How To Clean Vinyl Plank Flooring: Best Cleaning Methods and Pro Tips
Vinyl plank flooring might seem nearly indestructible, but even small oversights can cause lasting damage.
You can avoid the early demise of your vinyl floors by cleaning them properly and regularly.
Tidy Up Portland! describes the best, most natural ways for cleaning and maintaining vinyl flooring. Read on for our professional recommendations.
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How Often Should You Clean Vinyl Flooring?
At least once per week, clean your floors of all debris, including crumbs, dirt, and dust. A few factors might necessitate a more frequent cleaning, such as:
Having kids or pets
Members of the household tracking in material from dirty work sites
Living in a muddy, snowy, or otherwise dirty area
The amount of foot traffic ultimately dictates how often your vinyl flooring should be mopped. For example, the front entryway, kitchen, and bathrooms are used most frequently, so a weekly or biweekly mopping should be scheduled. A biweekly or monthly mopping may be sufficient for rooms used less frequently, such as a formal dining room for entertaining guests.
What Is the Best Way To Clean Vinyl Plank Flooring?
Cleaning with natural products is the most sustainable way to maintain your vinyl floors. These are cost-effective and free of harsh, toxic substances that can harm your health, your floors, and the environment.
Tidy Up Portland! offers professional housekeeping services utilizing only chemical-free cleaning methods to ensure that no part of your home is damaged in the cleaning process. Contact us today to schedule a cleaning!
3 Best Natural Cleaning Methods for Vinyl Flooring
After sweeping or dry mopping, you’ll be ready to use one of these methods to clean your vinyl plank floors.
#1: Castile Soap and Water
Many eco-friendly, all-natural cleaning enthusiasts turn to a Castile soap and water mixture for their general cleaning needs. Castile soap can be made from a variety of plant-based oils and doesn’t contain synthetic ingredients. It is good for sensitive skin, and a little bit goes a long way for a great variety of uses, including body, home, and pet care, and even as an insect deterrent.
Lisa Bronner’s recipe for a Castile soap and water mixture is as follows:
1 gallon of water
2.5 T of Pure-Castile Soap or 1 tsp of Sal Suds
Optional: 20 drops of Tea Tree pure essential oil (provides an antibacterial boost)
When using this cleaning method, rinse your floors an extra time to avoid soap buildup.
#2: Diluted White or Apple Cider Vinegar
Vinegar is an inexpensive and environmentally friendly cleaning agent that is effective for the removal of grime, dirt, and stickiness. Although its acidity makes it a disinfectant, vinegar is not as effective at killing germs as bleach or other commercial cleansers.
Follow this procedure to clean vinyl floors with vinegar:
Mix 1 cup of vinegar into 1 gallon of very warm water. Add a drop or two of dish soap for extra cleaning power.
Dip your wet mop into this mixture.
Wring out the mop so it’s not soaking, and mop your floor.
If you added soap, rinse well to avoid sticky or slippery floors.
#3: Baking Soda
Baking soda is another natural way to clean your floors without harming them. Besides neutralizing odors, baking soda is slightly abrasive and reacts with vinegar to cut through grease.
To remove stains from vinyl flooring with baking soda, follow these steps:
Create a paste with baking soda and water.
Apply the paste to the stain with a soft rag, rubbing gently to lift the stain.
Remove the excess paste by wiping the area with a damp cloth. Or, to maximize the cleaning power of the baking soda, rinse with your vinegar-water mixture.
Tips for Maintaining Your Vinyl Flooring
Vinyl is a durable, attractive, and inexpensive flooring option that is growing in popularity. This is in part due to its ease of installation and maintenance, as well as its (relative) water resistance and ability to mimic the appearance of natural materials. But you must put the work into maintaining vinyl flooring properly so it can last as long as it is designed to.
Vinyl Flooring Do’s
Consider the following ideas to keep your vinyl flooring in good shape:
Clean spills immediately: Allowing spills to sit for too long can cause watermarks, stains, or other discolorations. Stains may be removed with a baking soda paste (see above) or a magic eraser.
After mopping the floor, be sure to soak up excess water with a dry mop, pressing lightly to avoid the formation of water spots. Cleaning baseboards may also affect your vinyl floor, so keep a towel near you to soak up water that spreads from the baseboards to the floor.
Protect your vinyl flooring: Minimize scratches and dents by placing rugs or mats in high-traffic areas, placing furniture disks or felt on the bottom of heavy furniture and chair legs, and always taking precautions when moving heavy furniture. If you don’t have someone to help lift the furniture, drag it with a blanket underneath.
Polish your vinyl flooring regularly: Routinely polish vinyl floors to keep them looking fresh and shiny. Add baking soda to your cleaning solution or use a small amount of jojoba oil.
Vinyl Flooring Don’ts
- Avoid certain tools. Tools that can harm vinyl include:
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- Steel wool and bristled brushes – These may leave small scratches.
- Steam mops – These can cause warping and adhesive issues.
- Beater bar on vacuum – This can dent and scratch the vinyl.
- Avoid certain cleaning products, such as:
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- Abrasive cleaners – These wear away at the surface of your floor.
- Rubbing alcohol – This can dry out your vinyl if used too often.
- Wax or solvent-based polishes – These can cause damage to the finish.
- Ammonia or ammonia-based solutions – These can break down and crack the vinyl.
- Don’t abuse your floors. Try to avoid wearing heels or heavy shoes with shaped soles in the house. Pets that live indoors should have their nails trimmed regularly. This will help prevent scrapes, scratches, and dents.
- Screen out the sunlight. Close your blinds or curtains when you are away from home for long periods so your vinyl floors are not constantly exposed to sunlight, which can cause them to fade.
Tidy Up Portland! Is Here To Help You Clean and Maintain Your Vinyl Flooring
Tidy Up Portland! provides professional house cleaning in Portland, Oregon, with various packages available to accommodate your home care needs. These packages differ based on the frequency of cleaning, the square footage of your home, and the depth of cleaning you would like.
Tidy Up Portland! strives to provide high-quality service in a timely manner with as little effort on your part as possible. Our online portal allows you to schedule service conveniently without picking up the phone.
We take our work seriously and have rigorously trained and background-checked our employees. Be assured that after our visit, you will come home to a refreshed and rejuvenated home space. We will mop your vinyl floors if you sign up for a flat rate or spring clean package. Call us or visit our website today to learn more about our services.
