If you’ve recently bought vinyl flooring, or moved into a property that already has it, the sentiment is the same. You want to preserve the look that made your vinyl flooring so attractive in the first place. Cleaning your floor can be a simple task, and if done often, it is even easier. Regular cleaning will keep your floors looking fresh and new. Doing this prevents damage and will maintain that glossy finish that is often lost over time. But what is the best practice to keep this desirable look?
Being fooled into thinking you just need to buy a good vinyl plank floor cleaner to clean plank flooring is a mistake. For example, Bona Floor Cleaner is a great product, but alone it won’t be enough to clean your vinyl floor properly. Many factors come into cleaning a vinyl floor well. It obviously depends on what type of flooring you have, but the main practices remain. With these, you´ll ensure that your vinyl flooring will be as clean as possible.
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Stage One – The Prep
You will need to sweep your vinyl flooring regularly, every day if possible. This will prevent debris from damaging the floor and also stop hairs and dust from collecting together. A carpet will absorb this debris into its weave making it appear as though it is not there. With vinyl flooring, you are able to feel and see the dirt as you walk by. It won’t take long to sweep a floor, and this is especially important whilst you are giving your floor a deep clean. Brooms can be the best tool for this first stage as it is designed to do exactly what is needed to be done.
A vacuum will do just as good job as a broom but a little more care needs to be taken with a vacuum cleaner. Some vacuum heads have abrasive parts attached to help with the cleaning process. These will only damage your vinyl floor so be aware of which you are using. Many vacuums come with the attachment to be used on vinyl flooring to prevent causing any damage. Care also needs to be taken with little stones getting stuck in the vacuum’s wheels whilst you are cleaning. A jammed wheel can gauge a mark in your floor whilst you are pulling it around. The use of a doormat outside can lower the risk and the debris that enters onto your flooring. Something this simple can work wonders for you.
Depending on what vinyl floor you have, how big it is and how lazy you are will determine what is best for your home. This doesn’t only apply to cleaning equipment, but the cleaning products and solutions too. If you have vinyl plank flooring, you want to buy a vinyl plank floor cleaner for the job. There are many brands that specialize in different types of cleaners for specific types of vinyl flooring. Vinyl floor manufacturers often have their own brands, or a brand they recommend to be used on their products. As mentioned before, Bona Floor Cleaner is one of the products that work well on most vinyl floors and is a safe choice to use.
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Stage Two – The Clean
A mop and bucket can be found in nearly every household and can be utilized on your vinyl floor. It’s best not to throw too much water around whilst cleaning. Although many vinyl floors are waterproof, excess water can find its way into places it shouldn’t be. Overly hot water can also be damaging to vinyl floors as well as an under diluted cleaning product. Strong chemicals will only harm vinyl floors in the long run. Tougher stains can be handled with a soft cloth, and a good scrub by hand. It doesn’t hurt to re-mop the floor with plain water afterward to remove any soapy streaks.
It’s well known that steam cleaners and vinyl flooring don’t really get on well. Due to the temperatures created to make the steam, the structural integrity of your flooring can be harmed. Because of the thoroughness of steam cleaners, once the cracks start to appear, the steam and water will get inside. From here on in it is only a downward spiral for the strength, durability, and appearance of your flooring. Having said that, some vinyl floor is suitable to use a steam cleaner on but only if the manufacturer says so. Generally, steam cleaners are a little overkill for the standard household although they are very effective cleaners commercially.
The best-recommended tool for the job then has to be the microfiber spray mop. The majority of these, including the Bona Floor Cleaner brand, have spray mops where you can put the ready diluted solutions directly into the mop handles, ready for use. Very efficient at cleaning and harmless to your floor, they make a great choice to clean vinyl floors. The downside comes from the environmental impact with the mop heads being disposable and concentrated cleaning solutions that are hard to come across. This creates a lot of waste and higher costs for the consumer, but that is the price to pay for the best tool for the job.
Stage Three – The Finish
You may be looking at a grout cleaning machine to finish off the job. Should your floor have grout lines, they can collect dirt which is hard to remove. When you don’t have time to go at them with a toothbrush, a grout cleaning machine may be your best option. But take care that the machine doesn’t damage the rest of your flooring, they can be quite aggressive like steam cleaners.
As with most things these days, everything depends on something. Many products differ in design, the manufacturing process and the materials that are used. Therefore there may be a specific method that suits each individual product better. Checking the advice of the manufacturer can prevent needless damage to your vinyl flooring. It can also save you money buying equipment you not necessarily need, which is always nice.