What is the Best Way to Clean Vinyl Plank Flooring? 3 Easy Ways

Vinyl floors have become a cheaper alternative to hardwood floors, and it also gives the modern look and feel for your home. With the vinyl plank, it’s easier for you to sweep it and clean the dirt on the surface of the floor when compared to the regular ceramic tiles or stone-based flooring. But what is the best way to clean vinyl plank flooring? Homeowners often have this question in mind, and you might also have the same question that needs to be answered.

It’s quite easy to clean the vinyl plank flooring, and this guide will give you the important information to clean your vinyl floors the right way. So, let’s get to it.

General Cleaning Tips for Vinyl Plank Floors

First, you need to know about some cleaning tips for the vinyl plank floors. Remember, this type of flooring has different textures when compared to the regular ceramic flooring or marbles and other stone-based floors. So, the cleaning procedure for the vinyl plank floors differs from the other flooring types.

Here are some general cleaning tips for vinyl plank floors:

  • You need to sweep the floor every day to get rid of the dirt and debris on the surface of the floor.
  • Also, mopping the floor with a damp cloth or wet mop will help keep the clean and shiny look of the floor.
  • Only use the cleaning solution suitable for vinyl plank flooring if you want to perform a thorough cleaning procedure for the floors.
  • Vacuuming the floors once a week is a good way to maintain the cleanliness of the floors and keep it free from any persistent dust and debris.
  • Vinegar is a recommended homemade cleaning solution to clean some stains on the vinyl plank flooring, which is suitable to use for this flooring type and which doesn’t cause any damage and discolouration to the floors.

These are the general cleaning tips you should pay attention to when performing the cleaning procedure for the vinyl plank flooring in your house. It can keep your floors look nice and clean all the time.

Things You Need to Avoid when Cleaning Vinyl Plank Flooring

There are also some things you need to avoid when cleaning vinyl plank floors. Remember, using the wrong cleaning solution can also damage or discolour the floors, so you need to be careful in choosing the cleaner for it. Some cleaning practices that might be suitable for other types of flooring might not be suitable for vinyl.

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Here are some things you need to avoid when cleaning vinyl plank flooring:

  • Cleaning solutions that contain strong detergent are not good for vinyl floors, and they can cause potential damages to the flooring.
  • You can also crack the vinyl planks when you use the cleaners that use ammonia as their basic ingredient.
  • You need to use the vacuum attachment suitable for vinyl floors and avoid using the beater bar vacuum accessory, as it can cause damages to the floor surface.
  • Paste wax is not a suitable solution to use when polishing the vinyl plank flooring, as it can also damage the surface.
  • Use a microfiber or soft cloth when mopping the floor and avoid using any hard cloth when mopping the vinyl planks.

These are some things you need to avoid when cleaning the vinyl plank flooring. Keep these things in mind to avoid any damages or discolouration on the vinyl surface, which might be irreparable.

Tips to Clean Various Stains on Vinyl Plank Floors

Stains can come to the vinyl plank flooring at any time. When there’s a stain, you need to be ready to clean it as soon as possible. Stains you keep on the floor surface without cleaning will only make it much harder to remove later. The best practice is to clean the stains on your vinyl plank flooring as soon as possible, without delay.

Here are some tips to clean various stains on vinyl plank floors:

  • Vinegar is one of the best homemade solutions you can use for vinyl floors, which can help you clean any liquid stains on the floor. You only need to spray the vinegar on top of the stains and wipe it out using paper towels in repeat.
  • The regular bleach can also help you remove stains like tomato sauce, fruit juice, and wine from the vinyl floor surface. Just clean the stains using a small amount of bleach and mop the floor with a clean cloth. Do it in repeat until the stains disappear.
  • You can deal with solid stains by removing the solid part of the stains first and deal with the liquid part using either vinegar or bleach. This will help clean stains like pizza and other foods, and also pet litters.
  • There are some cleaners made for vinyl plank flooring you can use for daily stain removal for your vinyl floors. It can keep your floors clean and look polished.
  • You can use plain water with some dishwasher soap to clean small stains on the vinyl floor surface. However, you need to rinse the floor and wipe it dry as soon as possible.
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These are some tips you can follow to clean various stains on vinyl plank floors. With the stains gone, you can maintain the good look of the floors in your house, and also, maintain the good look of your home environment.

The Regular Cleaning Procedure for Vinyl Plank Flooring

You need to clean the vinyl plank flooring in your house from time to time. It’s important to clean the floors daily to ensure that it doesn’t collect any dirt and debris on the floor surface. This is the reason performing the regular cleaning procedure for the vinyl plank flooring is necessary.

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Here are the steps you need to follow for the regular cleaning procedure of your vinyl plank flooring:

  • First, you need to sweep the floors to get rid of any apparent dirt and debris that covers the floor surface.
  • Then, you need to vacuum the floor for more thorough cleaning of the dirt and debris on the surface of the vinyl plank flooring.
  • After vacuuming, you need to prepare the mop along with the cleaning solution suitable for the vinyl floor.
  • Mop the floor from the sides of the room in backward movements as to avoid stepping onto the wet floors.
  • After that, you need to rinse the cleaning solution by mopping the floors again with plain water.
  • Let the floors dry by themselves or you can wipe it out using the dry cloth in repeat.

By following this simple cleaning procedure, you can make your vinyl floors look clean all day. It’s very easy to do, and it only takes at most an hour to complete the cleaning procedure. Remember, vinyl plank floors are very easy to clean, but they can also be very easy to get dirt on. So, performing a regular cleaning for it is a must.

FAQs

What should you not use on vinyl plank flooring?

As explained above, some cleaners are not good to use with the vinyl plank flooring. The cleaners that contain abrasive materials and strong detergents can often damage the flooring, so you shouldn’t use them. Also, cleaners that use ammonia as the primary ingredient is not suitable for this type of flooring.

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What cleaners are suitable for vinyl floors?

It’s best to choose the commercial cleaning solution designed for vinyl plank flooring as you can see on the label. Also, dishwasher soap is a suitable cleaning solution for this type of floor, which you can use to clean small stains around the surface area. Vinegar is also a suitable solution for you to clean some stains on your vinyl floors.

Can you use a Swiffer on vinyl plank flooring?

Yes, Swiffer is an excellent product that you can use to clean the vinyl plank flooring you have around the house. It’s a high-quality product that offers you plenty of flexibility to clean various types of flooring, and vinyl is one of the supported flooring types you can clean with it. It doesn’t have any abrasive material that might damage the floors, so it will be fine for you to use.

What is the best way to clean luxury vinyl planks?

Vinyl planks have the same texture and material, whether it’s the luxury type or the regular type. So, the cleaning procedure you have learned from this guide can apply to both the regular and luxury type vinyl plank flooring. The best way to keep the luxury vinyl plank flooring look the best is to perform the daily cleaning and maintenance of the floors.

Conclusion

Vinyl plank flooring is easy to clean when compared to other types of flooring. By following this guide, you already know the best way to clean it. You have also learned about things to avoid when cleaning this type of flooring, as damages can happen when you are not careful.

Above all, the most important thing to do is to clean the floors daily. It’s also best to clean any stains and sweep any dirt as soon as possible. This way, you can keep the floor looks shiny and wonderful, and thus, making your home environment look the best all the time. Happy cleaning!