Material
Linoleum
A natural linseed oil and wood flour floor on jute, which is damaged by both alkalis and acids, and which its maker restricts to pH neutral cleaning.
- SurfaceSemi porous
- WashingSpot only
- Colour run riskLow
- Reviewed7 September 2026
What linoleum can and cannot take
- Heat Avoid
- Water and soaking Use with care
- Acids, including vinegar Avoid
- Strong alkalis Avoid
- Solvents Avoid
- Chlorine bleach Avoid
- Abrasives Avoid
Always test on a hidden area first and let it dry before you treat the visible mark.
General rules for linoleum
Neutral means neutral here, more strictly than on almost any other floor.
Forbo's own specification is a pH neutral solution, no over wetting, no abrasive liquids or powders, no scouring pads, no steam, no undiluted solutions, no acetone and no soap based products. That is a long list and it is worth respecting, because linoleum is a natural material that reacts.
Damp mop and dry. As with every floor here, the joints and the edges are where water does the damage.
Check the label
Real linoleum is linseed oil, wood flour and pigment on a jute backing, and it is chemically fussy. The manufacturer specifies pH neutral cleaning solutions between 7 and 8, warns that highly alkaline or acidic solutions are harmful to the floor, and excludes abrasives, steam, strong solvents and soap based products.
Stains on linoleum
- Baby sick Blot the spill up and clean with a pH neutral solution, which is what the manufacturer specifies: between pH...
- Blood Blot first, then use cold water and a tiny amount of compatible detergent. Work from the edge, rinse or blot...
- Body oil Lift free oil from linoleum, then clean a small area with a maker-approved mild detergent solution and a soft...
- Breast milk Blot the spill, identify the finish and use a controlled cold clean only where permitted. Use plain cold wate...
- Bronzer Lift loose bronzer from linoleum before it is rubbed in. Blot cream bronzer, follow the material or care labe...
- Coffee Wipe coffee off linoleum promptly with a soft cloth. Check the finish and maker care rules first. Do not trea...
- Concealer Lift thick concealer from Linoleum, blot without rubbing, then use a very small amount of diluted washing-up...
- Cooking grease Lift and blot cooking grease from Linoleum, then use a small amount of diluted washing-up liquid only if the...
- Deodorant Lift loose deodorant from linoleum with a dry white cloth, then wipe the remaining film with cool water and o...
- Hair dye Blot hair dye from Linoleum, test the mildest compatible cool detergent route, clean inwards, remove residue...
- Lipstick Lift lipstick from Linoleum with a blunt edge, blot without rubbing, then use a very small amount of diluted...
- Motor oil Blot motor oil from Linoleum, absorb as much as possible, then use a small amount of diluted washing-up liqui...
- Nail polish Lift free polish gently if the face permits contact. A maker-approved mild damp wipe can clear loose residue,...
- Period blood Lift any tissue with a spoon edge, then blot. Use cold water and a tiny amount of compatible detergent for th...
- Pet urine Blot until nearly dry, then use only the cool-water quantity linoleum can tolerate. Use a labelled pet urine...
- Sweat Blot sweat from Linoleum, test a weak cool detergent wipe, remove residue with minimal moisture and dry promp...
- Tomato sauce Lift tomato sauce from Linoleum, then wipe or blot inwards with a tested cool detergent solution. Remove resi...
Linoleum is linseed oil, pine resin, wood flour and pigment pressed onto a jute backing.
It is a natural material
Which is why it is chemically fussy in a way vinyl is not. Alkalis in particular attack the linseed oil binder, and the manufacturer names both alkaline and acidic solutions as harmful.
The backing is jute
A natural fibre that absorbs and rots. Water through a seam or at an edge reaches it, which is why over wetting is the first thing the maker warns about.
Soap based products are excluded
They leave a film on linoleum that dulls it and attracts dirt, which is why the maker names them specifically.
It is not vinyl
Sheet vinyl and linoleum look similar and are chemically unrelated. Advice for one does not transfer to the other.
Sources
What we checked and when. Where a manufacturer instruction disagrees with anything here, follow the manufacturer.
-
Marmoleum floor care guide, Forbo
manufacturer
Linoleum manufacturer guidance not to over wet the floor when cleaning, that all cleaning solutions must be pH neutral between 7 and 8 because highly alkaline or acidic solutions are harmful to the floor, never to use abrasive liquids, powder cleaners or scouring pads, and to avoid steam cleaning equipment, undiluted solutions, strong solvents such as acetone and soap based products.
Checked 7 September 2026
-
Luxury vinyl tile care guide, Tapi
retailer
UK flooring retailer guidance to avoid steam cleaners and overly wet mops on smooth flooring because steam forces moisture into the joints and lower layers and causes warping, to avoid cleaners containing harsh chemicals, ammonia or wax and abrasive materials because they permanently damage the surface, to spot test any new cleaner, and that the wear layer on LVT cannot be refinished the way engineered wood can.
Checked 7 September 2026
-
Care and maintenance guidance, Atkinson and Kirby
manufacturer
UK wood flooring maker's guidance to clean spills immediately and not leave wet items on a wood floor, to damp mop with a well wrung mop or a barely dampened microfibre cloth, that steam cleaners and steam mops are not recommended, that oil based, wax based and ammonia based cleaners can damage the floor, and that an oiled floor is maintained by reapplying maintenance oil and polishing it until the surface looks uniform.
Checked 7 September 2026