With the change of time, people’s lifestyle has been upgraded to another level. Whether it’s the furniture or the interior/exterior of the house, everyone loves to add extra shine. One of those things that bring charm to your house is Vinyl Plank floors. But with modern tools, there comes a modern problem. Indeed, it’s a pleasure for everyone to have vinyl plank flooring. But they remain in a fix regarding the best ways to clean vinyl plank flooring or how to clean luxury vinyl plank flooring.
So, nothing to worry about because today we came up with full-proof details with the dos and don’ts regarding the best ways to clean vinyl plank floors. Not only that, but we will also look over some pro-tips that will bring extra shine to your vinyl floor. So, without making any further delay – let’s hop on to know the rest.
Things You Should Know Before Cleaning a Vinyl Plank Floor
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You must remember you need to maintain a routine for sweeping your vinyl plank floor once in a while. In that way, you can steer clear your way out of getting dirt on the floor. It’s always best to use a soft broom on the floor for the sweeping purpose.
Using a doormat can be very helpful for keeping the floor as clean as possible. The specks of dirt which are tracked-in are the one which makes the most damage. The doormat will save your extra sweeping time and cause you a less amount of hassles.
But you should know, using ammonia or bleach is not good at all for cleaning vinyl plank floors. It takes the shine off the floor makes it look very dull. Rather, you can preserve your broom with a PH-neutral cleaner.
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With What and How You should Clean Your Vinyl Floor
For the solution, take one cup of apple cider vinegar and mix it with eight pints of water. Now, use this cleaning solution with a moist-mop and clean the floor. Make sure, your cleansing the mop while the cleaning procedure along with warm water. For removing soil dirt, feel free to use dishwashing liquid. Simply add it with the cleaning solution before mopping and you are good to go.
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While the cleaning procedure, you might think about whether the floor is losing the shine/polish or not? To make sure the polish remains, use baby oil drops along with the solution. It will add extra shine to your floor. If you don’t have got baby oil, use plain dishwashing liquid and eight pints of water solution for bringing the shine.
As an alternative to that, feel free to use shampoo. You might ask why? It’s because shampoo removes chemicals from the floor just like it can remove chemicals from the hair. So, don’t hesitate to use it on the vinyl plank floors. Finally, it’s better to use a microfiber mop for doing all these kinds of jobs. Otherwise, it will not hold back water when the mop is rinsed.
There’s a huge confusion among people that whether using a steam mop can be good or not? You must remember how do water treat to the woods. It runs into the cracks, seams, and edges and as a result, destroys the glue which is holding the vinyl down.
Remember to remove the soapsuds since soap creates a film over plastic. As a result, it ended up collecting the specks of dirt. It’s better to have two different types of mop for cleaning up the floor. One should be for rinsing and the other should be for washing. To remove stains, you can use baking soda and water that will rub the stain out of the floor.
Tips and Tricks for Making Your Vinyl Floor Shining
The thumb rule of keeping the vinyl floor shiny as always is to use no wax. And by NO WAX, I do mean NO WAX! The vinyl plank floor has already got a coating of polyurethane. This helps to make your floor shiny as always. Now suppose your floor has lost the shininess and you want to bring it back. In that case, refurbish your floor with a polish or special sealant made for the flooring.
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But before doing that, make sure your floor is almost dust-free and the surface is clean enough. After ensuring that, apply one or two thin layers. That should keep the floor shining for at least one year. Just in case if your floor is way too old, apply wax but within a limited amount as per the container label.
P.S: Maximum of the times heavy things like furniture, fridge leaves a permanent mark on your floor. To make sure these things don’t hamper your floor, use protective feet. You will easily get these appliances on any hardware floor. Don’t use rolling casters much, rather use fitting furniture. These will not hamper your floor.
Ways to Fix Scratches and Scuffs
Even though you are a meticulous person who takes the cleaning arrangement very seriously, there are a high amount of chances to have scratches and scuffs on the vinyl plank floor. In these kinds of cases, you need to use a repair kit or do a light buffing to fix the floor.
If you found more substantial scratches, I would recommend you to use a floor sealer. First, give your floor a perfect wash by using the above methods and then apply floor sealers. For an alternative, you can use baby oil to it as well. You can also use lubricant and use a dishtowel to rub the scratches and scuffs out. If the scuff is deep, swap the piece with a new piece of vinyl plank.
Other Ways to Get Rid of Damages
If you are moving to a new home, place your heavy home appliances on a plywood path. It will help you to prevent dragging those into certain places. Feel free to carry these items rather than pulling them on the floor. Make sure you are using floor protectors for heavy materials like furniture, refrigerator, and so on. Otherwise, that’s going to leave a mark which you will regret later.
Rolling casters are one more thing that you should be aware of. These things leave your vinyl ripped or scratched. You should install chairs and tables that come with a felt tip. This will help you to prevent having any marks on the floor. By following these methods, you will have a long-term impact on your vinyl plank floors.
The Must DON’Ts for Cleaning A Vinyl Plank Floor
Never scrub too hard on the floor. Using too much force or too scratchy material can cause damage to the surface and let the floor lose its shine. You should always use a soft microfiber mop to get rid of these unexpected scruffs on the floor.
Do not use bleach or any kind of abrasive cleaners. Those things have harmful chemicals that are not suitable for the vinyl plank floor. It’s preferable to use warm water but don’t bring any hot material for cleaning up the life-proof vinyl floor. And also don’t let the floor to be wet for a longer period.
You may wonder how to make vinyl plank floors shine. I hope you already know that. But you should not use wax or any other solvent-based anything to bring the shine on the floor. Also, don’t use any ammonia-based solution for cleaning up the floor. It can crack your floor and cause permanent damage to the floor.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Cleaning Products are best for cleaning the vinyl plank floor?
Answer: In general, you can use soap and water for cleaning and regular sweeping. Most of the time, manufacturers will recommend you use advanced cleaning materials but it’s not important. Do not use paste wax and solvent-based polishes. Using harsh detergents can lead can take the shine from your floor.
Apple Cider Vinegar is good for cleaning the vinyl plank floor. It removes the grime of the floor quite easily. You just need to mix one cup of vinegar with water and you are good to go.
Can anyone use Swiffer on their vinyl plank floor?
Answer: Anyone can use Swiffer on their vinyl plank floor, there is no such major issue with that. All you have to remember you should avoid flipping the mop for using the scrubber. A microfiber mop can be an ideal solution for protecting the floor from any abrasions.
How to get the vinyl floor to shine?
Answer: You can make a very simple solution with baby oil, apple cider vinegar, and warm water. It will bring back the shine on your floor. For the strong scuffs, you can use some lubricant along with a towel. Rub it on the scuffs and it will bring back the missing shininess. For removing the marks of lubricant, use the water and vinegar solution, and clean thoroughly.
Will vinegar damage the vinyl plank floors?
Answer: Vinegar is one of the most effective cleaning material for cleaning the vinyl plank floor. It has got acidities that help you up to remove the grime from the floor. But you should always remember the limitation of using vinegar. Otherwise, it may backfire in many ways.
It’s always better to use another supporting material like warm water to use with vinegar. It reduces the acidity level to a certain stage and helps you up to clean the floor.
Is bleach good for cleaning the vinyl floor plank?
Answer: Bleach is not good for cleaning the vinyl floor plank. It makes your floor looking fade and takes away the shine. However, you can use it for disinfecting purposes. You have to make a solution of gallon water with ¾ cup of bleach. You can apply it maximum for 5 minutes, rinse the floor and let it get dry. Otherwise, it should not be used at any cost in the first place.
Can steam mop be used for cleaning a vinyl plank floor?
Answer: You should not use a steam mop anyway to clean the vinyl floor. Due to heat, the floor can have some serious damage. The heat damages the glue that has behold the vinyl plank pieces for a long time.
It will reduce the service period you were supposed to have from the floor. You can use warm water but never something as hot as a steam mop on the floor.
What’s the reason for the discoloration of the vinyl plank floor?
Answer: Vinyl plank floor is usually water-resistant but never waterproof. So, if you spill liquid things like juice, milk, water, and so on – the floor will eventually develop a stain. The more time it gets to be moisture, the more it will not look good for your floor. So, be aware of these issues. Simply follow the steps above to get rid of the stain.
Final Verdict
Vinyl Plank Floor is one of the most lucrative things that bring charm into your house. There is nothing more gorgeous you can find to make your home look good. This brings a classic style and sophistication to your dining hall, kitchen, and corridor. But great things also need great care.
So, if you have reached this part of the article, I believe you already know the best way to clean vinyl plank flooring. Apply these methods gently and carefully. Hopefully, the charm of your home will sustain for a longer period.
