[Flooring Care] How to Maintain Luxury Vinyl Flooring

Did you invest in luxury vinyl flooring for your home? Whether you have luxury vinyl tile or planks, it’s important you know how to care for your floors. The good news is this material is easy to maintain. Keep reading for 6 tips to ensure your vinyl flooring lasts!

How to Care for Luxury Vinyl Flooring

1. Protect your floors. Invest in a high quality doormat or area rug to prevent dirt from coming into your home. Area rugs throughout your luxury vinyl tile or planks can help prevent stains, dents and dings, too.

2. Sweep your floor daily. This will prevent the dirt and dust from accumulating and scratching your flooring.

3. Move furniture carefully. Don't just shove that couch or bookcase across your luxury vinyl flooring. If you can, actually pick it up to move it from one spot to the next. Or, if it's too heavy, use a sheet of plywood or paneling to protect the floors. You may also want to invest in coaster underneath your furniture to prevent additional dents and dings.

4. Clean spills quickly. Dropping food or drink on your luxury vinyl tile or planks is inevitable; wipe it up as soon as possible with plain water and a sponge mop.

5. Occasionally take the time for more intensive cleaning. As with all types of floors, sometimes your luxury vinyl flooring will require a bit more effort to care for. Here are a few ways to clean it more thoroughly. Regardless of how you care for your luxury vinyl tile and planks, make sure you rinse them with clean water following any sort of more intense cleaning to prevent additional materials from building up on the floors and causing damage over time.

• Vacuum or dry mop the floor before a wet cleaning
• Mix one cup of apple cider vinegar with a gallon of hot water; use a damp mop to clean; rinse the mop with hot water frequently
  • If you want to disinfect, use white vinegar instead of apple cider vinegar
  • Want your luxury vinyl tile or planks to shine? Add a few drops of baby oil to the water and vinegar solution
• Food stains can often be removed with a paste of baking soda and water
• Alternative methods to remove stains are rubbing alcohol and nail polish remover (as long as it doesn't contain acetone)
• Use jojoba oil in a soft cloth to remove scuffs

6. Be aware of cleaners that can hurt your floors. Make sure you avoid:

• The beater bar attachment on your vacuum
• Highly abrasive scrubbers – opt for the softest brush possible
• Steel wool
• Detergents and abrasive cleaners
• "Mop and shine" products
• Paste wax or solvent-based polishes
• Any sort of ammonia or ammonia-based solutions

Want to know more about luxury vinyl tile or planks? Come visit our showroom! Our experts are happy to answer your questions about this type of flooring or any other varieties you may be considering for your home. Make sure you contact us for a free in-home estimate, too!

Image courtesy of Shaw Floors