoleum that looks like stones, and the darker color prevents them from looking dirty the way white linoleum does. You could also try area rugs. Good luck.

I agree with Julia S! Mr. Clean Magic Erasers are great!

I've been considering a steam cleaner and all the reviews I'm reading say to stay away from the Shark! I can't tell you how many reviews I've read that said it died in less than a year.

I had the same issue with our laundry room floor being vinyl. It's the only room in the house with that flooring. It was so discolored and mopping would not get it up. I finally got on my hands and knees and used a Magic Eraser to scrub each row a little at a time until it got done (actually it took several Magic erasers!). As much as a pain as it is, it just takes a lot of elbow grease. I ended up going to Home Depot and getting a large container of Pledge floor cleaner and used a cleaning rag on my hands and knees along with the Magic Erasers for the really dark areas. It worked. I think I just have to keep up with it more on a weekly basis not to keep it clean.

I got down on my hands and knees with a Mr Clean Magic Eraser last night and cleaned mine. They look great now.

Rip them out and put in wood floors!
sorry, no advice. we have wood and find it warm, not too hard/dangerous for little ones, and a scratch here and there adds character.

The mop and glow can seal in any dirt left. Over the years wax can yellow. I tried using a steamer on my floor and the tiles began to come up and crack. Since have had new floors put in.

Good luck.
J.

My MIL uses vinegar water on her floors.