Because they are waterproof and easy to clean, vinyl flooring is a popular choice for kitchens and bathrooms. Vinyl is an inexpensive floor covering that looks attractive and has an additional layer in the middle, making the floor more comfortable to step on and warmer than tile or wood. With good care and hygiene, your vinyl flooring can look clean and shine like new for years.
Household Solutions
Vinyl floors are easy to get dirty and scratched, but you don't have to spend a lot of money to buy a special cleaner. You probably already have all the mixes you need for a glowing floor:
- If you have vinegar, you can make a simple cleaning mixture for daily care.
- If you have jojoba oil, you can add the oil to your cleaning mix for a floor that shines brightly.
- If you have dishwashing liquid, you can add the liquid to your cleaning mixture to remove stubborn stains.
- If you have WD-40, you can use it to remove scratches.
- If you have baking soda, you can use it to remove wine or berry stains.
- If you have rubbing alcohol (90% alcohol), you can use it to remove stains from makeup or ink.
Step
Part 1 of 3: Taking Care of Your Floor
Step 1. Use a mat to keep the floor clean
Dirt you trace into your home can damage the vinyl flooring. Dust, dirt, and chemicals from asphalt are abrasive to vinyl, and over time your vinyl will scratch and turn yellow. The solution is, clean your shoes on the mat before entering the house, or take them off altogether.
It's good if you provide a mat in places that people often step on. For example in the kitchen, you can place a mat in front of the sink. In that place, you will often stand to wash vegetables or dishes
Step 2. Sweep daily
You need to immediately clean the dust and dirt that enters, because if it accumulates, this dust and dirt will scratch the floor when someone walks on it. Dust and dirt are abrasive and will damage the shine of your vinyl floor. Sweep your floors daily to keep dirt and dust from building up and becoming a problem.
- You can also use a dry mop or vacuum cleaner if you don't want to use a broom.
- Make sure you also clean places under furniture, along wood siding on walls, and under cabinets.
Step 3. Clean up spills immediately
Anything you spill, be it orange juice or just a glass of water, clean it up right away and don't let it dry on the floor. Sugary drinks will be more difficult to clean once dry, and water can damage the floor if left too long. If you clean up spills quickly, your floors will continue to look new and you won't have to work twice later.
Step 4. Use the vinegar mixture for daily care
Vinegar is a harmless substance to vinyl flooring. You can use vinegar to gently clean vinyl floors to keep your floors looking fresh. In general, use the mildest cleaner, as harsher cleaners will damage the floor more easily. Vinegar mixture recipe: a glass of apple cider vinegar mixed with 4 liters of water. Then, use a mop to mop the floor with this mixture.
- The acid in apple cider vinegar will gently clean the floor without leaving a residue. When it comes to cleaning vinyl floors, this mixture gives the best results. Once the cleaner dries, the vinegar smell will also disappear.
- To add shine to your floor, add a few drops of jojoba oil to this mixture.
Step 5. Make sure you buy the right cleaner
If you don't want to use vinegar, you can also use a vinyl floor cleaner specifically made for vinyl. Make sure you choose the right cleaner:
- No-wax cleaners are made for modern non-waxed floors.
- The cleaner for waxed floors is made for older vinyl floors, which are coated with a waxed surface that must remain intact.
Part 2 of 3: Intensive Cleaning
Step 1. Use dish soap for deeper dirt
Add a tablespoon of dish soap to your vinegar mixture. This soap will lift dirt that has entered deeper on the floor. Use a nylon brush for deeper cleaning.
Step 2. Remove fine scratches with WD-40
Vinyl floors are known to scratch easily, but there are easy ways to remove fine scratches. Pour jojoba oil or WD-40 on a soft cloth, then use this cloth to mop and remove scratches on the floor. Scratches will disappear immediately if they are on a (smooth) surface.
Deeper scratches won't go away with a mop. You can clean these types of scratches to make them less visible, but if you want these deeper marks to go away completely, you'll need to replace the tiles underneath
Step 3. Use baking soda to clean the stain
Mix baking soda with water to make a thick paste, then rub the paste with a soft cloth to remove food stains, such as wine or berry juice. Baking soda is slightly abrasive and will remove stains quickly.
Step 4. Remove stains from makeup or ink with rubbing alcohol (90%)
Dab a soft cloth in rubbing alcohol, then rub it over the stain from makeup or other pigmented items. This alcohol will lift the stain off the vinyl without damaging it.
To remove nail polish, use an acetone-free polish remover. Do not use a polish remover that contains acetone, as acetone can damage the vinyl
Step 5. Brush using a soft nylon brush
If there are stains that are difficult to remove with a regular mop, try brushing with a soft brush. Make sure you don't use a hard brush that could scratch your floor.
Step 6. Rinse with clean water to remove residue
Once all the stains have been removed, rinse the floor so that the residue doesn't remain. The soap and other chemicals that build up will damage your floors over time.
Part 3 of 3: Knowing What You Shouldn't Do
Step 1. Don't brush too hard
A brush that is too coarse, and a brushing action that is too hard, will strip your vinyl floor of the shine. You should use the softest material to remove any dirt or stains.
Do not pry dry material off the floor with a knife, as this will leave permanent scratches. Wet the dry matter with a suitable mixture, then try to remove it with a soft washcloth
Step 2. Avoid using abrasive cleaners
You need to use the right cleaner for vinyl floors. If you use the cleaner carelessly, the abrasive chemicals in it will strip your vinyl floor from light. Use vinegar or a commercial cleaner specially formulated for vinyl floors.
Step 3. Avoid excessively wetting the floor
If your floor is too wet, you will damage the glue that holds the vinyl to the floor underneath. Water will get into the gaps between the tiles and get trapped under the tiles. Use water as needed to clean the floor, and make sure the floor is dry again after cleaning.
Step 4. Apply felt to the ends of the table and chair legs
The movable ends of the table and chair legs will scratch and damage your vinyl floor. To avoid this, cover the ends of the legs of tables and chairs with felt. Avoid tables and chairs with wheels, as the scratches on the wheels tend to be more severe than the ends of tables and chairs covered with felt.
