Sheet vinyl “resilient” flooring is so
easy to clean that it may never
require anything beyond damp
mopping with a cleaner intended for vinyl
floors. But if your floor has marks or
stains that still won’t come off, you can
use stronger stuff. Although the methods
described here won’t harm most vinyl
floors, we strongly recommend that you
test them in a closet or on a section of
flooring that’s hidden by furniture. Use
white rags only; chemicals that dissolve
stains can also make fabric colors bleed
and stain your floor.
Isopropyl alcohol, sold as a disinfectant
at drugstores ($4), is a mild solvent.
It’s the best cleaner for heel marks and
works on other tough stains too. You can
also use lighter fluid or mineral spirits.
Remember that all these products are
flammable; turn off any nearby pilot
lights and hang rags out to dry before
throwing them away.
Bleach will often erase stains left by liquids
like fruit juices, tomato sauce and
wine. Mix one part household bleach with
four parts water, soak a rag in it and lay the
rag over the stain. Bleach works slowly; you
may have to leave the rag in place for an
hour or so.
Oxalic acid is the solution for stubborn
rust stains. It’s often labeled “wood
bleach”—but not all wood bleach contains
oxalic acid, so check the label. Most
paint stores and some hardware stores
carry oxalic acid ($7). If the stain won’t
rub off, wet a rag with the acid solution
and lay it over the stain for 10 minutes. If
the stain remains, rewet the rag and
repeat. When that’s done, rinse the floor
with clean water.
1. Dampen a white rag with isopropyl
alcohol and rub away heel marks.
2. Mix oxalic acid powder with water
and dab rust stains to remove them.
Protect your hands with rubber gloves
and open a window for ventilation.
