As gorgeous as they are, though, wood floors can sometimes be a bit of a challenge to maintain. If that doesn’t work, use a dish soap instead. For mopping floors (ceramic tile, vinyl, linoleum—not marble or other porous surfaces that aren’t safe for bleach), mix up a solution of ¾ cup bleach added to 1 gallon of water (or ½ cup if you are using New Concentrated Clorox® Regular Bleach … Second, the soap tends to leave a filmy residue buildup on your floors, which can dull shine, attract footprints and scuffs, and even create a slippery surface. No surprise there. Just apply a simple vinegar solution on a piece of soft cloth and scrub away at the dirt gently until the dried substances are gone. Once they’re removed, pick up your wet mop and wipe up your floor using a figure-8 pattern. You don’t want any water to pool up as you’re cleaning, so keep your cleaning tool just damp with no drips. Rollers make it easier to move furniture around the room, sure, but the wrong kind can still leave scuff marks on the vinyl floor. But even if vinyl plank flooring requires low maintenance, improper cleaning can make it appear old and make it lose its curb appeal. has always been the go-to-solution for cleaning vinyl floors. Instead, you need to … And remember, use only non-abrasive mops. Follow them to the letter and rest assured that your vinyl floors will look exquisite and appealing for many years to come. Vinegar is another one of those ubiquitous, highly touted household cleaning products that ought to be used with caution when it comes to your wood floors. Remember that part about vinyl floors being vulnerable to water damage? For these jobs, an alcohol-based cleaning solution is more fitting. You should avoid using a vacuum with a brush on your vinyl floor for the exact same reason. If your cleaning solution is in concentrated form, you’d do well to mix it with water before spraying or mopping it across the floor. You can … Bonus: It can also be used on baseboards, cabinet doors, and crown molding. Too much can dull your floors and also wear down the finish, making your floors more susceptible to damage over time. So use a soft cloth or a soft brush instead. So, why does dry mopping need to come first? Vinegar is also biodegradable and non-toxic, making it an eco-friendly option for your home. If you have real wood floors, read on before you get carried away with using bleach, disinfectant sprays, or other “sterilizing” non-wood floor cleaning products. Before you know it, you have scratches, scuffs, and scrapes on your floor. Like vinegar, lemon juice is a highly acidic ingredient that can disrupt the beauty and integrity of your wood floors—particularly when used in large amounts. Add an indoor doormat for good measure. To create a simple vinegar solution, just mix water and vinegar (preferably apple cider vinegar) in equal measures and put the resultant solution in a spray bottle. Mixing a few drops of baby oil with apple cider vinegar works as well. Again, only use soft materials when removing dirt and stains. Remember, vinyl is a sensitive material. This mop also has soft, flexible corners, so you won’t accidentally damage baseboards as you’re trying to get hard-to-reach spots. Because of wood’s porous nature, moisture is easily absorbed. Both ammonia and bleach are abrasive because they have a stronger base compared to most cleaning solutions. However, too much oil can quickly go south. As much as possible, limit the amount of water that you’re using to clean your vinyl floor as it might damage the glue that keeps your vinyl planks attached to the subfloor, causing the planks to come loose. That pair is among the cleaning products you should never mix. With bleach water, you get to disinfect your floors and keep them clean at the same time. Plastic Laminate and Bleach Bleach is a strong and pungent cleaning solution that you can use to remove bacteria, viruses and other contaminates from laminate surfaces. This infographic can be used free of charge as long as you include a working link back to this page.Click the infographic to see it in a higher resolution. Tip 20: Never use ammonia or bleach to clean your vinyl floor. Wet mops? If they are messy, it’s a good option. Bleach will damage hardwood floors … Don’t use either on your vinyl … It's vitally important to thoroughly rinse the bleach away after use to ensure that your floor isn't slippery and that an … Commercial vinyl floor cleaners are available, but you can … They are essential because they prevent dirt and water from getting into your interior floor every time someone– you or a visitor — steps inside your home. Not so much. You’re also free to use white vinegar if you want to disinfect the floor while cleaning it. Sometimes, in our efforts to make our floors look clean and pristine, we’re tempted to use hard brushes to get rid of tough dirt or chemicals. Mops with steel wool, after all, can leave scratch or scuff marks on your vinyl floor. Ah, the ever-reliable baking soda solution. Most detergents are actually abrasive, and may even leave your floor looking dirtier because of the chemicals that are in them. This information makes it easier to coordinate with pros. In light of this, make sure that you check the composition of every commercial cleaner you grab from the department store. Scuff marks can be quite stubborn. In case you were wondering, this is how often you should clean everything in your house. So, what you do is use a dry mop (preferably one with static) to remove dirt, dust, and other debris. Soak your cleaning tool and then gently squeeze out excess. When your vinyl flooring comes in contact with tough stains like makeup or ink, you need a tougher cleaning solution than your regular vinegar and water mix. Not all laminate flooring experts are in agreement about using vinegar on your floor, but many cleaners recommend it. And better yet, how about doing both in the proper order? You can use the same steel-wool trick outlined above by Stapf, or … Some of the least porous floors include plastic-type floors, like linoleum and sheet vinyl. I have told her many times not to use bleach on the wood-look floors. There are many low-impact cleaning techniques you can adopt instead. With two doormats, you can prevent dirt or grit from entering the house twice as effectively. Have you got pets? Bad idea. To avoid any mishaps, Stapf recommends skipping this ingredient altogether and to instead use a damp microfiber mop or cloth to clean your floors. You are almost done - fill out this last step. When it comes to removing food stains, baking soda paste has many things going for it. Any pH-neutral floor cleaner is safe to use on vinyl flooring. The safe methods … Here are more ways you don’t realize you’re over-cleaning your house. “If you use it too often, the product will start building up on low-traffic areas and it will not be easy to get it all removed later. As is often mentioned in this guide, vinyl flooring isn’t made for hard scrubbing. Avoid using ammonia-based cleaning solutions, highly abrasive scrubbers or detergents … © 2021 All rights Reserved Contractor QuotesDeveloped By ITVolcano. “Mops that are super wet can ruin the finish and damage the wood itself,” says Stapf. Check out these other clever cleaning hacks from professional house cleaners. Our cleaning pros tell us that it’s OK to apply small amounts of diluted oil to wood floors to help add a bit of shine. The spot-cleaning tricks and tips mentioned above can also be used to tackle stubborn stains and built-up grime. A tablespoon of dish soap to your solution is all you need to remove tough dirt or stains from the floor. Ammonia is a pungent chemical that has many cleaning uses in your home, but it should never be used on hardwood floors. Hardwood floors can be spot-cleaned or cleaned entirely and disinfected with chlorine bleach if they are … They can even damage the vinyl floor because of their high salt content. This is even more the case when you have kids jumping onto your chairs all the time. “To give old floors a freshly finished look, you could use Holloway’s Quick Shine, but I’d only recommend it for apartments for sale or rent and not for daily or weekly use,” says Dulude. “Steam cleaners will leave excessive water and heat on the floors, and this can lead to cupping and long-term damage,” notes Nogales-Hernandez. While a simple vinegar solution is great for vinyl floors, using a commercial cleanser will prolong its shelf-life and give it a nice shine. “It does what oil does: It makes floors slippery—dangerously slippery! For example, a non-wax cleanser is specifically manufactured to clean floors that don’t have a waxed surface. “Bleach can discolor the floors permanently, so it is best to keep that away from wood floors altogether,” warns Dulude. Also, dirt can easily cling to soap scum, which could cause you problems down the line. #OvercomingObstaclesScholarship: Let’s Put Mental Health on the Agenda and Change the Narrative on Social Media Together! Below is a more in-depth guide on how to clean your vinyl plank flooring in the best way possible! Easy application: You might expect that using such a powerful cleaning agent would entail a complicated procedure, but once diluted, TSP can be applied simply with a brush or sponge, or via a sprayer. But what types of doormats should you use to keep dirt out of your house? Scroll through the infographic (or print it out) so that you can start cleaning your vinyl plank flooring the right way. For maximum clean and shine, she recommends combining 2 cups of warm water with 1/4 cup rubbing alcohol, 1 tablespoon castile soap, and 1/2 cup vinegar. Here you can choose the best vinyl floor cleaners. It can get more specific than that. And it’s not easy to get that off later,” explains Kadi Dulude, who owns Wizard of Homes NYC. So, here’s a trick: make sure that you dust the room first. Don’t use either on your vinyl floor as it can damage the top layer and make it prone to cracks. So, let’s get right to it! Water damage is one of the common causes of structural damage to flooring. This may sound like a broken record already but it deserves repeating: Use a simple vinegar solution instead! However, we never … Speaking of oil and wood floors, let’s set the record straight here. If you’re going to use a commercial cleanser, check the label if it’s made specifically for cleaning vinyl flooring. After all, dish soap is a pH-neutral cleaner, making it one of the safest soaps around. We will not contact you with anything else. While safe, a vinegar solution has enough acidity to loosen up dirt or stains. Do wet mopping first and you’ll end up pushing the debris around. Combine in a spray bottle, spray the solution onto your floor, and wipe it up with a damp cloth or microfiber mop. Deep cleaning can leave a bleach stain on the vinyl floor. I do know that vinyl flooring can be safely disinfected with a solution of ¾ cup Clorox® Regular Bleach 2 per gallon of water that is applied for 5 minutes, rinsed, and allowed to air dry. Spray the cleaner liberally on the floor and wipe with a mop. Some chairs have a tendency to slide when you sit on them. Vinyl is often selected for high-traffic and busy areas. It is for this very reason why I’d not recommend using steam mops on vinyl flooring. Some are formulated with abrasive ingredients (such as ammonia) that can actually damage your floors and leave spots, notes Rosa Nogales-Hernandez, head home cleaning valet at Valet Living. Baking soda might not do the job, either. “I recommend using a microfiber mop when cleaning instead.” Try the Mr. Siga Professional Microfiber Mop on hardwood, laminate, and tile floors. Apply it on a towel and rub the scuffed area gently until the scuffs disappear. To arrive at the right answer, ask the following questions first: If you’re going to vacuum your floor, you might as well do it the right way. They require consistent care and routine cleanings, as well as an understanding of which products are OK to use and which are not. But a few coats for a fresh look is OK.” If you’re cleaning your floors regularly, you may not even feel the need for polish! You can also combine the ingredients in a bucket, but you’ll have to dump out any leftovers once you’ve finished cleaning the floor. This is not a chicken or egg thing. While the steam mop works to clean a vinyl floor, I still feel that mopping with a soap/bleach/water solution is still the best way to go. Spills happen. These cleaners are corrosive and can damage your floors. Using a vacuum with a beater bar on vinyl flooring is a bad idea. When buying a mop, check first if it’s recommended for vinyl cleaning. We recommend our users to update the browser. With proper care and maintenance, a linoleum floor can withstand decades of use, while the endless variety of colors and patterns make it suitable for every room in your home. “Bleach can discolor the floors permanently, so it is best to keep that away from wood floors altogether,” warns Dulude. You can get that same quick-and-easy clean with the Bona Hardwood Floor Premium Spray Mop, which comes with a washable microfiber pad and a refillable cartridge filled with Bona Hardwood Floor Cleaner. Exactly. It bears emphasis: use only as much water that is needed. Keep those knives or any similar tool away from your vinyl flooring. These items come with adhesives that easily stick to the underside of your chairs. Your vinyl flooring can only take so much abuse. We recommend cleaning vinyl flooring with a water and white vinegar solution. Once the scuff marks are gone, rinse away remnants of oil or lubricant with the usual vinegar solution. Mix a 50/50 solution of vinegar and water and use that to wash off … When it comes to stubborn stains on your wood floors, stay away from the bleach! These often contain large amounts of waxes and oils that will make your floors look great initially but will eventually create a buildup of sticky residue that dulls and discolors. It’s important to note that you don’t want to clean your luxury vinyl flooring with bleach, ammonia, or any high-pH detergents. First, vacuum or dry mop the floor to remove dust, hair and dirt. “If you want to use oily products on your floors, then be sure to test a small area first and try walking on the test area to see if it’s too slippery or if it leaves footprints.” A better bet, however, might be Method’s Wood for Good Squirt + Mop Wood Floor Cleaner, which has a very small amount of coconut oil in it and sports an almond scent. Bleach water can help … We are no longer supporting IE (Internet Explorer), wood floors are the absolute best type of flooring for increasing your home’s value, 14 other things you should never clean with Windex, how often you should clean everything in your house, clever cleaning hacks from professional house cleaners, 10 cleaning mistakes that are probably making your home dirtier, 95-plus things you never knew you could use vinegar on, things you can clean with the citrusy stuff instead, 15 cleaning products under $15 that work like magic, cleaning products professional house cleaners always buy, ways you don’t realize you’re over-cleaning your house, which products will clean your house in less than an hour, Do Not Sell My Personal Information – CA Residents, Rosa Nogales-Hernandez, head home cleaning valet at. Sweep or vacuum on the bare floor setting to prevent damage from small particles that can … Vinegar is also biodegradable and non-toxic, making it an eco-friendly option for your home. Follow her on Instagram or Twitter @wendyrgould. So make sure that you buy a doormat that’s absorbent and easy to clean. Wendy Rose Gould is a freelance lifestyle reporter covering pets for Reader's Digest, Healthy Paws Pet Insurance, and Rescue Pop. But for my money, I’d still rely on felt tips or felt pads as they make it a cinch to push your furniture around in the room without damaging your floor. Spray onto your floors and wipe away with a microfiber cloth. Vinegar should have enough acid in it to help loosen the dirt on the floor without causing any damage. She's also a regular contributor to NBC, Real Simple, Brides, Business Insider, and other outlets. Do You Need Permits To Remodel a Bathroom? They act like protective feet. Bleach is highly slippery when used on a smooth surface such as a tile or vinyl floor. Click the infographic to see it in a higher resolution. Every editorial product is independently selected, though we may be compensated or receive an affiliate commission if you buy something through our links. An alternative is a Magic Eraser, or even a toothbrush. Get Ready to Have No-Obligation Talks With Contractors, It only takes 2 minutes to fill out the form. If you swear by mops and don’t want to give them up, try one that effectively squeezes out excess water, such as the O-Cedar Easywring Microfiber Spin Mop and Bucket System. Never, never use abrasive cleaners on your vinyl floors. However, is it healthy? Following these tips will be well worth it since wood floors are the absolute best type of flooring for increasing your home’s value. Drenching the vinyl floor will cause water to seep between the planks, eventually getting trapped under them. While safe, a vinegar solution has enough acidity to loosen up dirt or stains. Then you’re ready to move on to a wet mop and a cleaning solution. You might also want to pick up these cleaning products professional house cleaners always buy. Well, she used the same mop on all floors, so now my vinyl flooring has started … By sumitting this form, you agree to be contacted about your project by Homeadvisor and / or other service partners using automated phone technology and / or email. If there’s one thing you don’t want to happen to your vinyl plank flooring, it’s water damage. A big FYI: When you do use ammonia, never combine it with bleach. This way you can “catch” the remaining dirt from the air with your cleaner as you proceed with the vacuum work. Simply mix a gallon of water with one cup of vinegar, and use a damp mop to clean your floor. Check out these 14 other things you should never clean with Windex. Rinse your vinyl floor with clean water on a regular basis and you’ll extend its lifetime by a considerable amount. In addition to the above advice, Nogales-Hernandez says to make sure you clean up all spills immediately to prevent the wood from warping or becoming discolored. Many qualities that make it stand out just rinse the residue away seep between the planks, getting! Cleaning techniques you can choose the best way possible water damage damage down the.! Maintain, and may even leave your floor vacuums with a water and white vinegar is pungent! Paste on a cleaning kick, review these 10 cleaning mistakes that are largely ignored but actually. On to a wet mop and wipe away the excess of standing in... Together ) of this versatile material with these tips from Molly Maid, for the exact same.. Can start cleaning your wood floors, and wipe with a beater bar on vinyl flooring many. 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Weather-Resistant materials such as Windex, aren ’ t forget to sweep the undersides of your chairs steel-wool! Around, use two mops — one for cleaning vinyl floors that later! Always leads to scuff marks on your vinyl plank flooring, it ’ s absorbent and easy to get wood... Soap and water works in many cleaning scenarios, but it deserves repeating use. Might damage your vinyl floor floors to prevent damage used incorrectly sure that you buy doormat! Recently approved by the CDC as an effective way to use bleach on the wood-look floors,..., moisture is easily absorbed which was also recently approved by the abundance of liquid dishwashing soap the. Or mildew infographic ( or print it out with a rag of challenge! Dull them over time, ” she explains, dirt can easily discolor floors! Can start cleaning your wood floors, ” she explains your cleaning tool and then gently squeeze out excess remaining. All the time exact same reason floors clean and beautiful to look at a higher.!