Professional advice: how to remove scratches on linoleum, various methods of correcting defects. How to remove scratches on linoleum

Rolled floor coverings made of polyvinyl chloride are inexpensive, but they quickly lose their "presentation". That's why questions like, "How to remove creases on linoleum?" have not lost their relevance for many years, because no one wants to re-renovate the floors every three to four years.

Below we will try to consider ways that will extend the life of your flooring and eliminate the consequences of the most common damage.

Prevention and preservation of the integrity of the coating

Operating rules

Any doctor you know will tell you that "disease is easier to prevent than to cure." This statement is true not only for the human body, but also for household appliances, furniture and decoration. The same applies to floor coverings - so that you don't have to figure out how to remove creases on linoleum, or how to eliminate traces of cat claws, you should take precautions in advance.

To avoid problems, you should follow fairly simple rules:

Linoleum has a relatively low tensile strength, because the main "enemy" of the coating is heavy furniture with metal legs. The slightest careless movement - and a hole with jagged edges forms in the material.

Advice! If the furniture cannot be replaced, it is worth using special overlays made of cork or felt. They are glued to the base of the legs and significantly reduce the risk of damage.

The second problem is deformation under prolonged pressure.... The wider the base of the furniture and the thicker the legs, the less noticeable the dents will be. So if you have linoleum in your apartment, then you should be very careful about the choice of cabinets and dressers. As a last resort, use special nozzles with a wide base.
Cats and dogs can also damage the coating with claws or teeth.... If you do not know how to wean a dog from gnawing linoleum - treat " favorite place»Vinegar or whiteness. The effect is almost one hundred percent!

Advice! In general, it is better to understand the reasons for this behavior. Sometimes just buying a couple of toys or a vitamin supplement helps.

Sand, small stones and dirt adversely affect the condition of the pavement in the corridor... Stacking more durable models (commercial and semi-commercial grades) and using mats to collect dust and dirt will help to avoid fast abrasion.

The above rules for the operation of PVC coatings are very simple and not burdensome, but their observance will provide the desired effect.

Surface care

In addition to observing the rules of operation, additional maintenance of linoleum can extend the service life:

The surface can be protected from most of the factors that adversely affect the condition of the coating by applying special films... These films are produced on wax or polymer base, and give linoleum increased chemical and mechanical resistance.

Advice! The film must be applied to a dry and clean floor. The application is carried out in two steps: first, we lay the base, and then the finishing layer.

In addition to protective films can also be used. They are best suited for homogeneous coatings.

Before doing wet cleaning experts advise walking on the linoleum with a vacuum cleaner or broom. This will remove most of the large, abrasive mechanical particles. And if we start rubbing the floor with a rag or mop right away, then these particles risk leaving quite noticeable scratches.

Wet cleaning of linoleum usually does not involve the use of specific household chemicals.

The optimal instruction in this case looks like this:

Dilute a common floor cleaner in water, following the manufacturer's recommendations.
Wipe the cover with a cloth dampened with detergent solution.
If necessary, repeat the operations until complete cleaning, periodically rinsing the cloth and changing the water.
Let the surface dry a little.
Wipe the linoleum with a damp cloth dampened with clean water- this will remove any residual detergent.
After drying, you can treat the surface with mastic.

However, in some cases, simple washing is not enough.

If the floor is very dirty, then apply special means for deep cleaning:

We dilute the product in water, then apply it to the dirt with a rag or sponge.

Advice! Never pour the concentrated solution directly onto the linoleum: some of the flowers will come off along with the dirt. Then it will be almost impossible to mask the resulting stain.

We keep the solution on the floor for 10-15 minutes.
We wash the linoleum thoroughly clean water and let it dry.

Since deep cleaners are highly corrosive, a surface treatment is desirable when using them. protective compounds or mastics.

We fight stains

Questions about how to remove the smell of cat urine from linoleum or how to remove a stain "embedded" in the coating are in no way inferior in popularity to questions about the rules of operation.

So what should you do if stains are found?

Greasy stains are the easiest to remove: first, blot the stain with a napkin, and then wipe it with dishwashing liquid. As a last resort (if the fat is stuck), we use turpentine.
White bloom removes the tile cleaner well. The main thing is not to leave liquid long time on linoleum, and immediately rinse with water.
Coffee and food colors leave fairly permanent marks that need to be removed with gasoline or kerosene. At the same time, we act very carefully so as not to discolor the surface.

Advice! Stains that remain after cleaning can be removed by treating with lemon juice.

But how to remove the smell of cat urine from linoleum?

The first way is to use baking soda... We pour baking soda on the “scene of the incident”, after 10 minutes we rinse it off and thoroughly wipe the floor.
Alternative - the use of hydrogen peroxide... Pour a bottle of peroxide into a plastic container, add dishwashing liquid, treat the stain and leave for 10 minutes. Then rinse off the product with clean water.

The side effect of these two methods is that the cat is more likely to no longer be dirty in the treated area.

Repair of mechanical damage

Cuts and tears

Despite the fact that the price of linoleum is relatively low, each owner strives to keep it intact for as long as possible. The more unpleasant it is to find a hole on the surface that not only spoils appearance flooring, but also gives access to concrete base moisture and accompanying microbes.

The most obvious way is to completely replace linoleum.

However, if you have a certain skill, you can not bring it to this by eliminating the damage yourself:

If the cut is minor, then the easiest way to eliminate the gap is by lifting its edges and pouring a few drops of glue under the cover. We press the damaged area to the base and put the load on it.

Also, to eliminate linear cuts, it is worth using cold or hot welding... The technology of its application is the same as for the processing of roll joints.

Large gaps are repaired by replacing part of the coating:

We put a small fragment of linoleum on top of the damaged area, combining the drawing.
We cut both layers along the contour with a special knife, getting a patch that is ideal for the cut hole.
We remove the damaged area, clean the base under it and prime it.
Apply glue to the patch and place it in the cut-out hole.

Advice! To avoid scoring corners, it is worth lubricating with glue and lateral surfaces patches.

We put plywood with a load on top of the repaired area, which can be removed in a couple of days.

Anti-scratch

Unlike cuts, scratches appear quite often: when walking in shoes with metal heels, when dragging heavy objects, due to "close contact" with the claws and teeth of pets.

How to remove scratches on linoleum, we will tell you below:

The easiest way is to wipe the traces of mechanical damage with a special wax crayon. True, it leaves traces noticeable at a certain angle, and it requires renewal at least once a week.
More effective method- putty of damage with mastic. It can be purchased at a hardware store, or you can make it yourself by mixing colorless varnish and floor scraps.
Apply the mastic to the affected area and rub it thoroughly into the scratches. Remove excess with a clean cloth.

Folds and dents

Dents and creases are another common type of coating damage.

It is quite possible to deal with them:

Before removing bubbles on linoleum, make sure that there is a gap of at least 5 mm between the coating and the wall. If it's not there, just trim the linoleum around the perimeter, and pretty soon the material should level out.

A slight swelling can be punctured with a needle or awl, releasing excess air. It is better to do this immediately after gluing, as the elasticity of the material decreases over time.
The easiest way to flatten the fold is by placing a board or plywood on it and placing a small weight on top.
Dents are most often formed with prolonged exposure to weight loads. In order for the material to straighten out as early as possible, it is worth taking a small metal roller or ball from the bearing, and rolling the edges of the dent, restoring their elasticity.

If this does not help, then you should warm up the damaged area with an iron: under the influence of high temperature, the material will become malleable and quickly take on its original shape.

Advice! It is necessary to warm up the material either from the seamy side, if possible, or through a multilayer lining made of cotton fabric. To avoid damage to the coating, the gasket should be moistened ammonia, and put the iron on minimum heat.

And yet it is better not to bring it up to repair, because without proper experience there is a risk that you will only aggravate the situation.

Conclusion

We hope you find the tips above helpful and questions like "What if there is a crease in the floor?" or “How to remove the smell of cat urine from linoleum?” will not baffle you.

Often scratches appear on linoleum. The reasons are not the same: they are left by furniture legs when moving or the claws of animals living at home. The question arises, can this be corrected?

What does it work for scratch?

Why can't you wave your hand at scratches, because, most quickly, they are not even visible? There are several negative points:

the durability of the coating decreases;
working time is reduced;
the outer beauty of the floor covering is lost.

The main thing! If linoleum managed to wear out thoroughly, and the scratches became widespread, then the coating will need to be repaired.

Fast method

Remove flaws like this:

The edges of the "wound" are cleaned with the edge of a metal coin.
The depth of the defect is examined. If the color of the coating has not changed, then the "wound" is shallow. In this embodiment, the scratch is covered with wax.

For example, removing scratches on laminate flooring is more difficult than removing scratches on linoleum. Well, for the latter, you can use beeswax.

Removing the defect

The disadvantage of using wax to restore the coating is the formation of a sticky surface that attracts dust, debris and other small objects.

Professional way

Floor mastic

To remove the flaw, you can apply a professional method using linoleum mastic. Before running to the supermarket for mastic, you need to find the remains of linoleum in order to choose a product by shade. If buying mastic in a store is not possible, or you just feel sorry for cash, then you can prepare a similar remedy at home. For this in floor glue stir the nail polish of the optimal shade.

Scratches are cleaned in advance and only after that the prepared composition is applied with a brush. The applied mastic is left to dry for 1-2 hours.
As soon as the mastic hardens, the surface is lightly sanded with fine sanding paper.

If a hand-made product is used, then first it is tested on an unnecessary piece of linoleum. So it will be possible to vary the color of the composition and its consistency if it does not fit.

Now you know how to remove scratches on linoleum and understand that it does not take a lot of time. You can personally restore the former beauty of the coating and increase its service life, and ignoring this will cause, with some period of time, still severe damage in the place of a not very large scratch.

Even the most durable linoleum during operation can receive significant mechanical damage, leading to the formation of scratches of varying depth. Such defects significantly spoil the appearance and reduce the overall strength of the product, which shortens its useful life. However, do not immediately change flooring, because in most cases, defects can be eliminated on their own.

IMPORTANT. If the floor covering has multiple defects or deep enough gaps, then it will no longer be possible to save it.

Linoleum scratched - how to fix it?

The appearance of various defects on the flooring is most often carried out: violation of the installation technique, the use of an overly soft lining or mechanical stress. Then the question arises - how to remove scratches from linoleum? Before proceeding with repair work, you first need to assess the extent of the damage. If the damage is deep enough, then it will take a lot of effort, but the holes cannot be eliminated at all. Only a few tools are needed to repair minor damage. This is:

Large coin.
Wax candle.
Mastic.
Nail polish.
Small pieces of material with a similar pattern.

As a rule, almost all materials are available at home and repairing the coating does not require any significant cash costs.

How to repair a scratch on linoleum

There are several ways to eliminate coating defects: using a coin, wax or mastic.

How to erase scratches on linoleum with a coin

If the resulting defect has uneven fluffed edges, then you must use a regular coin. It is desirable that she was big size... To do this, the edge of the coin must be carried out along the scratch in the direction of the terry. This action must be repeated until the terry is the same color as the floor covering. The defect will be significantly smoothed out and will not be so noticeable.

REFERENCE. Pressing too hard on the coin can make the situation worse!

With wax

For minor damage ideal option become wax or wax candle... It must first be applied in a thin layer to the places where defects have formed, and then wax the entire surface of the floor covering.

REFERENCE. The disadvantage of this option is that the wax wears off over time and the procedure will have to be repeated from time to time.

Using mastic

To eliminate defects, there is a special mastic that can be purchased at a hardware store or made yourself. When buying, the most important thing is to choose the right color, so it is advisable to take a small piece of linoleum to the store. There are also sets with mastic and colors that allow you to choose at home desired color... Removing scratches is done as follows:

The edges of the defect must be cleaned from the existing dirt and dust.
If there is a terry, it must be rubbed.
Scratches are degreased.
If a mastic with a color scheme is used, it must be prepared. To do this, you need to add a dye to it that matches the color of the coating. The pigments included in the kit allow you to achieve the perfect match of the shade. To get the desired color, you can use several dyes.
The resulting composition with a spatula must be applied to the damaged area. The surplus must be removed.
After the composition has dried, it needs to be polished. This can be done with a cloth or sandpaper with the finest abrasive.

Mastic can also be made at home. To do this, you need to take clear nail polish and small pieces of linoleum. With the help of a coin, you need to make shavings from these pieces and pour them into the scratches. Then you need to apply nail polish.

REFERENCE. It is advisable to first test the nail polish on a small piece of linoleum, as it can damage the surface.

Removing defects is not difficult. However, it is best to try to avoid them by being careful with your flooring.

Very often, during the rearrangement of furniture, and just during operation, they remain on linoleum small defects in the form of scratches, that is, it is damaged protective layer, giving the coating a glossy shine. It will not be possible to completely remove this damage, and it is quite possible to make it less noticeable.

The choice of scratch removal method depends on the degree of damage. If there are burrs along the edges of the scratch, first of all you need to get rid of them. For this, a large coin is used, the existing burrs are slightly rubbed with its edge, this will remove and make the transition of the depth of damage less noticeable. This procedure should be carried out carefully so as not to further damage the linoleum.

Next, the depth of the damage is determined, and if the damage is superficial and the layer with the pattern is intact, then in order to remove the defect, it is enough to rub it with wax or crayon. If the coating is completely new, then the place of repair must be slightly waxed and polished, and if there is no gloss, then this procedure will have to be done over the entire area of the coating.

In case of a shallow scratch with damage to the pattern on the linoleum, you can remove the light strip on the coating using a special retouching pencil, its shade must be very carefully selected so that it does not differ from the shade of the floor covering. The entire length of the damage is carefully sketched with a pencil, trying not to go beyond the contours, after which the place of repair is waxed and polished.

With deeper scratches on the linoleum, it is a little more difficult to remove them, since all the previous methods will not give the desired result. There are special mastics for linoleum with color fillers, their shade will also have to be carefully selected. The defect is filled with this tool, according to the instructions. Before starting such a repair, it is advisable to check the mastic on an inconspicuous area of the floor or on the rest of the coating.

In the absence of the required shade of mastic or in the case when it is completely impossible to purchase it, such a tool can be made independently. This will require the linoleum remaining after laying. It needs to be scraped off upper layer with a sharp object, and mix this "dust" with glue for welding linoleum or transparent nail polish and fill the place of the defect with this compound. Such a product must also be checked before application so that the composition does not corrode the coating, otherwise a defect will arise that cannot be removed.

It is worth noting that scratches are most noticeable on the new glossy coating, and you can remove small defects by regularly using special gloss products.

If in one of the rooms of your house you have chosen linoleum, then be prepared that very soon this coating will be subjected to various mechanical influences that will contribute to the formation of all kinds of damage on its surface. And this cannot be avoided, no matter how well you treat your gender. Let's now figure out how to remove from subtle flaws to holes that are striking right in the eye.

Materials and tools

With the holes, we bent a little - it will not work to remove them. You can cover up the hole with something, and then use the most recent method of the article. And to remove minor flaws you should have at hand several remedies to help you get rid of the damage:

Coin - the larger the better.
Wax or wax candle.
Linoleum mastic.
Nail polish.
Scraps from this linoleum, left over from the flooring process.

Removing damage

With a coin

So, decide how deep the scratch is. If there is any furniture on it, then why do anything with it? If your flooring is torn to such an extent that you can see the terry from the protective layer, then you have to sweat a little. Take a large coin in your hand and, directing it with an edge to this terry, start rubbing and rubbing. Soon the terry should take the form of the main one, smoothed out and will not be so noticeable.

The disadvantage of this method is that if you overdo it, you may not just not get rid of the damage on the floor, but even make a huge hole in it!

With wax

Further, the article will discuss how to fix scratches on linoleum with wax. If there are barely noticeable scratches on the floor, then this is when you should use a wax coating. Apply a layer of wax to these lesions, then, if possible, cover with wax all over. So the imperfections of the floor will become barely noticeable. But before covering up with wax the smallest flaws, make sure that this method will be practical for you, due to one single drawback (read below).

The disadvantage of this method is that you will periodically have to rub the entire floor in the room with wax, as the wax layer will wear off over time.

Using mastic for linoleum

We take the wallet in hand and head to construction market or to a store where you will need to purchase a special mastic for linoleum. If you have pieces of yours, take them with you. This will make it easier to find the right mastic color! After purchasing it, read the instructions and recommendations on the label and strictly follow them. Soon, there will be no scratches on your floor. This method is more professional, and from the disadvantages it is worth highlighting the fact that if you do not have pieces of linoleum, then it will be quite difficult to choose a color.

How to make mastic yourself

If you are too lazy to go to the store, then you can try to make homemade mastic. So, take either linoleum glue or regular nail polish (it must be transparent). Next, you will need one more important ingredient (in fact, there are only two of them) - these are pieces of linoleum left after the flooring. Take that same coin, rub the surface of these pieces with an edge and get shavings that match the color of your flooring. After that, pour the shavings onto the damaged area, and cover it with a layer of clear nail polish on top. The flaws were gone!

Important! Before using homemade mastic, move any piece of furniture where the floor is invisible. No, you shouldn't scratch this place. Just apply the varnish on and wait for it to dry completely. After 24 hours, check how the nail polish works on your flooring. Perhaps it has a detrimental effect on him and some kind of flaw will remain at the place of lubrication. If this is not the case, then feel free to cover up your damaged areas!

Conclusion

This is where the methods for removing scratches from linoleum end. Be careful in handling this and best of all try to avoid damage in visible places. As you understand, getting rid of them completely is almost impossible, and some methods to hide flaws require repetition (as is the case with wax).