How to clean vinyl flooring and leave it sparkling

Concerned you don’t know how to clean your vinyl flooring properly? We teach you how to keep it clean, sparkling and free from all types of stains.

This type of plastic flooring is very versatile and easy to install. It became fashionable in the 70s but has bounced back in recent years, particularly because of the developments in format, resistance, properties and, above all, aesthetics.

With this type of flooring, you need to take a series of precautions to maintain it so it lasts for a long time and to prevent it from scratching easily:

• Be careful with the excessive use of water: although this type of flooring can be mopped because it has a waterproof coating, you need to take care not to overdo it. If there are pieces that aren’t joined properly and the water seeps between the joints, it can cause unpleasant odours and even the flooring can even unstick.

• Don’t use abrasive products: you need to take care not to use solvents, corrosive or alkaline products, bleach, strong water or acetones, among others, because they could cause damage.

• Where possible, avoid using furniture with wheels because it will leave marks on the flooring.

How often should I clean my vinyl flooring?

In terms of the frequency of cleaning vinyl flooring, it should ideally be deep cleaned once a week, although this will depend on the materials the flooring is made of and its use. Mopping every day to remove the dust is recommended.

How to clean very dirty vinyl flooring

To prevent vinyl flooring from becoming damaged, you can follow the daily routines below:

• Get rid of dust and dirt from shoes: because they can scratch and damage the floor. To help, you can place a mat in front of each room and clean the soles of shoes. You can also mop or vacuum each day, without a brush, to remove the dirt.

• Be careful with spillages: if liquid spills on the floor, you should clean it straight away to prevent discolouring.

• They don’t require waxing: since they already have a special coating that makes them shine.

If the vinyl is very dirty or you want to do a deep clean, we recommend the following: add a spoonful of washing-up liquid to a solution of vinegar and water, and apply it with a mop (preferably soft nylon). There are various special mops and cloths on the market for this type of surface, to prevent the surface from scratching.

This will help the dust, mud and dirt that has stuck to the flooring to come off more easily. But this process shouldn’t be done regularly and you should also remove any soap residue that may be left behind.

You should bear in mind that, to remove certain stains from this type of flooring:

• You should avoid scrubbing too hard because it will remove the shine from the vinyl.

• You should never use a knife or blade to remove dried substances that have stuck to the floor because it will leave a permanent mark.

How to make vinyl flooring shine

One of the disadvantages of this type of flooring is that it may become opaque if you don’t look after it properly. A way of preventing this is by using vinegar.

Using wine or apple vinegar to clean the floor each day is an excellent option to make it sparkle and keep it clean. This element isn’t too strong or abrasive so it won’t damage vinyl flooring. You should mix the vinegar with water and apply it with a mop.

Which products to use and which ones not to use to clean vinyl flooring

You shouldn’t use abrasive products that damage the vinyl flooring or metal scourers. There are specific cleaning products for cleaning this type of surface that don’t contain aggressive agents, but are made of a neutral pH that doesn’t damage the floor. They are normally mixed with warm water, using a well-wrung mop. In addition, this type of cleaner doesn’t usually leave marks when it dries.