Painting flooring can help bring out the shine more – but not all floors will deliver on that promise. The vinyl flooring is one of such. If you have exposed it to painting, the chances are that the paint wouldn’t last long on the surface, considering that the design of the floor doesn’t allow room for paint to be held, at least, for a long time.
Besides, painting vinyl flooring is not always recommended, due to these reasons:
- While the paint will restore the shine, it doesn’t always last, because vinyl, just like other linoleum flooring, isn’t designed to hold painting for long.
- Paint bonding is further inhibited by factors like dirt, waxing, and staining.
What to do before Removing Paint from Vinyl Floors
You will find out that the floor wouldn’t hold, because of the aforementioned factors. Thus, getting rid of the (excess) paint becomes a necessity.
Have these things in mind before doing so:
Identify the Type of Paint
When you know how something came about, it becomes easier to address any challenge that comes through it. Identifying the type of paint used on the floor helps you to determine the type of strategy to use.
For context, there are two (2) major types of paints used on linoleum floorings:
- Water-based paint and;
- Oil-based paint
The identification is further simplified by the ease at which the paint comes off. For this purpose, you need to use rubbing alcohol to dampen a clean cloth. Apply the cloth directly on the stain and take note of the following:
- The vinyl flooring was painted with an oil-based paint if the stains were not removed after cleaning with rubbing alcohol.
- If the solution removed the paint, it is safe to say that it is a water-based paint.
Note: While the rubbing alcohol method works, there is also another technique called the flashing test. It entails pointing and moving a torchlight over the area. You will know if the paint is water-based if it has a dry, textured finish. The oil-based paint, when exposed to a flashlight, shows a glossy finish.
Ways to Remove Paint from Vinyl Floorings
When you are sure of the type of paint the floor has been painted with; the next would be cleaning it. Below are some of the steps you can use to remove paint-induced stains on your vinyl flooring.
1. How to Remove Oil-based Paint from Vinyl Floors
Let’s start by looking into the cleaning process for the different paints. How do you clean the oil-based paints?
Strip-off the Paint
Start by stripping or washing off the oil-based paint. Use a dampened rag to wipe the surface, then set about the task of preparing the mixture
You need to do the following:
- Mix equal parts of liquid dishwashing soap with warm water.
- Dip a foam sponge into the solution and use it to gently scrub the stained part of the floor.
- Get a clean, dry rag and use the same to wipe or buff off the residues from the flooring.
- Open the windows or turn on the HVAC/fan to dry the area.
2. How To Remove Water-based Paint Stains with Baking Soda
If, on the other hand, the stains are caused by water-based paints; then, the cleaning method changes. What you need are:
- A broom
- A vacuum cleaner
- A clean rag
- Water and;
- Baking soda
Here is the direction for the application:
a. Apply the Baking Soda
Apply a generous amount of baking soda to cover the affected area on the vinyl flooring. This is highly recommended if the stains are still fresh.
Sweep off the floor after a few minutes and use a vacuum cleaner to ensure the area is fully cleaned.
b. Prepare the Cleaning Solution
To make the cleaning solution, you’d need 1 part of baking soda and 2 parts of water. Have these thoroughly mixed in a bucket.
Dip the clean rag into the mixture and make sure it is damp. Wriggle out excess water from it and use it to wipe the floor in an upside-down motion.
c. Wipe the Vinyl Flooring
Get a clean microfiber mop and use that to wipe the floor. Make sure no moisture is left behind. Open up the windows to allow air to dry the area.
Additional Tips on Removing Paint from Vinyl Floors
Attack they say, is the best form of defense. When paint drops on vinyl flooring, the best thing to do is to get it removed – and it can be quite simple. With just a couple of towels and water, you will wipe the stain out of the floor.
Follow our guide:
- Use paper towels to wipe off a generous amount of the paint off the flooring.
- Continue at it, ensuring that the wiping starts from the outside of the stains and works into the middle. Repeat the process until most of the liquid is lifted.
- Get an absorbent towel dampened with water. Apply it to the area, using a wiping and scooping motion to get rid of the residues.
- You can either use a clean, dry cloth or a mixture of soapy water to buff the flooring.
a. Use Rubbing Alcohol to Remove Paint
The use of rubbing alcohol is ideal for vinyl flooring exposed to oil-based paint. It also comes in handy when the processes of using white vinegar or baking soda and water don’t work.
Here’s how to use rubbing alcohol to tackle paint stains on vinyl flooring:
- Pour a small quantity of the alcohol on a piece of cloth. Preferably, you can use a fresh piece of clothing or a clean rag.
- Make sure the cloth or rag is damp and not excessively soaked with the alcohol.
- Place the cloth or rag on the stained area and rub gently into the stain.
- Wait for about 10 minutes if the paint doesn’t come off on the first round of cleaning.
- Be sure to clean the area with clean water. Dip a cloth into clean water, wring off excess water, and use that to wipe off the surface.
- Pat the area dry with a new, clean, dry cloth.
b. Use a Commercial Solvent
For stains that have stuck to the vinyl flooring, removing them via the application of commercial solvent works best.
The likes of PEC-12, or a solvent-based paint remover serve this purpose. If you cannot get those, the following will suffice:
- Mineral spirits
- Acetone and;
- Turpentine
Here’s how to apply the solvent:
- Wear your gear – a face mask and rubber gloves for the hands. These help prevent you from bodily contact and ingesting the toxic chemicals in the solvent cleaners.
- Open up the window for natural air to ventilate the room.
- Apply the solvent to a clean cloth. Get it dampened.
- Wipe the vinyl flooring with a damp cloth.
- Allow the solvent to sit on the area for about 15 minutes. This provides ample time for the paint remover to penetrate and break down the paint stains on the floor.
- Scrape off the stains with a plastic scraper. You may need to do this repeatedly until the area is a bit cleared.
- To remove the remaining residues, apply an acetone paint remover over the area. Give it some time to act on the stain.
- Prepare a solution of liquid dish soap with water or baking soda with water. Use the soapy water to remove the residues.
- To finalize the process, get a microfiber mop and use that to wipe the floor until it is dry.
c. Nail Polish Remover Acts as Acetone for Removing Paint from Vinyl Floor
If you are unable to get solvent-based paint removers like turpentine, or mineral spirits; then, using nail polish remover could work. We recommend it because of the acetone content that helps to remove the stains in good time.
You need the following to make it work:
- Paper towels
- Nail polish remover and;
- Cotton balls
Here is the direction for use:
- Pour a little quantity of the nail polish remover on the cotton balls.
- Use the cotton balls to rub the stained part of the vinyl flooring.
- Replace the cotton balls when they get dirty. Wet the new ones with the polish remover and reapply to the area.
- Keep at it until the stains are removed.
- Grab some paper towels and wipe off the residues from the area.
d. Clean off Paint Stains with Steel Wool and Liquid Wax
Liquid wax is appropriate for use on vinyl flooring. When combined with steel wool, it lifts the paint stains faster. For this method, you need the following:
- A clean cloth
- Liquid wax
- Superfine steel wool
Note: We recommend using superfine steel wool because it doesn’t scratch the floor in the process of cleaning.
Follow this direction to use:
- Dip the superfine steel wool into the liquid wax.
- Apply the wool to the floor using a small and circular motion.
- Gently do this and do not use excess pressure.
- Clear the area of residues, using a cloth dipped into damp water. Wring off excess water from it before wiping the vinyl flooring clean.
e. Combine Mineral Spirits with Dish Soap
A combination of liquid dishwashing soap and mineral spirits helps to clear stains from the vinyl flooring. It is as effective as the traditional vinyl stain remover, with the inclusion of tackling both spray paint and dried paint from the flooring.
Here’s the direction for use:
- Pour a small quantity of mineral spirits into a soft cloth.
- Use a small and circular motion to apply the cloth to wipe the stains on the floor.
- A large portion of the stains have been lifted off the floor.
- It is the time to tackle the residues. Start by wetting a soft sponge with warm water, followed by adding a few drops of liquid dishwashing soap to the sponge. You can also choose to do so directly to the stained part of the floor.
Measures to Implement when Removing Paint Stains on Vinyl Flooring
Besides using the recommended cleaners, following some of the laid-down guidelines can also help you get rid of the paint stains faster.
These are some of the precautions to take:
a. Be Careful with the Choice of Paint Removers
Not all the paint cleaning agents in the market will provide the solutions you need. For emphasis, avoid the following:
- Ammonia: because it tends to damage the surface of your vinyl flooring.
- It is better to use the Goo Gone cleaner only for the smaller/surface-based and fresh paint stains. Since it hardly penetrates the vinyl flooring, there is little or no chance that it will tackle dried paint stains.
- If you decide to use a paint thinner, make sure that it doesn’t discolor or damage the floor in the process.
b. The Best Cleaning Materials to Use
The best types of cleaning tools to use are microfiber mops and bristle-free brushes. You must avoid the following:
- Abrasive cleaners and;
- Abrasive scrubbers
FAQs
1. How to Remove Mold from Vinyl Flooring?
You can use a dura foam sponge, such as Magic Cleaner to remove mold, paint stains, grime, and permanent marks from vinyl flooring. Wipe the area with a paper towel when you are done cleaning.
2. How do I Remove Stubborn Vinyl Floor Stains?
Stubborn, dried-on stains can be removed from vinyl flooring via a variety of methods, such as using a commercial solvent, rubbing the area with rubbing alcohol, and peeling off the scraps of stain with a plastic spatula/scrapper.
3. How do I Remove Fresh Paint Stains?
Use absorbent towels and water to wipe the area. If this doesn’t work, try using a mixture of equal parts white vinegar and water, or sprinkle baking soda on the surface to absorb the paint, after which you will use a damp ring to wipe the area.
4. How to Tackle Dried Paint Stains?
Apply a solvent-based paint remover and scrape off the area after a few minutes. You can also use a mixture of water and white vinegar or use the edge of a plastic scrapper/putty knife.
Conclusion
Both fresh and dried-on paint stains can be removed from vinyl flooring using the methods detailed in this article. If none of the processes works, then, it is perhaps the time to call-in the professional floor cleaners.