Even if you have the most furnished house, if the vinyl floor is not clean, your guests will leave with the impression that your home has a dirty floor.
What is Vinyl Flooring?
Vinyl is a resilient type of flooring that is comprised mainly of PVC (polyvinyl chloride) and a few other compounds. Vinyl floors are created to replace rubber floors as they are more durable and resistant to turning rusty. Some other benefits include low cost, many varieties to select from and easy installation.
A dirty floor becomes a breeding site for germs and bacteria and jeopardises our health. It is this advisable to maintain high cleaning standards in your house. If you don’t know how to clean your vinyl floor, worry not, for you are on the right track. We will show you how to clean it. Use these steps to clean your vinyl floor and you will never have to worry about having a dirty vinyl floor again.
What is the Best Way to Clean Vinyl Flooring?
Step 1. Sweep the Floor thoroughly
Before you start mopping the floor, sweep the floor. Sweep the dust and dirt to avoid accumulating on the floor and end up grounding as people walk through the room.
You can use a broom or a vacuum cleaner to pick all the dust and pet hair on the floor. Be sure to clean under the furniture and under the cabinets where dirt hides. Removing the dust first makes it easy for you to mob the vinyl floor. A microfiber cloth can help to expedite the cleaning process.
Step 2. Use a Cleaning Detergent for Deeper Dirt
Hard to remove stains cannot be eliminated with a small broom. Use a cleaning detergent to get rid of them. Mix up the standard apple cider with a spoon or two of cleaning soap. Although vinyl is water-resistant, it is not waterproof. Thus, it is important to conduct deep cleaning only when necessary.
Use a mop made of nylon scrub bristles for deeper cleaning. For scuffed areas, use oil or WD-40 to remove them. Apply the oil on a soft cloth and rub the scuff marks.
Stains from food like berry juice and wine are invertible. Remove them from the vinyl floor by mixing baking soda with lukewarm water to form a thick paste.
Use a soft cloth to rub off the stains. The mixture will leave your floor spectacular clean. For parts on the floor with ink stains, use alcohol to remove them.
Step 3. Use a Soft Nylon Brush
If you let dirt accumulate on the floor, it cements and removing it becomes an issue. You should avoid using abrasive tools. To remove the notorious stains and dust, scrub them using a soft nylon brush.
Make sure the bristles are soft to avoid leaving scratches on your floor. The brush should only remove the dust and move the storey intact.
Do not scrub the floor too hard as cleaning too hard takes off the top layer of your vinyl flooring, making it look old and outdated. Some people tend to use a knife to pry dried substances off the floor, which is not advisable; it leaves permanent scratches.
Step 4. Rinse the Floor with Clean Water to remove the Residue
After you are done scrubbing all the stains, rinse the vinyl floor with clean water so that the Residue does not stick there. Soap and other cleaning substances used in cleaning will damage the floor if left on the floor surface for too long.
Step 5. Dry the Floor with a Piece of Soft Cloth
After rinsing the vinyl floor with clean water, dry it with a soft dry cloth. Soaking the floor with water will cause damage to the glue that keeps the vinyl intact. If water is left on the vinyl floor for too long, it gets under the tiles via cracks between the pipes and loosens the glue.
As a result, the tiles will start peeling off. As such, take note to only use little water when cleaning the vinyl floor and make sure it is dry when your task is over.
Dos and Don’ts when Cleaning your Vinyl Floor
Do: Put a rubber on your furniture legs – Moving chairs and tables from one point to the other tends to scratch the floor. To make cleaning easy, felt tips or pads on the bottoms of your furniture legs.
Don’ts: Do not scrub the vinyl floor too hard – Be gentle to the level. Use soft brushes that will remove the stains but will not scratch the floor. Avoid using a knife to remove stains since it will leave a permanent scratch on the floor. For notorious stains, soak the area in a solution and remove them with a soft cloth once it is soaked.
Common Questions on Cleaning Vinyl Floors:
Is white vinegar safe for vinyl floors?
White vinegar can be used to clean vinyl floors because it is acidic but non-abrasive, meaning that it will not end up damaging the top layer of the vinyl flooring. Moreover, using white vinegar to clean the vinyl floor will not lead to a sticky residue that soaps and cleaners usually have. White vinegar also has the added benefit of being a natural disinfectant, with apple cider vinegar being a close substitute.
You can clean your vinyl flooring with white vinegar by creating a cleaning solution with it. Firstly, dilute one cup of vinegar with sixteen cups of hot water. You can then use this solution to mop your floors.
Do note that to avoid damaging the surface of the vinyl planks, a microfiber mop should be used when mopping your vinyl floors, as compared to a string mop. You can engage professionals for advice if needed.
How to maintain vinyl flooring?
Naturally, vinyl floors are more hardwearing and water-resistant. If you follow the above-mentioned steps, there is little maintenance required for vinyl floors. However, vinyl is not indestructible and one should not be over-complacent in shortcutting the cleaning procedure.
What is the Best Cleaner for Vinyl Floors?
Vinyl floors are sensitive to harsh and corrosive cleaners such as bleach and ammonia, which can end up damaging the vinyl planks. As such, the best cleaner for vinyl floors is pH-neutral cleaners. You can create a simple pH-neutral cleaning solution at home by mixing around an ounce of dishwashing soap with sixteen cups of water.
To Sum up
Vinyl floors are known for their attractiveness and comfortability when walking on them. They are warmer than their floor tiles counterparts. With proper care and cleaning, your vinyl floor will remain gorgeous, luxurious and as good as new for a good amount of time.
You can choose to hire a floor cleaning company, but if you decide to do it yourself, always use the right cleaning detergents when cleaning the vinyl floor, and avoid using abrasive cleaners that cause floor corrosion.
When rinsing, you should dry all the water on the floor surface. Make sure it is dry. Take good care of your vinyl floor, and it will take care of your savings. Given its durable nature. You will end up spending less on the repairs.
Find Reliable Cleaners in Singapore.
Homees provides a list of cleaning professionals in Singapore. If your project is customised and would like to speak to a few reliable cleaners to compare their service, Homees can also match you to honest home cleaners with your personalised requirements quickly and fuss-free.
You can check out the prices of floor cleaning in our cost guide.
There are many aspects to a home, and no doubt, many different kinds of cleaning available.
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