Natural Marmoleum is one of the greenest floors on the market. It’s bio-based, highly durable, non-toxic, anti-microbial and easy to maintain. Marmoleum is made from natural ingredients including linseed oil, wood flour, rosins, and jute fibers. It has antibacterial properties that fight common allergens found in most living spaces. Studies have shown that harmful micro-organisms cannot live or breed on Marmoleum flooring.
Initial Care:
- Sweep, dust, or vacuum the floor.
- Damp mop the floor with Marmoleum Floor Cleaner at the correct dilution. Do NOT flood the floor. Marmoleum is made from natural raw materials and harsh alkalis or cleaners with high pH such as Ammonia should be avoided.
- Rinse the floor with a clean mop.
- Allow to dry.
Regular Care:
Sweep, dust mop, damp mop, or vacuum as needed. For ingrained dirt, a scrubbing sponge (non-abrasive) or nylon brush is ideal.
Spots and Spills: The vast majority of spills,including pet accidents, can be cleaned off your Marmoleum floor.
- Act quickly.
- Scrape or blot as much as possible.
- Mop with diluted Marmoleum Cleaner.
- Damp mop with clean water.
- Repeat steps 3 and 4 if necessary.
If the stain persists, as it may with glue, varnish, paint, ink, tar, cosmetics, show polish, some wines, coffee and some other substances, the solution is to remove the surface finish and the stain with it. Apply undiluted Marmoleum cleaner to the affected area and leave in contact with the floor for 2-3 minutes. Rub the stained area with a nylon kitchen pad then rinse with clean water. Repeat if necessary. Once dry, apply a small amount of finish.
Restorative Care:
In case of accidental damage to the Topshield top layer, excessive wear or desire for additional gloss, the following steps can be taken:
- Sweep, dust mop, or vacuum the floor.
- Scrub floor using undiluted Marmoleum floor cleaner.
- Rinse thoroughly and allow to dry.
- Repeat steps 2 and 3 if necessary.
- Apply 2 thin coats of Marmoleum Floor Finish. Use a clean lint-free cloth, or better still, a well squeezed out fresh mop head and apply the finish evenly, working backwards. Make sure you do not apply finish to wall base, carpets, furniture, etc. ALLOW THE FINISH TO DRY BETWEEN COATS (usually 30-40 minutes). If you prefer a higher gloss level, apply a third thin coat. Never apply more than 3 coats of finish in a 24 hour period.
How Often to Clean the Floor:
This will depend on variables such as the type of use it gets and whether dirt has been trafficked in from outside. Sweeping, dust mopping, or vacuuming is likely to be the most frequent procedure. If the floor is muddy it can be cleaned with a damp mop, making sure the dirt is rinsed out of the mop and not spread back on the floor. If the soiling is tenacious, use Marmoleum Concentrated Floor Cleaner as previously instructed in restorative care. After several such applications, you may wish to apply one or more additional thin coats of Marmoleum Floor Finish to restore the gloss level. Do not over apply finish over areas which are not walked on (such as wall base) as this just causes unnecessary build-up of polish. The need to apply finish may vary dramatically from perhaps every couple of months to annually, depending on the degree of usage or other circumstances.
Ambering:
Marmoleum is made from natural materials and many of its most desirable performance attributes (durability, anti-microbial properties) are the result of the continued oxidation of the linseed oil over its life. During the manufacturing process this oxidation may result in a yellowish cast, known as ambering, on the product when it is initially taken out of its packaging. This visual discoloration is only TEMPORARY. When exposed to light, the ambering disappears. The process may take only a few hours in bright sunlight but longer with artificial light. Applying a finish over the ambering makes NO difference-it will still disappear with exposure to sunlight.
