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Linoleum is an inexpensive and quite popular option for flooring. The fact is that it gives the floors an attractive appearance, it is easy to clean and care for. But currently there are rumors that linoleum needs to be washed with ammonia.
But won't this damage the coating? Is it advisable to use ammonia as a care product for linoleum? How will it affect him? In this article we will try to cover all these issues in detail.
Why do you need ammonia in your first aid kit?
A 10% ammonium solution, or ammonia, is used to bring a person out of a fainting state: moisten a cotton swab and bring it to the nose. An alcohol solution of iodine 5% is necessary for quick treatment of wounds around the edges. An effective antiseptic. A sterile bandage 5 m × 10 cm is needed to close open wounds.
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Some tips
After cleaning, we advise you to go over the linoleum again with a polish based on wax or mastic. Such a coating will protect your linoleum from dust, fading, and accumulation of large amounts of dirt.
Washing your floors this way will also help you get rid of cockroaches. The fact is that these insects do not digest the smell of ammonia and try to immediately leave the room whose surfaces are saturated with it. The only disadvantage of ammonia is its pungent odor. But if you ventilate the room well after cleaning, you can easily get rid of it!
AlinaAuthor of the article
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Fabric bleach
Over time, during wear, any white item loses its original color and begins to fade, acquiring a gray tint. Washing machines with the best powders and bleaches may no longer cope with this problem. Quite often such things end up in rags.
However, “grandmother’s” recipes using ammonia will help here too. It is enough to combine one tablespoon with two tablespoons of 3% hydrogen peroxide and pour everything into a bucket of hot (60-70°C) water. First you need to wash the laundry, then pour the prepared solution into it so that it covers the clothes for 20 minutes. Then rinse twice in running water.
How to wash linoleum to make it shine: best cleaning tips (video)
We tell you how to make linoleum care products at home and which rags are best to use for cleaning floors.
Linoleum is a flexible and virtually problem-free floor covering, which is an excellent alternative to its more expensive and finicky “colleagues”. Another advantage of linoleum is its diversity. The wide range of colors, patterns and even textures can make it the perfect addition to any interior.
If linoleum were a person, it would have such qualities as tractability and patience. But, as you know, everyone - even the most tactful and restrained - has their own limits of what is permitted. You can run into them as quickly as possible if you consistently demonstrate disdain and indifference.
Simply put, without proper care or improper cleaning, linoleum can quickly become dull, cracked, or blistered. In this article we will tell you about the most effective tips that will help prolong your friendly relationship with this “communicative” flooring.
Removing fly marks from glass
Traces of flies on glass are inevitable in the summer. These could be windows in an apartment, your own home or in a car, as well as mirrors, glass tables and other surfaces on which these insects like to sit. Every car trip ends with black spots along the entire perimeter of the windshield and headlights. If the stains are old, it takes a lot of effort to remove them.
If you mix 1 part alcohol and 10 parts water and wash the glass surface with this solution, the marks will quickly be removed. There will also be no streaks or other stains on them.
Vinegar for house cleaning
Vinegar is traditionally produced through biological synthesis from acetic acid bacteria, which in turn are obtained from alcohol-containing raw materials. Vinegar has been known since ancient times: the first mention of it is found in sources about ancient Babylon, where acetic acid was obtained from dates.
Vinegar (6% or 9%) diluted with water is also a fairly universal remedy that will help keep your home clean and fresh.
If you mix vinegar and water in a one-to-one ratio and add a little lavender oil for scent, then you can use this solution to wipe floors and window sills, and remove stains in the bathroom or kitchen.
With lime stains on plumbing fixtures
you can say goodbye if you first pour vinegar over them, then sprinkle a little baking soda on them and leave them like that for a while. Afterwards they can be easily removed with a sponge or brush.
With a solution of 9% vinegar and water in a ratio of one to five, you can easily wash the dirtiest windows by simply applying the resulting product to the glass and then wiping it with paper (for example, newspaper) or a clean rag.
What to do to remove scratches
If used carelessly, using abrasive detergents or metal brushes, cracks will form on the surface of the laminate. The choice of solutions and tools for laminate care must be approached responsibly, otherwise scratches cannot be avoided. You won’t be able to get rid of them completely, but so that they don’t catch your eye, they need to be disguised.
This is done using a sealant (special repair paste) or a wax pencil. The pencil is used for small scratches. Select a product that matches the color of the floor covering. Apply a thin layer strictly to the scratch, trying not to go beyond its limits.
Excess is immediately wiped off with a dry cloth. When the product has dried, it can be coated with clear nail polish. Deep cracks are sealed with a mixture of gypsum, sawdust and water, taken in equal parts.
Removing scuffs
Often abrasions on laminate flooring appear in two cases: when the material has low wear resistance or when special detergents with a protective effect were not used when caring for the floor. Typically, abrasions form in places with high traffic: kitchens, hallways.
To get rid of small abrasions, it is recommended to use wax. It is carefully applied to the erased area, without going beyond the boundaries of the damage. Allow to dry and polish with a soft cloth. When the abrasion occupies a large area, it is first rubbed with the finest sandpaper, then the area is cleaned of dust.
Re-grind and get rid of dust. The treated surface is coated with a special varnish for laminate. After the varnish has completely dried, the floor is waxed.
A polish can remove scuffs, strengthen the protective layer and add shine to a laminate floor. The product is applied to the damaged surface. After absorption, the abrasion is rubbed with a dry cloth. The polish leaves no traces and is well absorbed. It is recommended to use 2 times a year.
Laminate is an excellent floor covering: easy to install, available in a wide range of colors, resistant to wear and tear and easy to maintain. Proper care of laminate flooring and careful operation will extend its service life. It will delight the owners of the house with its cleanliness and radiance for a long time. And for those who still prefer the more familiar linoleum, recommendations for its installation will be useful.
How to wash parquet
How to clean wooden floors? It is better to clean parquet regularly with water and vinegar.
Expensive, exquisite parquet flooring must be washed from dirt carefully and preferably with your own hands. After all, its protection from damage is important. Often parquet flooring is not varnished, but simply rubbed carefully and regularly.
Lacquered parquet flooring should not be cleaned with dry powders to avoid scratching the varnish. And you need to regularly refresh it with polish.
For frequent washing, you can purchase a special steam mop (pictured) so that the coating does not get wet
Moisture will penetrate even with a water-repellent coating: into microscopic crevices, cracks, holes. Then the wood will become deformed, the floor will begin to creak, and the parquet boards will fall out.
Mustard for washing dishes
Few people know, but mustard copes well with greasy dishes, easily and completely cleaning them, without leaving grease on the hands and without harming the skin of the hostess’s hands.
To make it convenient to wash dishes with mustard powder, you need to pour a small amount of it, for example, onto a tin or plastic jar lid, and then dip a damp sponge into it. A little powder will remain on the sponge, which can be used to wash everything from greasy pans and plates to tea and children's dishes.
Mustard powder is easily washed off from the surface of dishes and is absolutely harmless not only to humans, but also to the environment.
If hard lumps have formed in a container with mustard powder, you need to pour a little water into it, and the resulting mixture, which has a consistency similar to sour cream, also successfully continues to wash the dishes.
Efficiency of the method
When it comes to efficiency, there are many factors to consider. For example, is it an apartment building, how contaminated is the premises, the feasibility of use. Most often, this technique is most effective if cockroaches have just appeared in the room and there are only a small number of them; it is also ideal to use as a preventive measure.
Regarding those rooms where there are a lot of them, it is important to understand one simple thing: the territory is quite large, it is simply impossible to process absolutely everything, so the fight can drag on for a long time and will not be very effective.
In this case, it is advisable to use chemicals and, in some cases, contact specialized services. There are now a large number of drugs, so there will be no problems with the choice.
Another important point, remember that they have an excellent sense of smell, so they always follow the smell that brings them to our apartments.
To avoid creating ideal conditions for cockroaches, follow simple rules:
- Try to wash dishes after every meal, then flush the sink and wipe down the sink to keep it dry;
- Take out the trash as often as possible, wash the bin and the floor where it stands;
- Do wet cleaning of the premises as often as possible;
- Products should be stored in the refrigerator or containers that are hermetically sealed.
- Don't forget about preventative measures.
How to clean plank floors
Ideally, you can wash the board covering only with your hands and a soft cloth, but not with a mop!
Wood cannot be cleaned with dry products , abrasives, or undissolved soda. Hard brushes and rags will also scratch it.
A fleecy cotton cloth will remove all dirt without damaging the varnish.
When choosing which rag is best to wash the floor with, we will prefer cotton. It wrings out well, is soft, and adheres to the surface as much as possible. The result is a perfectly clean floor.
For daily cleaning, you only need to lightly moisten the mop head.
Ordinary cleaning - clean water and a damp (it should not drip) mop.
General – using diluted floor cleaner. The flooring is generously moistened with it, the cracks are washed out, and then the wet surface is wiped dry.
Method 1. How to wash an unpainted floor
Unpainted flooring is the most difficult to maintain - wood absorbs dust and moisture.
Before washing, unpainted floors must be freed from debris with a vacuum cleaner. Particular attention is paid to the joints of the boards. After all, it is in these irregularities that dirt is deposited and is especially noticeable. And it’s not easy to wash it out even with a brush.
Unpainted wood deteriorates from moisture: it swells and bends.
Then the stains are examined, because different contaminants are removed in different ways.
Professional compounds will cope with many stains
Proven old ways:
- Baking soda powder removes black marks from shoes (it can be used on unpainted surfaces). You need to sprinkle baking soda on the dark mark, and then wipe the area with a damp sponge. And the grains of soda will be sucked in by the vacuum cleaner.
- with alcohol or vodka . Then use a sponge and soda to clean off the mark.
- with a solution of ammonia ; it will easily remove them. Then remove the remaining sticky substance with a spatula.
Having eliminated all stains, you can begin general washing.
Here's what's best for cleaning floors if they're unpainted:
- take lime and sand (you need to mix 50g and 150g, respectively);
- Add 4 liters of water to the mixture;
- then wash the unpainted boards with a soft brush.
This solution will perfectly clean unpainted wood flooring and also disinfect it. After drying, vacuum the floor.
Baking soda and vinegar are age-old products for cleaning and disinfecting plank floors.
Soda solution is a more affordable solution. Dilute half a pack of baking soda with 4 liters of water. Then wash the boards with a brush.
Vinegar and ammonia (2 tablespoons in 5 liters of water) - this composition can be used to wash the floors in the store and at home. It will ideally remove dirt from an unpainted wooden surface.
Let's look at how to properly wash floors after renovation.:
- Sweep up various debris with a broom;
- Use a vacuum cleaner to completely clean the boardwalk of construction dust. Now the ingrained dirt is already visible on it, as well as stains from paint, glue, plaster;
A special product and a hard sponge will make the work easier.
- We use products from the “Everything for Repair” line . Using these universal developments, you can quickly eliminate all repair debris.
Popular advice on how to wash floors after renovation offers proven compositions from available ingredients:
- Using sandpaper, carefully remove traces of glue without removing the paint;
- use a brush to clean off drops of plaster and lime;
- a glass of kerosene or gasoline in a bucket of water will refresh the wood after repair;
- diluted vinegar will immediately eliminate the acrid kerosene smell.
After washing, the surface is waxed - this is its protective layer.
The cleaned flooring is treated with a moisture-protecting agent with the addition of wax or silicone (the price of this composition is reasonable).
Method 2. How to clean painted plank floors
Brightly colored flooring may fade if not washed properly.
Painted floors are easier to clean . After all, dirt does not eat into the wood due to the monolithic layer of paint:
- Dilute vinegar or ammonia in water (1 spoon per 1 liter) and moisten a mop sponge or rag with the resulting solution;
- The mop should glide without leaving the surface . The correct way to wash the floor is to move the mop like a sailor: “figure eight”;
- For shine, you can make a solution of 2 tablespoons of vinegar, 1 tablespoon of preparation for the shine of cabinet furniture and 2 liters of water.
It is not recommended to rub the surface with wax or oil-containing substances, since painted wood does not absorb them, and instead of shine, sticky dirt will soon form.
Household chemicals are the solution to the problem of how to quickly clean the floors at home.
Stains from painted boards are removed locally with alcohol . Then “For the floor” products are used - they thoroughly wash the entire surface.
Such moistening is permissible only during “general” cleaning, and not daily
Urine stains can also be washed off. You will need:
- Dry napkin . Urine from a baby or pet becomes embedded in the wood structure. Therefore, it is immediately collected with a dry cloth.
- Dish detergent . Then gently wash the stain with dish soap.
- Ammonia . Next, wipe with ammonia diluted in a glass of warm water. It will return shine and uniformity to the surface.
- Vinegar. But washing the floor with vinegar and water (1:10) will eliminate the unpleasant odor and refresh the color of the painted boards.
The use of chlorine-containing products on a painted surface is undesirable: the smell will disappear, but the surface will brighten forever.
The final stage is to wipe the floor dry.
Reviews
helped us. True, I pour ammonia from a bottle near the water pipes, into the cracks behind the baseboard, wherever possible. 1 bottle -100 ml for the kitchen. I do this once a week. There are no more cockroaches of our own; only isolated specimens from the neighbors come running. And our plumber gave advice, although he spoke about 70 percent (technical), we decided to try it at the pharmacy. Then I wiped down all the shelves with diluted ammonia. Sometimes I add it to the water for the floor. I really don't want them to return. The plumber was forgiven for all his mistakes!
Lydia
https://www.woman.ru/home/medley9/thread/3985659/
Complete nonsense, I was able to get rid of it with the help of a modern gel that I bought at a hardware store.
Not a
https://www.woman.ru/home/medley9/thread/3985659/
Seal all cracks. And very carefully. You can try washing floors with ammonia.
Nataorkha
https://deti.mail.ru/forum/dosug/obo_vsjom_na_svete/sredstvo_ot_tarakanov/
Several times I came across advice with ammonia. I soaked a cotton pad in the liquid and wiped my nightstand, small places, and shelf. You need to take care of your fingers. Leave the room for a few minutes, the smell will disappear, but the cockroaches will sense it with their sense of smell for much longer. The cockroaches did not disappear immediately. But I did this a couple more times. And they haven’t been on my territory for a couple of months now.
lovechemistry
Safety precautions when working with ammonia
Ammonia in concentrated form can cause severe harm to human health. Ammonia vapors cause irritation of mucous membranes; skin contact with the substance leads to irritation and, in some cases, burns. Taking ammonia orally can result in either mild poisoning or more serious consequences, even death. Based on the above, the following rules should be adhered to:
- It is necessary to use ammonia in places inaccessible to children;
- before starting to work with an ammonia solution, it is necessary to protect your face with a mask or respirator, and your hands with rubber gloves (if possible, it is advisable to also use safety glasses);
To use ammonia safely, you must use a respirator and rubber gloves. - The room should be treated with ammonia with the windows open;
Treatment of the room using ammonia is carried out with the windows open - when using a concentrated solution, you must ensure that your loved ones do not inhale harmful fumes (it is best to treat your home when no one is at home and will not be in the next few hours);
- Care must be taken to ensure that the substance does not come into contact with mucous membranes and skin.
Returning the color of carpets and furniture
There are many different store-bought products available for cleaning carpets and furniture that create a lot of foam. The whole action becomes troublesome and time-consuming, and sometimes harmful to furniture and carpeting.
Ammonia will cope much better with dirt. First, the carpet or furniture needs to be vacuumed to get rid of accumulated debris and dust.
Then mix 3 tablespoons of alcohol with 1 liter of water. A sponge soaked in this mixture can be used to wipe carpets and upholstered furniture. Some housewives wait five hours and vacuum the surfaces being cleaned again.
