Tips for cleaning your vinyl flooring

Vinyl flooring is loved by homeowners for its versatility and durability. It is also easy to clean, but you will still need to make sure you are using the best products and techniques to keep it looking its best. Here are some vinyl floor cleaning tips.

Sweep regularly

Sharp bits of gravel, stones and other debris can easily be trodden in from outdoors and can lead to scratches and marks on your flooring over time. Sweeping your vinyl floor regularly will get rid of any potentially damaging items and keep your floor dust-free for longer.

Use a soft mop

One of the big advantages of vinyl flooring is that it stands up to moisture well, meaning you can use a mop to clean it. A soft mop works best, but make sure it is not dripping wet. Just as you would wring out a mop when using it on laminate flooring, do the same when mopping vinyl. While vinyl is water resistant, you don’t want to have a pool of water sitting on a join or at the edge of your flooring, as this could seep through to the floor underneath.

Don’t be tempted to wax it

You might be used to waxing other floors in your home, but don’t be tempted to do this with vinyl. Quality vinyl flooring already has a clear coating to make it look attractive and shiny. Wax will actually make your flooring lose its shine and you will then be faced with the time-consuming task of having to get the wax off again. If your vinyl flooring does lose its sheen over time but otherwise looks fine, you can purchase a special vinyl polish to bring it back to its former glory.

Use the correct products

As vinyl flooring is so tough and versatile, many general purpose floor cleaners will be suitable to use on your flooring; however, you should always check the bottle or packaging to make sure. While there are specialist products out there designed to be used specifically on vinyl flooring, you will find lots of generic cleaners that say somewhere on their packaging that they can be used on vinyl.

Don’t use abrasive products

As vinyl flooring resists stains and damage so well, most dirt and spills can be cleaned up with a cloth, mop or sponge. Don’t be tempted to use scouring products if you encounter more stubborn stains, as these could damage your flooring.