How to Remove Iodine Stains from a Vinyl Floor

Co-authored by Elias Weston and Jessica Gibson

Last Updated: February 16, 2022 References

Do you have an awful brownish-yellow iodine stain on your floor? Iodine and Betadine, the brand-name iodine antiseptic, are notorious for leaving difficult stains, especially on light vinyl floors. Since vinyl and linoleum are often mixed up and require different treatments, figure out what type of floor you have. Vinyl floors are more common now while linoleum is often seen in homes that were built before the 1950s. If you're not sure, lift up a small section of the floor—vinyl is less than ¹⁄₈ in (0.32 cm) thick while linoleum is at least ¹⁄₄ in (0.64 cm) thick.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Lifting Stains from Vinyl Floors

1
Put on gloves and safety goggles. You'll be working with sodium thiosulfate crystals which can irritate your skin and eyes. Sodium thiosulfate solution is effective at lifting iodine stains, especially if you treat the stain immediately.^{[1]
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- If you accidentally get sodium thiosulfate on your skin, wash with soapy water for at least 15 minutes.
2
Mix 2 tsp (16 g) of sodium thiosulfate crystals with 1 c (240 ml) of warm water. Stir the solution until the sodium thiosulfate crystals dissolve completely. If you're cleaning a large stain, you can double the amount of solution.^{[2]
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- Check your local hardware store, pool supply store, or online for sodium thiosulfate crystals.
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3
Dip a sponge in the solution and rub it on the stain. Use moderate to heavy pressure as you scrub so the sodium thiosulfate solution works into the stain itself. If the stain has set, use a heavy-duty scrubbing sponge.^{[3]
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4
Rinse the vinyl floor with water and let it dry. Dip a separate sponge or cloth in clean water and wipe it over the floor to remove the sodium thiosulfate solution. Then, let the floor air dry or wipe it with a clean, dry cloth.^{[4]
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- Dealing with a tough stain? You might need to keep scrubbing the floor with the sodium thiosulfate solution until the stain lifts.

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Removing Stains from Linoleum Floors

1
Put on gloves and open a window for ventilation. You'll be cleaning with ammonia which is a corrosive material, so you don't want to touch it or breathe it in. If you can't open a window, turn on a fan to get the air moving.^{[5]
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- If you accidentally get ammonia on your skin, submerge your skin in warm water immediately. If any gets on your clothes, change out of them.^{[6]
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2
Wash the linoleum with soapy water. Try to clean the area as soon as you notice iodine on the floor! Dip a cloth in warm, soapy water and wipe it on the floor to remove as much of the iodine as possible. If you don't have a cloth handy, you could use a sponge.^{[7]
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- You might find that if you caught the spill quickly, you can remove the iodine before it stains the linoleum.
3
Rinse the floor with water and dry the linoleum. Take a new cloth or sponge and soak it in plain water. Wipe it over the floor to rinse off the soapy solution.Then, let the floor air dry or wipe it with a clean, dry cloth.^{[8]
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4
Cover the area with rubbing alcohol if there's still a stain. Soak a cloth in rubbing alcohol and don't wring it out. Lay it right on the iodine stain so the rubbing alcohol can work down into the porous surface of the floor. Leave it alone for several minutes.^{[9]
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- If you don't have rubbing alcohol, feel free to try lifting the stain with isopropyl alcohol.
5
Dip another cloth in diluted ammonia and wipe off the stain. Pour equal parts of water and ammonia into a container and soak a cloth in the solution. Wring it out a little and wipe off the stained area. If the stain is gone—great! You can finish cleaning the linoleum.^{[10]
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- Got a troublesome stain? Keep dipping the cloth in the ammonia solution and scrubbing the floor until the stain lifts.
6
Wash the linoleum with a soapy cloth. Take your soapy cloth and wipe the linoleum to remove the ammonia solution. Then, dip a separate cloth in plain water and wipe it on the floor to rinse off the soapy mixture. Let your floor dry completely.^{[11]
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Things You’ll Need

Lifting Stains from Vinyl Floors

Gloves
Safety goggles
Sodium thiosulfate granules
Measuring spoon
Container
Sponge

Removing Stains from Linoleum Floors

Cloths
Gloves
Liquid dish soap
Rubbing alcohol
Container
Ammonia

Warnings

Avoid mixing ammonia with other chemicals, especially bleach since this is a potentially lethal combination.^{[12]
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Trustworthy Source
US Occupational Safety and Health Administration
U.S. government agency responsible for setting and enforcing workplace safety standards
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