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Suppose it was a poor choice, but my off white brick "no-wax" vinyl has many stains that I can't get off. Some of the worst are from the printing on plastic grocery sacks that got damp and bled onto the floor. I was thinking about touching up the floor here and there with some off white paint spatters. Any suggestions?
Sharon
Have you tried Mr. Clean Magic Eraser? It is good at getting out stuff like that, not sure if it's good for the no-wax finish though, might check the directions on the package first. Or you could try some solvent type things like alcohol or nail polish remover (the kind with acetone in it would probably work better). Again, not sure if these might dull the finish on the vinyl a bit.
Before you give up try WD-40 that will take even tar off your car and paint off your hands...surely it will handle your job... try it ...it will not hurt anything...shirleyt
When I was at work, one of the ladies I used to talk to cleaned houses for a living. She told me that she used the stuff for cleaning tires ( I forget the name) or automotive cleaner for really difficult stains. Just do a patch test first- I haven't tried it except on 50 year old linoleum.
Thanks for the suggestions, everyone. I have been using rubber backed rugs to cover the worst of the spots, and discovered that they are leaving discolored vinyl underneath. So I will try those products on that also. I wondered about painting it also, maybe in some creative fashion, and received the advice: don't do it. But I haven't totally given up on the idea, and am thinking of trying porch and floor enamel, which is supposed to be especially hard. Maybe I will do a multicolor faux-tile "rug" in front of the sink...
I can tell you from experience that the spots left from the rubber backed rugs won't come out no matter what you do. I found that out the hard way. I have done as Windy suggested and replaced with the peel and stick tiles. It's easy to do and very inexpensive. You can sometimes find discontinued patterns at Lowe's or Home Depot for as little as 19 cents a square. I also use them in the cabinet under my sink instead of shelf paper. They hold up better and are easy to wipe clean.
If the present surface is firmly attached to the plywood it should work. Just be sure to clean ALL oil and solvents first. The self stick tiles need to have a clean surface to stay attached. Any dirt, oil, powder, dust, etc. will cause premature failure. I've used this type of tile, and worked a small area at a time. Cleaned the entire floor, then re-cleaned enough for 4-6 tiles at a time. Amazed how much airborne debris could be redeposited in 15 minutes or less.
Yes, you can - they stick better, however, if you rough up the old stuff first - give something other than the smooth vinyl top for the glue to stick to. And 'self-adhesive' or not, I'd buy some extra mastic and supplement. I haven't been too impressed with the durability of the glue on those self-adhesives. They always seem to pop back up after a year or so. You could also lay new sheet vinyl over the old, which I would suggest as an alternative. Depending on the size of the room, you can buy pre-cut 'scraps' and Lowes & HD that aren't much, if any, more expensive than the tiles - and would last longer.
