16 dos and don’ts to cleaning and maintaining your vinyl floor

People love vinyl flooring because it’s low-maintenance, fuss free, comfortable to walk on, waterproof and overall, looks great. It’s chosen worldwide, but to keep it looking smart, special attention is needed.

Here’s our expert care guide, including 16 special tips and unique tricks to maintaining this vinyl flooring:

Do’s

- Brush your floor daily – using a soft brush, once a day make sure that you brush away any loose debris, dirt and dust that could potentially get trodden into your vinyl floor.
- Wipe spillages immediately – liquids will sit on a vinyl floor in puddles, and if left for a long period of time, can damage the floor and make it hazardous and slippery for your family.
- Invest in a door mat – sounds simple, but it’s so important. A door mat will help keep out dirt, chemicals and anything else that could damage your vinyl floor.
- Wear soft soled shoes – high heels could prove disastrous for your vinyl floor!
- Keep pets’ nails trimmed – cats and dogs’ nails, if not cut, could cause permanent damage.
- Use two mops – soap may have got your floor clean, but if not washed away properly can be a hindrance. Soap scum will leave a film on your vinyl floor that will collect dirt, so it’s important to ensure that you wash it away properly. We suggest using two mops when cleaning your vinyl floor. Use one for washing and the second mop for rinsing.
- Fit protective “feet” on your furniture and large appliances – heavy items will dent your vinyl floor and the results tend to be reversible. Purchasing floor protectors for items that could do this really will make all the difference. Also, remember to never drag, push and pull furniture. We suggest lifting, carrying and wheeling in large items. This will prevent unsightly marks, scratches and damage from occurring.
- Use Jojoba Oil or WD-40 to get rid of scuffs – always our trusty go-to products. Place either of the products onto a soft cloth, rub the scuff marks, and watch it rub right off. Ta-da!
- Lightly sweep your vinyl floor before moping – this will remove all the loose dirt and in turn will help prevent any nasties from scratching and damaging the floor whilst moping.
- Find and use the correct soap for your vinyl floor – a no-wax vinyl floor for example means you can’t use wax, so make sure there isn’t any in your floor cleaner. Always use a cleaner made for use on your vinyl floor.

Don’t

- Underestimate the power of Bicarbonate of Soda – honestly, trust us. For instances when warm water and soap aren’t enough for removing stains, we recommend adding some Bicarbonate of soda into the mix… give it a go!
- Use abrasive materials – SO important! It may solve a problem short-term, but long-term it will ruin your vinyl floors. Also, did you know that some detergents are also considered ‘abrasive’? Avoid them at all costs!
- Drench your vinyl floor – just as with leaving spillages, drenching a vinyl floor will damage it. The water could travel into edges and corners of the room and destroy the glue bond it has been secured down with. The may result in the corners of the floor becoming loose and curling.
- Use hot water – When mopping, use a mop that has been dampened with warm – not HOT water.
- Use a steam mop to clean your vinyl floors – ignore the adverts and how cool and easy to use they look; steam mops will cause damage to your vinyl floors. As will using hot water, a steam mop uses high temperatures, which are unsuitable for this flooring type.
- Vacuum your vinyl floor without removing the beater bar – vacuuming vinyl flooring is not advised, but if you do choose to do so, make sure that the beater bar is removed to prevent scratches and scuffs.

So, there you have it – 16 top tips to take care of your vinyl floor. For more information on how to look after your flooring, contact Kennington Flooring today.