We just moved to a house and the bathroom floor is gross. It's linoleum. There's a spot where you can see that they had a rug. Where the rug was, it's clean and light. The rest of the floor is darker and dingy. Is there anything that I can use to clean this?
That spot is caused by a chemical reaction between the rubber on the rug and the linoleum. Scrubbing the floor will most likely minimize the appearance (especially if the rest of the floor is dingy), but it's a permanent mark on the linoleum. We own a rental property with linoleum in the kitchen...I have researched it thoroughly trying to get rid of stains left behind from the rugs of our previous tenants.
I'm assuming you've already tried cleaning it and the floor is discolored from years of use? Have you tried a Magic Eraser? Those things are awesome.
If it just won't look cleaner, you will at least know it's clean.
Sometimes linoleum has been scrubbed too much and the top layer is ruined so it can't look clean again no matter what. We had that problem, our house is 40 years old and the kitchen and bathroom floor looked dirty no matter what. If your bathroom isn't very big, you can get a "remnant" at any flooring place for pretty cheap. You'll feel a lot better going barefoot on a shiny clean floor.
I would use a bleach/water solution and let the solution sit for approx 10 mins and then use a scrubber to get all the little areas (plus that will sanitze the floors too) Make sure you get a toothbrush to get around the toilets. if the floors are that nasty and they didnt clean them, can you imagine how often they cleaned the base of the toilet(prob never)
However my bathroom floors are discolored from where my shower rug is but that is because of sunlight. The only thing that helps mine is having no rugs on the floor and having the light shine in (for about a month) if its not that big of an area, you might just pay the $300 and have the floor replaced.
I agree with Denise P about the magic eraser. That's what I have to use on my old dingy bathroom linoleum. I think you'll be happy with the results!
i feel your pain...have the same problem. I tried the magic eraser and it didnt help. What did help some was a mix of vinegar and baking soda. i poured the vingegar straight on to the floor in sections and then threw baking soda on it. it will foam up - let it sit for about a minute and then scrub really hard with a brush. after you have done an area - take a damp cloth and go over it. you gotta really put some muscle into it and you will be sore tomorrow! you may have to repeat several times.
Honestly, if it is that gross- replace it! At Home Depot or anyplace like that, you can get linoleum 'tiles' that are really inexpensive. Taking up the old lino is not hard to do and any home center can teach you EXACTLY how to put it in and make sure you have what you need- seriously, it is NOT hard at all!
this way you can also see if there is mildew underneath or anything like that and take care of it - plus have a nice, new clean floor under your bare feet! That's what I would do anyway! :) good luck!
