How do you remove the yellow stain out of lineoleum caused by dog urine ?
When speaking to one of the pros, he equated it to the linoleum or vinyl tile beneath urinals in men’s washrooms. While this is obviously a more highly “used” location, but it might be typical of pet damage occurring as a result of ongoing accidents, or instances when the urine was not cleaned immediately. He told us that the deposits (calcium, salt, etc) can be removed if they are imbedded in the wax found on finished floors, however if the floor does not have multiple coats of wax, the urine will eat through the factory finish and damage the floor itself, beyond restoration.
If you are not certain what type of floor you have, and have never waxed, you can usually tell by looking at the reflection of light on the floor. If the floor is very glossy near the walls, is in low traffic areas, and very dull in the main traffic lanes of the floor, you likely have a wax type (or finished) floor. If the sheen is similar throughout the floor, and you have never waxed, it is likely a no-wax floor.
If you have a finished floor, as opposed to no finish or no wax, then you can make a trip to a janitorial supplier and pick up some floor stripper. This chemical is very alkaline, and will burn skin almost like acid. Follow all of the manufacturers guidelines, however it would be necessary to strip and re-wax the entire floor. When stripping multiple layers of wax some agitation or scrubbing is needed, and the floor must be rinsed thoroughly before re-waxing.
Most newer residential construction has no-wax type linoleum. This lino has a normal life span of 8 to 15 years, depending on the manufacturer. Keep in mind this floor is inexpensive to re-install with new lino, however be sure to seal any damage to the sub floor using a shellac, or the urine smell (if present) will continue to draw the pet toward that area to ‘mark it’ and it will seep into the room, especially on days with high humidity.
