Pledge with Future Shine: Review
Having linoleum kitchen and bathroom floors that are several years old, and appeared dingy and have lost their shine, I was on the search for a way to renew the floors and bring back the shine to my kitchen without having to actually replace the linoleum. I found Pledge Floor Finish with Future Shine at Target for about $5.00. Although this is a little on the expensive side, for a product that has the end result I would soon find it did, it was well worth the money.
The directions on the bottle indicate to thoroughly clean your floors with a product such as Armstrong Floor Cleaner, allow the floor to dry and then apply Pledge with Future Shine evenly with a clean sponge mop, cloth or other applicator. Then, allow to dry in about 20-30 minutes. Helpful hints on the bottle suggest that increased shine and protection can be achieved with a second coat of Pledge with Future Shine. They do suggest drying 8 hours in between applications. Pledge with Future Shine should be removed from your floor every 6-8 applications with a floor cleaner such as Armstrong, or ammonia with water. Pledge does not recommend use of this product on wood or cork floors.
The first time I used Pledge with Future Shine, I scrubbed my kitchen and bathroom floors by using a mop and ammonia with water. Then, using a microfiber cloth, I got down on my hands and knees, poured Pledge with Future Shine directly onto the floor, and then rubbed it in with the cloth. Within 20 minutes, the floor was dry. I waited 8 hours to apply a second coat and went through the same process. The results were incredible! My old linoleum floors had new life and a wonderful shine to them that they had not had in years! In addition, the floors stayed cleaner much longer and they were protected from scuff marks and kept dirt out of the linoleum grooves that I have forever battled. Since the first time I used Pledge with Future Shine, it has been mostly maintenance of the wonderful shine this product leaves.
I highly recommend users thoroughly clean their floors the first time they use this product. Using ammonia and water will help to strip the floor of any cleaning solution, dirt and grime that has ground into the linoleum grooves. Using a hand held scrub brush is highly recommended to really ensure the grooves are clean and that Pledge Future Shine can really do its job and help to renew your floors. I have reapplied this product about once a month to maintain a high shine. In between uses, I use a typical floor cleaner such as Lysol floor cleaner or Armstrong Floor Cleaner with a mop. When I go to reapply Pledge with Future Shine, I use ammonia and then scrub the floor well to get any excess dirt out, rinse and then reapply the floor shine.
Although it sounds tedious to get on your hands and knees (and it can be depending on your physical ability and size of your floors) it really only takes about 10 minutes to get the long lasting results Pledge with Future Shine provides. The time and effort to do this process is well worth it, especially if you are fed up with scuff marks, ground in dirt and old floors. I would also suggest perhaps investing in a microfiber cloth mop, which would eliminate the need to go on one’s hands and knees to use this product. Although I have yet to try it, I do use a microfiber cloth and wash it in between uses. I have also used a regular kitchen towel to apply this product.
I strongly suggest that you also ensure no one enters the room when you are in the process of applying Pledge with Future Shine, and for at least 20 minutes after application. This product is sticky when wet and you will leave foot prints and get hair or other debris stuck in it. I also recommend after sweeping and mopping to use something such as a Swiffer to ensure all the hair and dust have been removed. If however you do come across some hair or dust while applying Pledge with Future Shine, just swipe it with a cloth as you go. If you find the cloth you are using is becoming too saturated with the product, you can fold it over and use the other side of it, or use a second cloth. This product really dries quickly and my floors are dry to the touch within 20 minutes. The floors are not sticky once dry and look absolutely beautiful.
It can be a bit of a pain if you block yourself out of the room you have applied the Pledge with Future Shine in and can’t access the sink to rinse your hands after using this product. You could consider keeping a wet cloth or wipe in the room you retreat to so you can remove the stick substance from your hands. It would probably be very helpful to use a microfiber mop which will eliminate back ache and your hands from getting sticky. You also want to be sure that when you apply this product, you wipe it into your floors immediately as if it dries, it will leave the mark of the product behind. Also periodically check to ensure you have covered all the floor, or you will be left with areas of dullness that will stand out. I suggest doing the floors in sections, or if your floor has squares or a design for example, use it as a marker for the area you have applied this product onto.
The difference in your floors will be incredible with Pledge with Future Shine. I highly recommend this product to anyone with linoleum floors, and especially to those who have high traffic from pets, children or family members. You will be incredibly pleased with the end result of Pledge with Future Shine, and it is well worth the extra effort and expense to bring life back into your floors. The initial purchase for this product will pay for itself in one use once you see the results. In addition, a bottle will last you about 3 months, depending on the size of your floors and how often you apply a second coat. You will also save a substantial amount of money from having to redo your floors if they are old, and for newer floors, it will help keep them protected, shiny and free of dirt and grime that will inevitably find its way into the grooves of your floor. You will also be left with a wonderful shine that others will immediately notice and comment on, and your floors will stay cleaner longer.
