How to Clean and Care for Vinyl Floors (The Biggest Do's & Donts)

How to clean and care for vinyl floors

• Sweep or vacuum your vinyl floor every evening.
• Use furniture pads to prevent scratches and dents.

Luxury vinyl planks (LVP) and vinyl flooring are some of the best flooring surfaces when it comes to durability and overall beauty. They can transform a boring room into a stunning one, plus they’re easy to clean!

If you have or are thinking about getting vinyl flooring installed in your home or office, you may be wondering exactly how to keep your floors clean, undamaged, and looking like new for years to come. While placing a doormat or rug at entryways is a great way to prevent your vinyl flooring from getting dirty, you will inevitably need to clean it from time to time. Fortunately, all it takes is a little knowledge and some elbow grease, and you’ll be able to keep your vinyl floors in tip-top shape.

 

Everyday Vinyl Floor Cleaning

Day-to-day vinyl floor maintenance is fairly easy. All you have to do is make sure you’re cleaning up the dirt and debris that gets carried into your house as a part of everyday life. It is important to do this regularly though, as dirt and dust left on your floor for too long can actually result in scuffs and scratches.

The easiest way to clean the dust off your vinyl floor is to vacuum it. It’s important to note, however, that you must use a vacuum without a “beater bar”, as the bristles they use can scratch your floor. Major brands like Shark and Dyson offer plenty of vacuums without beater bars. Or, if you’re a fan of sweeping, a soft-bristled broom or a “sweeper” that uses dry cloth pads will do the job in a jiffy.

 

Deep Cleaning Vinyl Flooring

If you really need to get in there and give your vinyl flooring a good scrub, you’ll need a mop and a bucket. The best types of mops for vinyl flooring are those that are made of microfiber and do not have rough or abrasive scrubbing pads. In terms of cleaning products, the best cleaner for vinyl flooring is typically whatever is recommended by your manufacturer.

If you cannot find manufacturer recommendations for your specific brand of flooring, you can just use warm water with either a few teaspoons of ammonia or a few teaspoons of apple cider vinegar mixed in. You can also use the Swiffer WetJet products on vinyl floors, as long as you’re careful to avoid using the scrubbing side of the mop.

 

Getting Stains and Scuffs Off Vinyl Floors

If the damage is minimal, like a small scratch or scuff, a little bit of buffing will typically do the trick. If the damage is more severe, you have a particularly bad stain, or your floor is very dirty, try one of the following tricks:

• Try rubbing jojoba oil or WD-40 over scuffs to make them go away.
• Use white vinegar, instead of apple cider vinegar, if your floors need to be sanitized.
• Food stains (wine, tomato sauce, mustard, etc.) can be treated with a paste made from baking soda mixed with warm water. Apply the paste to the affected area, scrub with a soft cloth, and clean with fresh water afterward.
• Soft-bristled brushes that won’t scratch your floors may be used for tough stains as well.
• Stains caused by dyes or inks can be cleaned with rubbing alcohol.
• Mineral spirits do a great job of removing stains from markers and crayons.
• Nail polish remover works perfectly to remove nail polish stains.

Vinyl Floor Cleaning “Don’ts”

As we’ve mentioned, vinyl floors can be susceptible to scratching if they aren’t cared for properly, and this can easily happen if you’re not using the right cleaning techniques. Here’s what you should never do when cleaning your vinyl floors:

• Don’t use abrasive scrubbers, steel wool, knives, or anything else sharp to remove stains from vinyl floors.
• Don’t use vinyl floor cleaners with detergents or high pH levels, as these can leave a dull film behind.
• Don’t wash or use solvent-based polishes on vinyl floors.
• Don’t steam clean vinyl flooring.
• Don’t drag furniture across vinyl floors. Use felt furniture moving pads instead.

Unfortunately, very severely scratch or stained floors may need to have one or several of their planks replaced. In extreme circumstances, you may even have to replace the entire floor. If you aren’t sure whether you need repairs or a flooring replacement, give us a call at 910-377-1904, email us at cfr.myroofer@gmail.com, or get in touch with us online. We’d be happy to help!