How to Clean and
Maintain Your Vinyl Floors
While vinyl flooring is a durable long lasting material,
there are some basic cleaning and maintenance tips you will
want to follow. Vinyl floors are not completely indestructible
so, good cleaning and maintenance are vital to its longevity.
Let’s begin with some basic do’s and don’ts for vinyl floor
cleaning….
Do:
- Wipe up spills as soon as possible. Remove dried spills
with a damp sponge or cloth and if necessary an all purpose
cleaner.
- Mop your vinyl floor as needed with a floor cleaner
recommended by the manufacturer.
- When necessary (this will not be often) use a manufacturer
recommended stripper/cleaner heavy duty cleaning is called
for.
- If your vinyl floor has lost its shine, use a polish (once
again a brand recommended by flooring manufacturer) to restore
its luster. To apply thin even coats of polish, pour the
polish onto the applicator rather than onto the floor itself.
Don't:
- Do not use abrasive cleaners or “mop and shine” type products.
These types of cleaners can actually leave a residue and/or
dull the finish of your vinyl floors.
- Do not use solvent-based polishes and/or paste waxes.
- If you choose to vacuum your floor, use one without a
beater bar or make sure the beater bar doesn’t strike the
surface of the floor. This can dent or otherwise damage
the floor.
- Do not scrub vinyl floors with highly abrasive
tools (steel wool, etc.)
Preventative Maintenance Tips:
- When moving heavy objects such as appliances or heavy
furniture, use a piece of plywood over the floor. This will
help prevent gouging, scuffing or even tearing of the floor.
- If you do get a deep gouge or tear in the floor, cover
it with a throw rug or similar item and call in a flooring
expert. Leaving the gouge or tear unprotected can lead to
further damage, costing you more money and time to repair.
This also applies if you have a seam(s) in your floor and
it opens up.
- To reduce indentations from appliances and furniture,
use floor protectors. Metal protectors are not recommended
as these will indent as badly as the item itself.
- To prevent staining from rug backing, vinyl-backed mats
are recommended over rubber or latex. Rubber and latex-backed
rugs contain a chemical to keep them from becoming brittle
which can result in “antioxidant staining” on vinyl floors.
- If your vinyl floors are one of the less expensive
PVC types, consider coating it with 2-3 coats of polish
before using it on a regular basis. These types of floors
tend to wear quicker than others and the polish will help
to protect against this wear.
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