Vinyl Flooring Do’s and Don’ts – A Quick Guide for Caring for Your Flooring

So you have been considering delving into the choice of luxury vinyl flooring for your home. It can look so stylish, is super easy to clean and can be made to look perfectly you with the additions of perhaps a throw rug or two.

It’s a solid choice and enjoys many benefits, however there are some rules you can follow to ensure you get the maximum amount of benefit from your floor and avoid any ghastly errors that could cause damage and requirements of fixing.

Installation

If you have just installed your vinyl flooring yourself (or had a professional install for you) you need to be aware of the first important aspect and that is to maintain a room temperature of around 45 degrees for the first two days.

This is to allow bonding and setting of the flooring. Also it is recommended that you allow a day before having any furniture on your floor so that adhesive can dry and set in place. Ensure that you clean off the floor as soon as you have finished installation to clear away any blotches from adhesive and save them from staining your floor.

The cleaning of the floor can be straightforward but also requires a knowledge of which products are ideal and which are hazardous to the flooring.

Tip: Still deciding on the right vinyl flooring style for your home? Depending on the area that you’re looking to upgrade, you might want to opt for a more hard-wearing variety. For instance, if you’re looking to refit your kitchen area, Carpet Warehouse recommend a vinyl style with a thicker wear layer and more resilient materials, to accommodate for spillages and mishaps when cooking/cleaning.

Cleaning

Some people may say that you can clean vinyl with anything but that is not correct.

Stay away from using detergents on your floor and always check the bottles of cleaning products or sprays to see if they are vinyl friendly. Wax polish is not a suitable product to use and highly avoid scrubbing abrasives which have a tendency to leave scratch marks.

Spills should be cleaned immediately using a number of techniques and products, such as a neutral cleaner and remember to vacuum and sweep your floor at least 3 times a week. Wash your floor at least once a week but be sure not to soak your floor with water. Although vinyl has anti moisture properties, too much water on the floor could cause damage.

Be sure to thoroughly dry the flooring after a mop to ensure no damage is done.

Care

When choosing furniture for the home, avoid couches or tables with rolling coasters as much as possible.

These items greatly increase risk of indents due to vinyl’s cushioned texture and can leave scuffs or trails from constant movement. It is practical to use furniture with felt tips on legs that have a much better and friendlier bond with vinyl.

Scratches can be sanded out with a vinyl friendly polish and sandpaper. Also, for areas where the sunlight is constant it may be a good move to put a throw rug in place to save discoloration from sun beams hitting the same area constantly. It is also recommended that any rug used on vinyl have non-slip backing to prevent your rugs from sliding across the floor when stepping on them.

Expert Advice

Be sure to enquire about proper care for your flooring from your supplier.

Any reputable supplier of vinyl will have a vast knowledge of care and attention to maintaining luxury vinyl flooring for decades to come. Amtico is a leading market supplier of vinyl that has had decades of experience in the proper care for vinyl throughout the house. Luvanto is another well respected brand that has experts on hand to give care and guidance to making the most out of your flooring and avoiding any catastrophe. Invictus brings your waterproof flooring with lifelike designs and the capability to be installed on top of underfloor heating. Domestic and aesthetic benefits which takes hours of your regular cleaning time.

There are many aspects to maintaining and caring for luxury vinyl flooring that can easily be misinterpreted. Always read the manufacturer’s manual for a concise and detailed care guide for your floor to avoid any mishaps or wrong turns taken with the care of LVT.