Polishing Linoleum Kitchen Flooring

Linoleum kitchen flooring is one of the most popular and widely used types of flooring in this part of the home. Linoleum is both durable and functional, as it is stain resistant and easy, and comfortable to walk on. It is common in the bathroom as well, as these areas of the home are used very frequently and are prone to spills, standing water, and other concerns. Despite the fact that linoleum kitchen flooring is durable, however, you'll still need to maintain it regularly in order to ensure that it continues to function well. Read on for a guide to polishing a linoleum floor to bring out its shine.

Clean the Floor

Before you begin to polish the linoleum floor, it's a good idea to remove any dirt and grime that may have built up previously. This will help to ensure that you don't polish those stains or other bits of debris into the floor itself and will help to make the linoleum look even better when you're through.

Mix equal parts of warm water and ammonia in the plastic bucket. Dip the mop into the bucket and use it to scrub off any stains and grime that may have accumulated on the floor. Wear a face mask and gloves while you work, and leave windows open if possible to keep the room well ventilated.

Strip Off Preexisting Wax

Use a scrubbing brush to rub off any pre-existing wax that is lying on the floor. This must be treated before you wax the floor again, as it will help to make an even coating of wax that appears new and fresh.

Lay the Wax and Set Up the Buffer

Pour a liberal amount of the linoleum wax solution onto a small section of the floor and spread it around using a clean mop or with a sponge. Set up the floor buffer by attaching a polishing pad to its base. Place additional linoleum polish solution into the buffer according to the buffer instructions, then place the buffer at one end of the linoleum surface and turn it on.

Buff the Floor

Use the buffer to polish the floor. Begin by moving the buffer slowly back and forth across a small section of the linoleum surface in the area where you applied the wax previously. Make sure that you are covering the entire floor area and take particular care to wax the corners and edges of the linoleum.

Continue by moving to an adjacent portion of the linoleum. Before you buff the floor, apply more linoleum wax to a small section of the floor that you'll continue to work on. Repeat the process until the entire floor has been covered in a thin, even layer of wax. Double-check to make sure that you didn't miss any spots before putting the buffer away.