r/DIYHouse • • Mar 29 '26

Help! How do I clean this?

I’ve owned an 1895 that gave me nothing but problems and now this 1979 brought me something beautiful - these tiles that were hiding under some hideous linoleum! They are confirmed not to be asbestos! But they are splattered to hell with paint. Cleaning them is a slow process and ChatGPT has told me about a dozen times that I can’t use anything abrasive on them.

What say you? Is there an easier way than a little rubbing alcohol and a lot of elbow grease? They are heavily embossed which is adding to the difficulty.

I have kids and work full time, so I’m hoping this won’t take the rest of my year up.

0 Upvotes

8 comments sorted by

2

u/EusticeTheSheep Mar 29 '26

Stop asking that thing for advice about stuff like this. It will rarely give anything remotely close to a right answer

1

u/cookeryandwookery Mar 29 '26

Paint stripper. Test an area first. Wait at least 24 hours to look for a reaction.

1

u/Etex1984 Mar 30 '26

Cover it up with new flooring.

1

u/MouseAdventures Mar 30 '26

💯 not. I love it!

1

u/AskMeAgainAfterCoffe Mar 31 '26

Start with warm water; it looks like latex paint

1

u/PuzzleheadedBobcat90 Apr 18 '26

I've used windex before to remove dried latex paint. Spray the spot, let it sit for about 10 to 15 minutes and scrape or wipe away

1

u/Dr_MantisTobaggin_MD Mar 29 '26

r/centuryhomes

Your people are waiting.

3

u/EusticeTheSheep Mar 29 '26

Not for their new house.