How and what to wipe the green from linoleum without a trace?

Spilled green on the floor is a real natural disaster, as sometimes because of this you have to change the flooring. But if you know how to wash the green from linoleum, then such cardinal decisions can be avoided. Fresh antiseptic solution can be completely removed without any consequences for flooring. An old spot is more difficult to remove, since over a long period of time, the pigment in the solution (brilliant green - aniline dye) penetrates microcracks and stains not only the top layer, but also the porous linoleum substrate.

What to do if green spilled on linoleum?

In the event of green spillage on the floor, try to minimize the spot size to a minimum, that is, prevent it from dispersing in all directions. For this, any improvised moisture-absorbing products are suitable:

• dry rags;
• napkins;
• salt;
• sand.

Salt or sand should be poured into a small slide on the spilled green. Bulk substances will absorb part of the solution and thus prevent it from spreading over linoleum. Then they should be collected on a scoop, and wipe the stain with rags, napkins or toilet paper. This must be done very carefully, without touching the soiled napkins on the clean areas of the floor. If there is no salt or sand at hand, you can simply blot the brilliant green with rags, moving from the edge to the center of the spot. After this pre-treatment, you can begin to remove the green pigment.

Tip

All alcohol solutions, including brilliant green, dissolve well in water, so wet and even wet rags cannot be used for cleaning. They will help increase stains.

Quick tip!
The best nail polish remover helps to remove traces of green paint!

Mechanical removal

You can try to wipe the fresh green, which did not have time to soak into linoleum, with an eraser. For these purposes, a regular stationery eraser and an eraser for cleaning suede are suitable. If the size of the "disaster" is large, then a large amount of eraser may be needed. It is rather a method for small spots.

• The affected area is slightly moistened.
• It is wiped with an eraser.
• The actions are repeated until the stain completely disappears.

Other mechanical methods alone will not cope with such pollution. For example, an abrasive sponge can only supplement the use of powder or laundry soap, and the use of a fine sandpaper is a too cardinal method, which, together with green paint, will also remove the linoleum layer.

Fresh Spot Removers

Synthetic aniline pigment - brilliant green - is destroyed by chlorine-containing and alkaline substances or discolored by hydrogen peroxide. Therefore, to wipe it off, the following remedies are suitable:

• chlorine-containing gels and cleaning powders (such as Domestos);
• washing powders;
• laundry soap;
• hydrogen peroxide;
• soda + vinegar;
• ammonia (ammonia).

You will also need rubber gloves, sponges - plain or abrasive - and a little patience. To choose the right product, you must not forget that linoleum is a polymer coating, and exposure to chemicals for it can end sadly. And chlorine, and vinegar, and soda contribute to the dimming of the color of the coating, and aggressive alkaline reagents such as caustic soda can destroy the surface layer of PVC.

On the other hand, the use of only weak alkaline solutions leads to the need for a longer mechanical impact with brushes, abrasive sponges or even fine-grained sandpaper. Naturally, mechanical action also leads to the abrasion of the upper layer and loss of appearance. When choosing reagents, you need to take this into account and maintain a balance between chemical and mechanical processing.

Laundry soap and powder

The safest means for PVC flooring are ordinary laundry soap and laundry detergent.
How to wash green from linoleum with laundry soap?

• 4 tbsp. tablespoons of grated soap on a coarse grater, pour two glasses of boiling water and mix until completely dissolved.
• Apply the resulting composition to a moistened stain and leave for several hours.
• Wipe off the soap with a rag dipped in hot water.
• Wipe the brilliant green with a sponge for dishes with an abrasive coating (not for long).
• After a while, repeat the process.

A fresh stain can be wiped away in 2-3 such treatments. If washing powder is used instead of soap, then it is simply poured onto a moistened surface, and then the actions are the same. If desired, you can make a paste from the powder by mixing the granules with a small amount of water.

Tip

Instead of washing powder, you can use a dishwashing gel, but shampoo or liquid soap will be a poor substitute.

Other methods of removing brilliant green

Using soda and vinegar, you can completely remove the stain from the brilliant green. To do this, completely cover it with a layer of soda and pour table vinegar. Soda at the same time begins to “boil” - a reaction occurs during which chemicals clean the linoleum of the pigment. Processing is repeated several times until the stain is completely removed.

Chlorine-based products are another effective method to remove spilled brilliant green. However, there is a limitation. If the coating has a saturated color, then the use of such preparations is not recommended: after processing, the color at the treatment site will be very different from the color of the rest of the coating. On linoleum of light and pastel shades, this is not so noticeable.
The removal procedure is simple:

• a powder or gel with chlorine (cleaning or bleaching agent) is applied to a damp spot;
• left for 10-15 minutes;
• wiped with a clean sponge or cloth;
• if necessary, the actions are repeated several times.

You can remove the stain from the brilliant green with the help of ammonia or hydrogen peroxide by treating the problem area of ​​one of these liquids. After a few hours, wipe the stain with a clean rag.

How to remove old spots from green

If green has already managed to eat into linoleum, wiping it off is problematic, although a few tips can help in this situation.

• Before the main cleaning, cover the stain with a cloth dipped in drying oil, kerosene or “White Spirit” for 1-2 hours, then wipe it with a rag.
• Any alcohol - camphor, salicylic, medical, technical or ammonia - will help dissolve a dried stain.
• As reagents for cleaning old stains, it is better to choose soda and vinegar. During their reaction, not only the surface layer is removed - the pigment is also removed from the micropores in the flooring.

In conclusion, I would like to remind the obvious facts - precaution when working with brilliant green and the correct storage conditions will prevent this hard-to-remove solution from getting on the floor, furniture and clothes. These rules are simple - open the bubble above the washbasin or any container, hide it from children and animals. But if nevertheless a nuisance has occurred, the above tips will help remove the consequences: they will save you from an unaesthetic spot without replacing linoleum.