Vinyl flooring is a popular choice for Aussie households because it is affordable and versatile. And if you’re wanting to minimise your time spent sweeping, vacuuming and mopping, then it is an excellent choice for your home because it is very easy to take care of, both day-to-day and overtime.

Remember though, that when you clean luxury vinyl flooring, you’re actually cleaning the finish and not the vinyl itself. So it is still important that you care for and maintain your new vinyl floors in a way that is appropriate for your type of flooring. So, here are our top tips for the day-to-day cleaning, and long-term maintenance.

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Cleaning Tips

  • Day-to-day, all you need to do to keep your vinyl floors clean is a light sweep, using a soft broom, or a quick vacuum.

  • Follow this up with a simple mop using warm water and a gentle cleaning product that is suited to your floors

  • When mopping, make sure you don’t let the floors get too wet - high-quality vinyl flooring may be resistant to moisture and humidity, but too much water on it may seep into the seams and cause the adhesive to dissolve over time

  • If you do over-wet the floor, just run a towel over it quickly when you’re done

  • You don’t always need to use a cleaning product - warm water will often do the trick, but if you do use a product, make sure it is vinyl-friendly and appropriate for your floor finish.

  • There is a wide variety of vinyl planks and vinyl tiles available, so make sure you know what kind you have! If you have no-wax vinyl, it has a polyurethane coating on it, which means that wax-based cleaners won’t work on it. Instead, your floor will look dirtier.

  • If you do use a cleaning product or soap, make sure you also do a second mop with just warm water to remove any residual product - soap scum leaves a film that collects dirt and will make your floors look worse

  • Be gentle with your cleaning - you don’t need to scrub too hard, use steel wool or hard-bristle brushes - it will take away the shine from your floors

  • For any spills, try to clean them up straight away as they can be harder to clean if left to dry. All you should really need is warm water and a gentle cleaner, and spill be-gone!

If you follow the simple cleaning tips, your vinyl floors should look as good as new for years to come after installation!

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Maintenance Tips

These basic preventative maintenance tips should also help you get maximum life out of your floors:

  • After your floors have been installed, check with your installer when you can walk on them, and when you can clean them. Premature contact and cleaning can affect the adhesives’ setting process

  • Reduce your broom-time even further by making use of floor mats in high traffic areas to keep dirt, chemicals, and moisture off the floor. This will especially help in doorways and in front of sinks.

  • If you have rolling chairs, place a floor mat between the floor and the chairs to protect them from damage from the wheels

  • Use cotton or felt rugs on your vinyl floors - avoid rugs with a rubber backing as this can give your floor a yellow appearance

  • Use protective felt feet on your furniture and heavy appliances - the weight of heavy items can leave a dent in your floors, and moving large furniture across the floor could scrape it

  • Have a shoes-off-indoors policy to lower the amount of dirt coming inside

  • If you have pets, keep their nails trimmed to prevent them from scratching the floors

  • It’s important to keep blinds and curtains closed in rooms when you’re not using them - direct sunlight can cause the colour of your floor to fade.

  • Never use steam cleaners on vinyl flooring - the moisture caused by the steam will cause the vinyl to lift and loosen

  • If you find a seam has opened, or your floor starts to bubble or curl, get the pro’s in to fix it ASAP!

Moral of the story - gentle, gentle, gentle. You really don’t need fancy cleaning products and appliances to get the most out of your new vinyl floors. A light daily clean will mean less put-your-elbow-into-it cleaning later on and is the best way to keep your floors shiny and new-looking. And, make sure any appliances and products you do use are suited to vinyl floors.

And of course, if you have any questions related to your specific type of vinyl flooring, make sure to ask one of our flooring specialists. Call us today or visit our showroom. We’re on standby to help you out!

Did you know that vinyl flooring is an allergy-friendly option? If you suffer from asthma or allergies, check out the best our blog on the best flooring options to help make your home an allergy-friendly sanctuary.

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