Linoleum flooring holds up over the years with proper care and maintenance, and waxing is an essential part of the upkeep. Waxing your floors will brighten them up and cover them with layers of protection against daily foot traffic.
Read on for the best floor wax for linoleum to keep your floors in tip-top condition!
Quick Answer: The 5 Best Wax for Linoleum Floors
1. Bona Hardwood Floor Cleaner Refill
2. Rejuvenate Wood Floor Restorer And Polish
3. Lundmark Self-Polishing Floor Wax
4. Quick Shine Floor Restorer And Polish
(**You can click the links above to read customer reviews or see current prices on Amazon.)
Table of Contents
- Top 5 Best Floor Wax For Linoleum Detailed Reviews
- #1. Bona Hardwood Floor Cleaner Refill – Best For Gloss Formulation
- #2. Rejuvenate Wood Floor Restorer And Polish – Best For Old Floors
- #3. Lundmark Self-Polishing Floor Wax – Best For Traction
- #4. Quick Shine Floor Restorer And Polish – Best For High Traffic Areas
- #5. Simoniz Floor Finish Wax – Best For Busy Householders
- How To Choose The Best Floor Wax For Linoleum
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Conclusion
Top 5 Best Floor Wax For Linoleum Detailed Reviews
#1. Bona Hardwood Floor Cleaner Refill – Best For Gloss Formulation
The long-lasting, urethane acrylic blend gives the floor a streak-free satin gloss that sustains frequent traffic for weeks. There’s also no residue leftover or stickiness at the end, while all the micro-scratches are covered up.
Thanks to the splash-less technology used in the bottle design, you can pour out the liquid without leaving a mess behind. Bona’s manufacturer also gave a larger handle to ensure a more manageable pour and refill.
For your safety, Bona wax is GREENGUARD certified, meaning that it creates low chemical emissions into your indoor space during and after applying it. It’s safer for your health while leaving a lighter carbon footprint.
A bottle contains 32 fluid ounces, which is enough to accommodate roughly 500 square feet of surface. This volume is economical, especially considering the bottle’s budget-friendly price.
If you want to restore the gloss and shine that your old floors once gleamed with, Bona is worth a try.
Pros
- Giving the floor stunning gloss
- No streaks or residues
- Fast-drying formula
- Convenient design
- Certified to GREENGUARD for low chemical emissions
Con
- None
#2. Rejuvenate Wood Floor Restorer And Polish – Best For Old Floors
You can bring back the luster to your old, worn floor with this Rejuvenate restorer.
With only a few coats, this wax can give your linoleum floors a new-like gloss. The manufacturer uses oxidized polyethylene for this liquid-based wax as the main shine booster. This compound is a common ingredient found in many polishing agents for other surfaces like stone, wood, and metal.
This formula can eliminate all the dents, marks, and scars which are the inevitable result of years of constant stampedes. Among its main ingredients is Diethylene Glycol Monoethyl Ether – an active solvent for coating materials. This substance penetrates all the crooks and crannies and gives them a new coat.
Apart from improving the overall look, this product also provides your flooring with a layer of protection against future scratches and staining. It is because the formula contains Styrene Acrylic Polymer, responsible for finish’s hardness, durability, and protectant film.
It’s ideal for home and commercial use and works well on other floor types like terracotta, laminate, and tile.
However, we found that the finish wears out quickly if you wash the floor often.
Pros
- Handling dull spots and scratches excellently
- Highly flexible
- Protecting the treated surfaces against further damages
- No buildup
Con
- Wearing out quite fast
#3. Lundmark Self-Polishing Floor Wax – Best For Traction
Lundmark self-polishing wax is ideal for those who worry that their linoleum floor is too slippery for your kids and pets to move around.
This wax meets American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) standards for slip resistance, meaning that it provides additional traction in addition to leaving an enduring shine. We found that the finish grips pretty impressively and still retains a decent amount of traction under wet feet.
This self-polishing wax is ready-to-use: Add 2 ounces of this formula into a gallon of cool water, put a clean mop into the solution, and you’re in business. There’s little effort required to give your floor a new lease of life.
Fast drying is also a nice plus of this USA-made formula. It will dry to a luster in as little as 20 minutes (slightly longer in high humidity levels), and the coating will become waterproof within 12 hours.
After applying, you’ll notice a smell that lingers around the room for one or two hours. You may want to open the window for it to dissipate quicker.
Pros
- Fuss-free application
- Eco-friendly
- ASTM certifications for better traction
- Quick drying formula
Con
- Leaving a smell after drying
#4. Quick Shine Floor Restorer And Polish – Best For High Traffic Areas
Quick Shine formula is the ultimate remedy for high-volume foot traffic and faded linoleum floors, making it the best choice for large families.
In addition to recapturing the luster of your floor, this wax also includes dipropylene glycol monomethyl ether that serves as a coating aid. The substance ensures the finish lasts for a long time and can hold up to frequent, intense stampedes. That’s why this pick is the go-to choice for residential use, office, and restaurant application alike.
The liquid also makes its way to tiny scratches to bring out a smooth, even surface. Carnauba wax emulsion present in this liquid-based formula enhances abrasion and scratch resistance for the finish. It is advisable to provide heavily damaged floor sections with an extra coat for better smoothness and gloss.
If you’re an eco-conscious buyer, we see there’s no reason why you should miss out on this wax. The formula is reinforced with plant-based Carnauba, resulting in less environmental damage. It is also free from ammonia to prevent the polish from being stripped or damaged.
While the formula does make scratches less visible, many people noted that it does not fix deep scratches.
Pros
- Works well on high traffic zones
- Environment-friendly
- Ammonia-free
- Drying quickly
Con
- Cannot tackle deep scratched spots well
#5. Simoniz Floor Finish Wax – Best For Busy Householders
With up to 33% more solid acrylic sealer and wax, Simoniz quickly gets down to the business of making your flooring look new and shiny. It also dries fast, and when factoring in the ease of application, we’re sure you’ll spend less time shining your floors.
The best thing is that you only need to apply half the coats of conventional floor products to bring out the desired shine and smoothness. This attribute further cuts down on the time and elbow grease needed for upkeeping your floor.
Besides, the manufacturer also incorporates their patent polymer technology into this product, adding to the durability of the shine. The finish is also highly resistant to scratches and scuffs, freeing up more time between the re-applications.
Apart from linoleum, the product also is safe to use on sealed wood, vinyl tile, terrazzo, concrete, rubber rile, asbestos tile, and stone. Thus, it’s a cost-effective choice if you have these floor types in need of waxing in your house.
There’s a distinct odor accompanying this wax, therefore we recommend airing out your room to let it vanish faster.
Pros
- Drying rapidly
- Requiring half the coats of traditional flooring formulas
- Long-lasting gloss
- Resistance to scratches and scuffs
Con
- Exuding an unpleasant smell
How To Choose The Best Floor Wax For Linoleum
Liquid Or Paste
Floor wax typically comes in two forms: liquid and paste.
The latter usually contains less solvent and more wax than the former. It’s more demanding to apply as you’ll need to rub the compound onto the surface with your hands. Yet, paste waxes do not offer much shine to linoleum floors, making them less popular for this flooring type.
Liquid-based wax is thinner in terms of consistency, so you can apply it with a mop, which is more labor-saving. It is not necessarily faster as your floor will need more coats to shine through. We prefer liquid form as it often delivers more gloss than its paste counterparts.
Compatibility
It is vital to use the wax that is formulated for linoleum, or you’ll risk ruining the floors. Most products list the floor types that they are compatible with for customers’ reference.
Steer clear of waxes that you’re not sure are safe to use on your linoleum flooring. Also, avoid products that contain ammonia, which can break down the polish and destroy the flooring.
Fast Drying
Fast-drying formulas will help to reduce the time spent on shining the floors. Floor wax application is often a multi-step procedure since there’s not enough gloss and protection for the surface with only one coat. Thus, the faster the finish dries, the less time you will need to wait for applying the next coat.
Quicker drying also prevents dust from dropping onto the finish, guaranteeing a smoother, spotless coat at the end.
Durability
While linoleum floors require more frequent re-waxing than other flooring types, you still want the wax to last as long as possible. Some formulas do a bad job at holding the floor when coming into contact with water, and you’ll have to retouch more often than usual.
On the other hand, certain floor waxes last for quite a long time while shielding the floors from physical impact. While you can know a product’s durability after using it, it’s faster to read customers’ reviews to see how a particular wax holds up to daily traffic.
Safety
Chemical-based products are potentially harmful to human health. Pay special attention to this aspect if you have your kids and pets running around. Many floor waxes, such as Bona Hardwood Floor Cleaner Refill, will tell you whether they’re safe for children and animals via their labels.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Are The Benefits Of Using Floor Wax?
Some floor types, including linoleum, tile, or timber, require periodic waxing applications to stay longer and look their best. Regular waxing gives your floor a new layer of protection against scuffs, scratches, stains, and other physical damages. Waxing your floors also maintains their gloss and refreshes their appearance.
If your floors frequently withstand heavy foot traffic, these formulas can also keep a professional feel to the whole space, giving your guests a good impression.
Does Floor Wax Make The Floor Slippery?
Newly treated surfaces will be relatively slick, so you’d better wait for the finish to completely dry before setting your foot on them. Most high-quality waxes for linoleum won’t make the floors slippery once they dry. Even better, some formulas, like Lundmark Self-Polishing Floor Wax, add more traction to the floors.
Should I Clean The Floor Before Waxing?
Before waxing linoleum floors or any hardwood surfaces, use a mop to remove all the dirt and grime that can blend with the wax and ruin the finish.
Conclusion
While there are scores of floor wax products on the market, not all can elevate the beauty of your linoleum floors. Make sure the one you choose is compatible with your floors before moving on to other considerations.
We consider Bona Hardwood Floor Cleaner Refills the best floor wax for linoleum since it can deeply clean your floors while adding an unrivaled glossy shine to the surfaces.
Lundmark Self-Polishing Floor Wax is also a nice option for its impressive traction. Simoniz Floor Finish Wax lends a helping hand to those living a hectic life but still want to care for their floor.