Rubber, lino, marmoleum and vinyl floors
Rubber floors can be flat or profiled (usually with studs). They are found in offices but also used in houses, often in bathrooms or kitchens. We come across a lot of Dalsouple rubber floors that were put down 10 -15 years ago, these were supplied “naked” and then sealed with polish. More recent floors come with a Polyurethane seal, it is harder wearing than polish but will wear over time. These PU sealed floors, after being down for 5 or more years, are starting to degrade with the seal discolouring and peeling off in places. These floors have proved hard to renovate though we have developed techniques for removing the old seal and re-polishing.
Marmoleum and lino are made with linseed. Marmoleum traditionally had a swirly pattern to it. Harder wearing than many other floors it is used a lot in hospitals and airports.
Vinyl floors are a type of plastic, they are hard wearing but can get scuffed and worn.
All these floors are easier to maintain if they have a couple of layers of polish, this helps to prevent stains (apart from vinyl these floors are porous) and stop wear. They are best cleaned with a neutral floor cleaner or maintainer (a maintainer is a cleaner that contains a small amount of polish, this keeps the floor looking shiny). Prochem Protreat and Johnsons Carefree Floor Maintainer are two products. They are best applied using a microfibre flat mop. Vacuum the floor then apply a thin layer of the maintainer using the mop and leave to dry. Scuff marks can usually be removed using a white emulsifying/polishing pad (tile suppliers stock them).
They usually need a professional clean every few years. We scrub the floors and strip off the old polish then apply new coats. Be cautious trying to clean stains, though you are unlikely to damage the floor, you may take off the polish.