There is nothing better than a sparkling vinyl floor. This versatile material is available in a variety of colours and finishes, bringing a touch of luxury to even the smallest of spaces. It’s also warmer and more inviting than tiles and laminate and much quieter to walk on. However, like with any floor covering, keeping your vinyl clean and tidy is an absolute must.
Thankfully, the experts at Crystal Cleaning Servicing have put together this helpful guide to assist you in finding the best method to clean vinyl floors and achieve that professional-looking finish at home. Don’t worry, it’s easier than you might think!
How to Clean Discoloured Vinyl Flooring
First thing’s first, let’s take a look at vinyl flooring that has become discoloured over the years. Vinyl flooring is a durable material for your flooring but is still a flexible substance that needs looking after to keep it looking its best.
If your vinyl flooring has become discoloured or stained, it’s important to follow these steps to reduce the chances of causing irreparable damage:
- Blot up any liquids with a soft cloth to remove dirt.
- Using another clean, white and slightly damp cloth, wipe the vinyl to remove any staining.
- If that hasn’t removed the full stain, use a specialist vinyl floor cleaner and apply according to the instructions.
- Depending on the cleaning instructions, you may need to rinse with water and then dry.
Remember to thoroughly dry your floor after cleaning it, as any sitting water could cause damage which would require the replacement of the water-damaged floor panels.
It’s recommended that you lightly wash your vinyl floor a couple of times a week (depending on how high a traffic area it is) just to avoid any stains settling into the material.
You can use baking soda and water to create a natural cleaning solution and apply that to the stain with a soft cloth. Remember though that baking soda is an abrasive, so don’t scrub the affected area.
If you’re wondering how to clean ground-in dirt out of vinyl flooring then there are a couple of top tips you can follow:
- If something has become stuck on the floor, like paint or chewing gum, use a plastic (not metal) scraper and work at an angle delicately to loosen the dirt.
- If it’s something like ink or make-up, you can dip a soft white cloth in rubbing alcohol and gently rub.
- It’s important to use a white cloth for the above step as a coloured cloth could transfer colour to your floor, resulting in more damage.
How to Deep Clean Vinyl Flooring
You’ve got a lovely new vinyl floor and want to keep it looking its best. How do you go about getting that professional finish without actually bringing in the professionals? Well, with a little weekly upkeep, your vinyl floor will keep wowing guests and family members for years to come.
First up, you need to remove any loose debris from your floor. You can use your vacuum cleaner with its hard floor attachment (if it has one) or you could use a broom and dustpan to catch any dust and dirt. If you find that your house gets extra dusty, check out our blog on how to reduce dust in your home.
Top Tip: If you’re using a vacuum, remember to switch off the beater bar as this is meant for carpets and could be too harsh for vinyl.
Once you have finished removing the dust and dirt from your vinyl, it’s time to move on to washing the floor. For this, we recommend a good quality mop and bucket – microfibre mops are fantastic as they don’t wet the surface of the floor as much as traditional fabric mops.
You can just use warm water and your mop, but if you have a specialist floor cleaner, make sure you follow the instructions to ensure no damage is caused to the surface. One thing we would really recommend is to wring out your mop thoroughly before applying it to the floor – yes you can use water to clean it, but you shouldn’t be leaving any pools of water on the surface.
How to Look After Your Vinyl
So, you know how to clean your floor, but what top tips can you follow to look after it from a practical perspective? Here are Crystal Cleaning Servicing’s top vinyl tips:
- At any external doors, make sure you use doormats.
- Ask guests to remove their shoes at the entrance.
- Invest in some foam floor protectors for your furniture legs.
- Don’t use abrasive chemicals when cleaning your floor.
- Always dry your floor thoroughly after washing.
- Be wary of rubber: extended contact with rubber materials can leave a non-removable stain.
- Lift rather than drag furniture and heavy objects.
There you have it, everything you need to keep your vinyl floor looking like a professional has been to work on it. If you’re too busy and need an expert to come in and help you out, take a look at our services to find out more.