Ways to Clean and Maintain Vinyl Flooring in Markham
Do you have vinyl flooring in your Markham, Ontario home? Vinyl is a resilient type of flooring made from PVC and other compounds to create different designs and colours. It can be installed as a floor tile or sheet on the subfloor with the help of adhesive or mastic.
It is durable, resistant to wear, and unaffected by oxygen exposure or alkaline moisture, which makes it a popular flooring choice. But you can make it even more durable with proper cleaning and maintenance.
In this post, you will learn how to clean and take care of your vinyl flooring.
Let’s get started.
How to Clean and Take Care of a Vinyl Floor
The best way to maintain clean vinyl floors is by minimizing the amount of damage in the first place. You can use floor mats to protect your vinyl flooring from dirt, debris, or abrasive pressure. Taking preventive measures like cleaning up spills as they happen or using padding on your furniture legs to avoid scratching can also help you a lot. Keep reading to learn how to clean your vinyl floors.
Choose the Right Cleaning Tools
Some of the cleaning tools that you will need for vinyl floor cleaning include:
Dust mops (a microfiber flat mop can be used).
- Neutral pH floor soap
- Bucket
- Water
- Towel
- Vacuum
Damp Mop Your Vinyl Floors
Although vinyl is water-resistant, it is not waterproof. Therefore, only mop when necessary. Otherwise, it can make the floor susceptible to water damage along the seams and baseboards, where moisture can seep in. Also, remember that over-mopping can dull the vinyl’s finish and weaken the adhesive.
To avoid potential water damage when cleaning, thoroughly vacuum the floor using a horsehair floor brush. It will avoid scratching the floor while removing more dirt than sweeping.
Then mix the floor cleaner with water. Now it is time to mop it, but remember to use as little water as possible. Start at the farthest part of the room. Keep wringing the mop as you go. If the water begins to look dirty, consider dumping it and mixing up a new batch.
It is more difficult to clean textured vinyl as it may seem that dirt and dust are hiding on the floor due to the texture. In that case, you need to clean it a few more times. But never leave puddles or let the floor get sopping wet, as water can get absorbed and ruin the underlayment and base flooring underneath.
Rinse the Floor
It is crucial to rinse the floor after mopping. Even if the product you are using does not call for it, you should rinse it to remove any soap residue left behind.
After mopping, rinse the floor with a bucket of fresh water. A small amount of water can be applied to the floor and immediately wiped off with a cloth. Use a clean cloth or towel to dry the floor for a nice finish.
How often you need to clean your vinyl floor depends on the frequency of foot traffic in the room. For most homes, high-traffic rooms like the kitchen, bathroom, and front entryway should be mopped weekly or every other week. Less-frequented rooms, like a formal dining room, can be mopped every two to four weeks for maintenance. If you find that your vinyl flooring is beyond cleaning, maintenance, or repair, visit a vinyl flooring store in Markham to replace it.