How To Clean Vinyl Flooring

In our first #loveyourfloor series, we are covering how to clean your vinyl flooring. While vinyl flooring is well known for being easy to maintain, there are still a pointers you should know before cleaning it.

BEST WAY TO CLEAN VINYL FLOORS

Preventing your flooring from suffering scratches, dust and dirt, is easier to deal with a regular cleaning schedule. You can do this with the following methods:

Regular Dry Cleaning

Whether you've chosen LVT, glue down or click down vinyl flooring, regularly cleaning your floors helps protect and keep them looking great. Sweeping or dry mopping helps safeguard against dirt, dust, and debris particles that build up daily. If you have a darker shade of flooring the dirt and dust will be less visible; though, this shouldn't stop you from cleaning.

Weekly Damp Cleaning

Most vinyl flooring types will require at the minimum a weekly damp cleaning of dirt that may not have been gathered and removed with your regular dry cleaning. Be careful not to soak the floor, and use a slightly moist cloth or microfibre mop with the recommended amount of floor cleaner. Like with all good things in life, moderation is key. The right amount of cleaning agent is all you need, so check with the product cleaning guidelines before getting the mop out!

Tip: Minimise dirt

A first step in helping to keep your vinyl floors clean is by starting at the entrance. Entrance mats reduce the amount of dirt soiling your floors and catch most mess in the early steps. However, these need attention too, so remembering to vacuum your entrance mats goes a long way to making your job easier! You should avoid placing a rubber or latex-based mat as these can leave stains on the vinyl flooring.

REMOVING STAINS FROM VINYL FLOORING

Accidental spills and stains are just a fact of life but knowing how to handle them is essential. We always recommend you read and follow the manufacturers cleaning and general maintenance instructions.

For an example of cleaning LVT flooring, we are using the Moduleo flooring guidelines. When dealing with stains, they recommend trying one of the following options:

Lightly Moistened Cloth (or Microfibre Flat Mop)

Remove any remaining dirt using a clean, lightly moistened cloth or microfibre flat mop. Work towards the middle from the outer edges, not allowing the stain to spread.

Traditional Floor Cloth

Remove any remaining dirt with a dry floor cloth, using a small amount of floor cleaner (James Daily Floor Clean and Quick Dry is a Moduleo recommended daily cleaner). Clean once again with a dry cloth to prevent any resoiling.

Wet Vacuum Cleaner

First check that vacuum nozzle is not worn out, as this could potentially scratch the floor. Follow the above similar steps to remove any remaining dirt or liquid. Avoid allowing the dirt to spread and clean intensively.

Some stains are much harder to remove, for instance: shoe stripes, cosmetics or old wine stains. For these more stubborn noticeable stains, we recommend using James Stain Remover.

REMOVING VINYL FLOORING GLUE

In your journey to stuck everything in place, there can be difficulties. Excess glue may leak to the surface, and sometimes you may get marks on your floor. If the glue is fresh, it is easier to remove with a dry cloth, and then give the area a good clean; with hardened glue or marks on the flooring, you should use James Basic Floor Cleaner. This cleaner removes old waxy layers and adhesive, allowing you to rid yourself of any blemishes and messes.

These were a few pointers to further your relationship with your lovely vinyl flooring. As always, we would recommend first reading your manufacturer cleaning and maintenance instructions beforehand.

For any further cleaning queries, our team of flooring experts are on hand to answer your questions. Please contact them here.