Vinyl plank flooring is a great option for many reasons. It is easy to clean, durable, and cost-effective. However, how do you clean vinyl without damaging it?
In most cases, it only needs modest upkeep and maintenance. Several natural or heavy duty vinyl floor cleaners can be used on vinyl floors – but how do you know which one will work best?
In this guide, we’ll answer all these questions. We’ll also show you how to clean vinyl plank flooring, list the best cleaner for vinyl plank floors, and some professional tips you can follow!
- Vinyl Flooring Cleaning Advice: Best Way to Clean Vinyl Plank Floors
- Cleaning Vinyl Plank Flooring With DIY Solutions: Homemade and Natural All-Purpose Cleaners
- What Not to Do When Cleaning Vinyl Flooring
- Preventive Vinyl Flooring Care Tips: Dos and Dont’s on How to Care For Vinyl Plank Flooring
- Expert Vinyl Plank Flooring Care and Maintenance Advice: How to Restore Vinyl Flooring
- Professional LVP Floor Cleaning Advice
- FAQ's on How to Clean Vinyl Plank Flooring
- Final Thoughts
Vinyl Flooring Cleaning Advice: Best Way to Clean Vinyl Plank Floors
Vinyl flooring is a popular type of budget-friendly but durable flooring that was originally made as a better alternative to linoleum flooring. It can withstand a lot of abuse which makes its ideal even for high-traffic areas and can last for a long time with proper care and maintenance.
So to maximize the longevity of your flooring, we’ve listed the best cleaning methods you can follow here including how to clean waterproof vinyl plank flooring.
What You’ll Need
- Mop
- Vacuum
- Soft-bristled brush
- Dustpan
- Microfiber cloth or vinyl floor cloth
- A basin
- pH neutral floor cleaner for luxury vinyl
- Melamine sponge
Note: It is critical to use a vinyl floor cloth. Vinyl flooring is porous and will soak up any cleaning solution you use. Using a vinyl floor cloth helps keep the moisture away from your vinyl plank floors so they stay nice longer.
Steps on How to Clean Vinyl Flooring: Using a Dry Mop and Vacuum for Light Cleaning
“There is a common misconception that it’s ok to go straight into mopping floors as that cleans up all the dirt in your home,” explains Sharon Yap, Head of Technology Development at Dyson. “If dust isn’t removed fully prior to wet cleaning, then it can be smeared across hard floors when mopping your floors, potentially leaving a dirtier rather than a cleaner floor.”
Sharon Yap
Step #1: Dry-Mop or Vacuum Your Floor to Remove Surface Dirt
When cleaning vinyl plank flooring, you always want to start with a dry clean.
Remove all furniture in your room first for a thorough cleaning and then dry mop or vacuum the floor, removing any dirt and debris that can scratch or dull your vinyl. You can then use a pH neutral floor cleaner for luxury vinyl to remove grime or damp-mop for deeper cleaning.
A. Using a Dry Mop
We suggest using a dry, flat microfiber mop or dust mop to remove large debris as well as fine particles from high traffic areas.
Tips on Dry-Mopping Vinyl Plank Flooring
- Always start around the edges of the room and sweep all the dirt towards the middle to make a pile of debris.
- Going in an infinity pattern while you bring dirt toward you is the best technique to avoid missed spots and ensure that the entire floor is clean.
- Once the mop has gathered debris, shake it off and then discard the debris using a soft-bristled brush and a dustpan.
- Clean all parts of the room – including floors, walls, and baseboards – because even these can accumulate dirt over time which may show up on newly cleaned surfaces!
- Dry-mop daily to maintain the quality of your floor.
We do not suggest using a broom as it pushes dirt around and the bristles are often rough which can damage the floor. Brooms work better for very large pieces of debris.
B. Using a Vacuum
Vacuum cleaners are a great way to clean your vinyl plank floors to pick up smaller debris that dry mopping was not able to remove. But there are some things you should remember when using one. Here is a list of tips to help make the process easier:
Tips When Using a Vacuum Cleaner on Vinyl Floors
- Use the right settings on your vacuum. For vinyl plank floors, you need to use low suction and a brush attachment that will not damage or scratch your floors. If the setting is too high, there’s a risk of scratching and damaging your floors while trying to clean them if they are dirty.
- Only use a vacuum cleaner with a beater bar if there are any areas with pet hair or dirt build-up. The beater bar will agitate the dirt and get rid of it.
- Make sure to get underneath furniture, especially couches or chairs where pet hair may accumulate over time.
- Invest in a quality vacuum built for dealing with pet hair if you have dogs or cats, you won’t regret it.
Step #2: Damp-Mop to Remove Grime
After vacuuming or dry-mopping, we recommend damp-mopping to remove stubborn dirt and grime and to deep clean your flooring.
- For this, you’ll need the right cleaning solution (either a vinyl flooring-approved floor cleaner or a DIY one). We’ll talk about the recommended cleaning solutions more later.
- After preparing the cleaning solution, just dampen your mop with it and then mop in the direction of the grain of the planks.
How to Clean Really Filthy Vinyl Flooring
Normally, using a floor cleaner is enough for getting rid of all the filth. However, if your floor does need deeper cleaning, you can use a string mop and a solution of dishwashing liquid. The steps are included in our DIY solutions.
Tips on How to Mop Vinyl Plank Flooring
- Better use a flat microfiber mop with vinyl floor cleaners because these mops reduce water usage than can cause damage and allows for easy cleaning under your furniture.
- We recommend damp-mopping weekly. But for kitchens, you might need to mop more often.
- We do not recommend using a flat mop for deeper cleaning using the dishwashing liquid solution as you’ll only end up smearing dirt everywhere. This will make a huge mess and you’ll end up with a lot of wet microfiber pads.
- When using a string mop, make sure to wring the mop properly. It should be damp and not soaking wet.
- Always rinse your floor after mopping with a soapy solution to prevent a soapy film on your floors.
- Change the water and wring the mop often when rinsing to avoid build-up that can cause haziness to your floor.
Can I Use a Steam Mop on Vinyl Plank Flooring?
A steam mop on LVP is not recommended. It is only a great solution for carpet cleaning but not for hard flooring including vinyl planks. Too much moisture and hot temperature is the worst enemy of vinyl floors as these can cause warping if you’re not using your steam mop carefully.
In addition, steam mopping can void your warranty. So before you steam mop your floor, better verify with your manufacturer first. Because although most vinyl plank brands prohibit steam mopping, a few manufacturers (like NuCore) do allow steam mopping but with residential steam mops only and the use of the lowest setting.
Step #3: Remove Stubborn Stains and Grease Buildup
If damp-mopping wasn’t able to completely remove stains and grease from your floor, using DIY solutions such as baking soda or rubbing alcohol would be the best solutions. We will discuss more on how to clean using these solutions later.
Step #4: Air Drying
After damp-mopping, allowing your floor to completely dry before moving your furniture back and walking on it is recommended. You can open your windows so that your floor can dry more quickly. Also, better avoid moving around while your floor is drying.
Also Read: How to Clean Hardwood Floors
What to Use to Clean Vinyl Plank Flooring: Best Vinyl Floor Cleaners
Here are our suggested vacuum, mop, and cleaning product for vinyl floors:
| Cleaning Tool | Our Product Picks | Why We Like It |
|---|---|---|
| Vacuum | Shark Navigator | – Anti-allergen technology with a HEPA filter that can trap up to 99.9% of allergens and bacteria – Lightweight and easy to use – Does a good job at sucking pet hair |
| Mop | Swiffer Sweeper Dry+Wet Mop | – Budget-friendly – Can be used for dry and wet mopping – Traps dirt efficiently using a magnet strip |
| Commercial Cleaning Solution | Pledge Multi-Surface Floor Cleaner | – Our best cleaner for LVP floors as it is the most affordable option in our top picks of the best floor cleaners – Doesn’t leave streaks, residues, or buildup – Designed for various types of flooring including vinyl, tiles, laminate, and hardwood |
Tips When Choosing and Using Cleaning Products Safe for Vinyl Planks
To find the best cleaner for vinyl plank flooring, we suggest that you follow our tips below:
- Many products you can purchase are becoming more environmentally friendly and are free of parabens, formaldehyde, ammonia, phthalates, phosphates, and gluten. Just be sure to read the bottle and find one that is specifically labeled as safe for use on vinyl flooring.
- We recommend using a ph neutral cleaner that won’t leave any residue or suds behind which could dull and damage the finish on your vinyl plank flooring over time.
- Make sure to read how many times you should be cleaning per week and how often these types of commercial cleaners are recommended.
- Always follow the recommended dilution formula for your cleaner because even the ones that say non-sticky residue can leave a sticky residue if not diluted properly.
Also Read: How to Clean Slate Floors
Cleaning Vinyl Plank Flooring With DIY Solutions: Homemade and Natural All-Purpose Cleaners
If you don’t have the budget to buy a commercial cleaner, there are plenty of homemade and natural cleaners that can be used on vinyl plank floors.
All-purpose cleaners can be used on a variety of surfaces in your home, including vinyl plank flooring. However, not all all-purpose cleaners are safe to use on vinyl. The key is finding the right one!
Below are two DIY solutions that should be safe to use on vinyl floors:
1. Vinegar Solution
Apple cider vinegar or white vinegar, when properly diluted, can do an excellent job in dissolving stubborn stains, dirt, and grime without leaving behind a sticky residue, unlike soap. It also helps in making your flooring dry quicker and in terminating bacteria from your floor.
- Dilute 1 cup of vinegar in 1 gallon of hot water.
- Add a few drops of essential oil into the mixture if the smell bothers you. Don’t put too much as this will cause your floor to become sticky.
- Mop your floor just like how we instructed earlier and be sure to rinse the mop often with plain water as you don’t want any vinegar residue left on the floor.
Note:
- While vinegar is a good deodorizer and disinfectant, it’s not effective at removing scuffs and stains. But, it does do a great job at melting grease from your floor.
- Only use diluted vinegar occasionally as extended use can result in fading or dulling.
- Undiluted vinegar is too corrosive for cleaning vinyl flooring.
2. Dishwashing Liquid Solution
We’ve mentioned earlier that you can use a dishwashing liquid solution for deeper cleaning. Just follow the steps below:
- Mix one bucket of warm water with a few squirts of liquid dishwashing soap.
- Get your string mop and soak it in the solution.
- Wring the mop to remove excess water.
- Go back and forth with your mop in the direction of the planks’ grains.
- Rinse your floor with clean water.
Also Read: How to Clean Bamboo Floors
What Not to Do When Cleaning Vinyl Flooring
We’ve mentioned a lot of things that you should use on your vinyl floor, but you should also be aware of the things that you should avoid. These include the following:
1. Mop and Shine Products, Abrasive Cleaners, and Detergents
Using these products can leave a dull film on your vinyl floor.
2. Steam Mopping
Steam cleaning is good for carpets, but they are not designed for vinyl floors. Excessive moisture and hot temperatures can penetrate the planks’ seams which will cause warping, bending, and loosening up of the glue holding them together. It can even void your warranty.
3. Highly-Abrasive Cleaning Tools
Rough materials like abrasive sponges and steel wool can scratch the protective coating of your flooring which will leave it vulnerable to damage.
4. Solvent-Based Polishes and Wax
Vinyl planks are already coated with polyurethane that protects their surfaces. Using solvent-based polishes and waxes can damage the coating and leave a dull build-up. Waxing can also leave a sticky residue that will become a magnet for dirt.
5. Ammonia
Ammonia is corrosive and will strip off the finish of vinyl floors making them look faded or dull. Using dishwashing liquid and water is still a safer option if you really need a deeper cleaning.
6. Too Much Baby Oil
Some websites, including us, have recommended the use of baby oil to add extra shine to your floor. However, make sure not to use too much as it can make your floor slippery and leave streaks because it’s not completely soluble.
Also Read: How to Clean Linoleum Floors
Preventive Vinyl Flooring Care Tips: Dos and Dont’s on How to Care For Vinyl Plank Flooring
As with any surface, how you clean your vinyl plank flooring will make a difference! Here’s what to do and not to do when it comes to cleaning vinyl floors.
Dos
- Use a pH-neutral cleaner and warm water when diluting your floor cleaners.
- It is important to keep vinyl flooring clean. Sweep or vacuum regularly to remove any dust or dirt that may cause damage over time.
- Spills should be cleaned up immediately so they don’t have a chance to soak in and cause staining.
- Furniture pads are a great way to prevent any damage to your vinyl plank flooring. Place them under all of your heavy furniture, especially chairs and sofas, which can cause indentations over time. Also, try not to buy furniture with rollers.
- Another great way to protect your vinyl floors is by using doormats at every entrance to your home. This will help keep dirt and debris from getting on your floors.
- Use non-slip mats and rugs in high-traffic areas.
- Take your shoes off to limit dirt that comes into contact with your flooring.
- Vinyl plank floors are sensitive to UV rays which can cause the floors to look dull. It is important to clean and protect your floors as much as possible.
Don’ts
- Scrub the floor too hard or use abrasive scrubbers or steel wool.
- Clean your vinyl floors with commercial cleaners too often (once per week is best).
- Wet mopping, steam mopping, and waxing.
- Use cleaners that are too sudsy or contain solvents such as ammonia.
- Dragging anything across your floor.
- Rubber and latex mats that will cause discoloration.
- Using too much water regardless if your vinyl floor is waterproof or not.
Also Read: How to Clean Engineered Hardwood Floors
Expert Vinyl Plank Flooring Care and Maintenance Advice: How to Restore Vinyl Flooring
Now that we’ve gone over how to clean your vinyl plank floors with some simple tools, it’s time to move on to the more strenuous solutions. Below are our expert tips to follow so you can keep your vinyl plank flooring looking great for decades.
How to Fix Scratches and Scuffs on Vinyl Plank Flooring
If you have any scratches or scuffs on your vinyl plank flooring, there are a few ways to fix them.
- You can try using a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser for small scuffs. Wet the eraser and rub it over the scratch or scuff until it is gone.
- Spot-clean scuffs gently using WD-40 or olive oil by adding some to a soft cloth and directly rubbing it on the affected areas. You can clean the oily residue left with a diluted vinegar solution.
- Gently buff the scuff out using a melamine sponge.
- Another option for fine a scratch is to use a toothbrush and some nail polish remover. Dip the toothbrush in the nail polish remover and rub it over the scratch to remove it.
If none of the above options worked, you may need to use fine grit sandpaper (360 and above) on your vinyl plank flooring. Be sure not to get too close to the color though! If you’re still having difficulties, the scratches may be deep and the vinyl plank may need to be replaced.
How to Make Vinyl Plank Floors Shine: Using Polish for No Wax Vinyl Floors
Vinyl floors are easy to clean, but it can be difficult to get them truly looking their best.
Mopping should be able to help in making your floor shiny again since vinyl planks already have a top coating on them. But if you want more ideas, here are some of the best vinyl plank flooring polish products and ways to get your vinyl floor to shine:
- Use Murphy’s Oil Soap diluted with warm water (about ½ cup of soap to one gallon of water). Then add a few drops of baby oil. Wipe the floor down and let it sit for about 15 minutes before rinsing well. Be sure not to saturate the floor with cleaner, as this could damage the vinyl.
- For a streak-free shine, use a commercial polish for vinyl floors and a vinyl floor cloth to buff the floors in a circular motion. This will help remove any streaks or marks and give your vinyl plank floors a shine!
Note that if your floors are really dirty or have any wax build-up, you may need to strip them first using a strong cleaner.
How to Remove Stains from Vinyl Floors
For stubborn stains that normal damp-mopping can’t remove, you can get rid of them using baking soda paste, diluted bleach, or rubbing alcohol. As always, be sure to rinse the floor and mop with clean water to remove any traces of residue after removing the stain
1. Baking Soda Paste for Removing Food Stains
Baking soda paste is perfect for stubborn stains. If you have any stubborn food stains like ketchup or mustard on your vinyl plank flooring, baking soda paste is a great solution.
- Just mix three parts of water with one part of baking soda until the mixture forms a thick paste.
- Apply it to the stain and let it sit for about 10-15 minutes before scrubbing away with a wet soft rug or sponge.
2. Rubbing Alcohol
You can use rubbing alcohol to remove stains from lipstick, hair dye, and ink.
- Apply rubbing alcohol to a cotton ball or cloth and dab at the stain until it’s gone.
- Be sure to test this method in an inconspicuous area before using it on the actual stain, as some types of ink may be colorfast.
3. Bleach (Your Last Resort)
Most vinyl plank manufacturers do not recommend bleach because it is a harsh cleaner that can damage to planks’ finish and lead to corrosion. However, we have found that Mohawk does recommend spot cleaning stains using a diluted bleach solution (10 parts water and 1 part bleach).
Also, a lot of people who tried the right mixture said that bleach does a good job in getting rid of stains even if they use it all the time. For instance, the video below said that bleach is safe as long as it doesn’t touch anything aside from your floor like your furniture:
The tutorial video recommends a mixture of 1 teaspoon of bleach and 1 gallon of water. But, some have used more than a teaspoon like ⅕ cup of bleach and 1 bucket of hot water mixed with a drop of scented dishwashing liquid which seemed to work great.
Just follow the steps below:
- Soak a clean white rug in the bleach solution, wring it out, and set it on top of the stain.
- If after a few minutes the stain is still there, try covering the wet rug on the affected area with a plastic wrap and leave it overnight. This will create an air-tight seal and prevent the substance from evaporating.
- Wipe the stain off. You might need to scrub it a little to fully get rid of the stain.
Things to Note When Using Bleach
- If you have light-colored flooring or are worried about yellowing, use less bleach.
- Don’t use the solution in areas where you are using other types of cleaning products or mix it with other cleaners to avoid any issues.
- Better wear rubber gloves and a face mask and open all windows before applying the solution as bleach can release toxic fumes.
- Using too much bleach can erode the wear layer of your vinyl floor and cause flaking. This damage is irreparable and you will need to replace your flooring.
- Only use bleach if other alternative methods didn’t work for you.
Specialty Vinyl Flooring Cleaning Advice
| How to Clean Pet Urine From Vinyl Plank Flooring | 1. Wear gloves and blot up the urine using clean paper towels. 2. Use an enzyme cleaner and follow the instructions that came with your product. 3. Remove the enzyme cleaner residue using an old rug. To remove pet stains, follow these steps: 1. Clean the area. 2. Mix ½ cup of vinegar, 1 gallon of warm water, and a few drops of dishwashing liquid. 3. Gently scrub the solution on the stain using a soft-bristled brush. 4. Rinse the area with clean water. |
| How to Deep Clean Vinyl Floors | 1. Dry mop or vacuum your floor. 2. Mix 1 cup of white vinegar or apple cider vinegar with 1 gallon of water in a bucket. 3. Use a microfiber mop to clean your floor using the solution. 4. Rinse your floor after. |
| How to Disinfect Vinyl Floors | Use the same vinegar solution we’ve mentioned above. |
| How to Clean No Wax Vinyl Floors | 1. Dust mop your floor before damp mopping with plain water. 2. You can use a pH-neutral cleaner or a no wax vinyl floor cleaner to spruce up your floor. 3. If your floor really needs a deeper cleaning, find cleaners that are below 8 or 9 on the pH scale. Note: Generally, no-wax vinyl floors don’t need as much effort as traditional vinyl floors because you don’t need to wax or buff them as they already have a coating applied on them. |
| How to Get Rid of Footprints on Vinyl Plank Flooring | 1. Mix 1 gallon of warm water, ½ cup of vinegar, and a few drops of dish detergent. 2. You can also mop with recommended vinyl plank floor cleaners and dry with a microfiber cloth immediately. You should know that in most cases, the common cause of footprints that are hard to remove on vinyl floors is using specific types of cleaners that contain oils and wax. These can make footprints (along with shoe prints, paw prints, and fingerprints) visible overtime after mopping your floor. Also, it depends on the brand and finish of your flooring. Matte finishes tend to show footprints more and some products from vinyl plank brands (such as COREtec and Shaw) show footprints easily which a lot of users are complaining about. |
| Best Way to Clean Textured Vinyl Flooring | 1. Remove dirt using a vacuum or a dry mop. 2. Use the vinegar, warm water, and dish detergent solution we’ve mentioned earlier to mop your floor. Note: Textured vinyl floors are more susceptible to mud, grease, and dirt as well as particles left on them after cleaning. Since they have an irregular surface, it is easier for contaminants to get stuck in the pits. |
| How to Clean White Vinyl Floors | Cleaning white vinyl floors is the same as cleaning other types of vinyl floors. However, using strong or acidic cleaners such as bleach can cause yellowing to light-colored vinyl floors. So if you are going to use any cleaner, better make the solution more dilute. |
Also Read: How to Clean Concrete Floors
Professional LVP Floor Cleaning Advice
If you don’t have time to clean your vinyl floors or if they are extra dirty, there are professional floor cleaning companies that can help. These companies use specialized equipment and solutions to get your floors looking their best.
Some of the most popular professional floor cleaning companies include:
Each of these companies offers a variety of services, so be sure to find the one that best meets your needs. They can help with everything from deep cleaning vinyl floors to wax removal and furniture moving.
Vinyl floor cleaning is typically charged by room and you can expect a minimum charge of $100 to $150 per room. If you would like an instant flooring cleaning quote, contact one of our preferred vendors.
FAQ’s on How to Clean Vinyl Plank Flooring
You can use any household broom to sweep very large debris from vinyl floors. But, brooms with microfiber dusting pads will do better.
What Should You Not Clean Vinyl Plank Flooring With?
Do not use mop and shine products, ammonia-based cleaners, steam mops, or vinyl wax as they can damage the vinyl. Instead, use a soap and water solution or a commercial floor cleaner. Abrasive cleaning tools like steel wool and sponges are also not recommended as they can scratch your flooring.
Will Vinegar Damage Vinyl Floors?
Although there are vinyl plank brands that do not allow the use of vinegar as a cleaner for their products, a lot of people seem to find it effective. In fact, diluted vinegar (white vinegar or apple cider vinegar) is a popular vinyl floor cleaning solution and is okay for most vinyl floor brands. It does a great job in disinfecting your floor and dissolving stubborn dirt, grime, and grease.
However, you need to use the right mixture to avoid damaging the top surface of your floor. Mixing 1 gallon of warm water with 1 cup of vinegar would be the best proportion. Also, only use it occasionally to avoid dulling.
Can You Use a Swiffer Mop on Vinyl Plank Flooring?
Yes, Swiffer (including Swiffer WetJet) is safe to use on vinyl plank floors. In fact, it is one of the best mops for vinyl planks. The mop (paired with an appropriate cleaning solution) is non-abrasive so it won’t damage the surface and will effectively remove dust, dirt, grease, and stains. It is a quick and easy solution to clean vinyl plank floors and the cleaning pads are disposable.
Note: Swiffer WetJet is safe to use on sealed vinyl flooring but always make sure to mop up excess liquid right after cleaning and don’t use abrasive cleaners with it.
Can I Use Pine Sol for Vinyl Plank Flooring?
You might have read about Pine-Sol being safe for vinyl floors as long as you only use multi-surface cleaner options and that you dilute the solution properly to avoid damaging your floor.
However, although you can indeed use Pine-Sol, it is NOT approved for vinyl floors as it may cause discoloration as well as cause an oily and sticky texture over time. Too much usage can also break down the flooring’s material and lead to cracks and degradation. It can even leave streaks and cause dulling.
Can You Wax Vinyl Plank Flooring?
No, luxury vinyl flooring does not need waxing as it has a clear polyurethane coating which wax will not adhere to. In fact, solvent-based polishes and waxes can damage your flooring’s topcoat and cause dulling. Instead, vinyl floors can benefit from an acrylic finish.
Can You Vacuum Vinyl Plank Flooring?
We recommend vacuuming your vinyl plank floors daily to remove surface dirt that can damage your flooring. Vacuuming makes cleaning cracks and gaps easier than just simply sweeping your floor.
However, make sure to turn off the vacuum’s rotating brush or beater bar by choosing the hard floor setting on the device to avoid scratching your floor.
Can You Use Bleach on Vinyl Floors?
You can use bleach on vinyl floors but you need to take precautions as improperly diluted bleach can erode the planks’ wear layers and cause them to flake off.
A mixture of ⅕ cup of bleach and ½ bucket of hot water should work. But if you have white or lighter floors, dilute the mixture more. You can also add a drop of dishwashing liquid if you want.
Final Thoughts
We hope you found this guide on how to clean vinyl plank flooring helpful. Remember, although vinyl plank floors are durable and can stand up to any damage, using inappropriate cleaning methods can harm your floor.
Ensuring that you’re using the right methods and products can help you save on expensive repairs and replacements. If you have vinyl plank flooring in your home and would like to share some tips on how you care for your LVP floors, be sure to leave a comment below.
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Can i use shark vac mop hard wood cleaner citrus clean on vinyl flooring click lock method ?
Is it ok to use Bissel Cross Wave on Luxury Vinyl Flooring
I was using the swiffer.But now,I’m using Mr.Clean that says it’s good on laminate floors.I use a bucket filled with about 2 gallons of water and just under a 1/4 cup of Mr.Clean.Plus I use a thick wash rag.I place it in the bucket,ring it,and wipe the floor down. Repeat this process.Yes I do it on my hands and knees.I just fill it’s so much easier.
Can you please send the above information on vinyl plank flooring to my email address?
Do not use laminated floor cleaner. I only use Bona products to clean my floor. I use Bona special mop, cleaner liquid, and their special mop pads . Once a year I use Armstrong cleaner to make it look new. Vinyl floor installers and the manufacturer agreed the use of bona. Never use ammonia. Vinegar and water for deep cleaning. Hope this helps
We moved into our new house last year with vinyl plank throughout our home. I didn’t get flooring information from the builder I was told vinyl plank was tough, scratch proof, etc I’ve been cleaning it with my Hana steam mop for 9 months. Now I’m concerned after seeing comments that I’ve ruined the sheen. Is there any way to get it back? 😥
I just moved into a house. The seller said I had bamboo floors. They didn’t look like the bamboo floors in my previous house but I didn’t question them. Well, I have a dog that sheds, drools and drips water wherever she walks after drinking. I am beside myself trying to keep these floors looking decent. I vacuum and then mop. I always miss spots because if the light isn’t shining on them just right, I don’t see the dirt. I started using Swiffer’s wood floor mop but then realized that these are not wood floors but vinyl so switched to the the regular swiffer. It’s a little better but I’m not happy about having to vacuum every day and mop several times a week. Not ease care in my mind. I’m thinking of switching to the tile that looks like wood planks if I can afford it or just carpet and have them cleaned every six months.
I absolutely hate my LVT. It has a dull finish, and scratches so easily. It constantly looks dirty, even after cleaning. If you have south facing windows, you need to keep the curtains drawn in the summer or it buckles. Manufacturers claim it is easy care for a home with kids and pets, and then say you have to keep the dirt and dust off the floor. They do not have a clue about the reality of a home with kids and pets! This is not easy to maintain!
I am not happy with my lvp flooring either it does always look dirty even if I washed it four times I am just not happy with it I don’t know what to do. I’ve contacted Shaw they had someone come out and inspector and they says it was a substance on the floor that they didn’t know what it was. I use the quartet cleaning products I got a microfiber mop I did everything that they recommended and it still looks icky.
I just had my water-proof vinyl flooring installed I cleaned it just once with my steam mop now after reading moments I am worried if I could have caused any damage
If its looking dull you probably did. The top layer is where the shine comes from, steam will peel it off.
I have never used steam on my floor, and it has a dull finish.
I skimmed through posts & didn’t see this tip, it’s a game changer! Put down your broom & vacuum. Go out to your garage & grab your battery operated leaf blower. If you don’t have one… go buy one, trust me it’s worth it. Start on one end of your room & blow all the floor debris to a corner where you pick it up with your vacuum nozzle or broom. While your at it, once in a while blow out debris from under your fridge, your dryer lint trap (blow it through). I have 2400 square feet of tile & vinyl flooring… nothing speeds up cleaning like using my leaf blower. I have to believe it’s easier on the floors, too, not having a broom pushing dirt around. I’m looking for tips on what cleaning solution to use so I can’t help you there but this method cuts down my floor “sweeping” time by 90%. 😉
I just mixed into a condo with vinyl plank floors and not sure how to wash them. I was told to use Bona floor cleaner, and do not need to rinse after washing. This does not make any sense to me. Any suggestions?
Bona is the best product for floors. It doesn’t leave a residue so no rinsing. I clean B&B’s. We use it too. My friend cleans her floors with water then goes over with Bona and her floors have been kept in amazing condition for many years of using Bona.
Bona is the best product for floors. It doesn’t leave a residue so no rinsing. I clean B&B’s. We use it too. My friend cleans her floors with water then goes over with Bona and her floors have been kept in amazing condition for many years of using Bona.
…..
Also, professionals like Bob Villa etc say this;
One of the best cleansers for vinyl flooring is apple cider vinegar. The acidity in the vinegar helps remove dirt and grime without leaving a buildup of soap or wax. Simply mix one cup of cider vinegar with a gallon of hot water and use a damp mop to clean, rinsing the mop frequently with hot water. Substitute white vinegar for cider vinegar if you want to disinfect as you clean. If your floor is especially dirty, try adding a few drops of liquid dishwashing soap to the mixture before mopping once with the soap mixture, a second time with vinegar and water. To add shine to your vinyl floor, add a few drops of baby oil to the vinegar and water solution.
For stubborn scuffs, try putting some WD-40 lubricant or jojoba oil on a towel and rub the area until the scuffs disappear. Clean thoroughly with the vinegar and water solution to remove any traces of lubrication.
For food stains from grape juice, mustard, ketchup, tomato sauce and the like, make a paste of baking soda and water and gently rub the stain until it disappears. Clean thoroughly to remove any traces of baking soda.
A soft, nylon-bristle brush can help remove many types of stains, especially when used with common household solvents. Rubbing alcohol can be used to remove lipstick, hair dye, and ink stains. Use mineral spirits to remove crayon, paint, and marker stains. Use a nail polish remover that contains acetone to remove nail polish stains.
Vinegar is extremely acidic and not recommended for our new flooring we just purchased. Read the manufacturer’s requirements for cleaning before doing anything that might destroy your floors.
Heather thank you very much. That sounds like a great idea. I just finished dust moppingy my flooring. Looking forward to doings it the easy way. Patricia
Haha good way to get dust into everything even more than normal lol. If one cant sweep or vac….pretty lazy or need to hire a house keeper!
That’s an insane idea you’ll have all that Dust and debris flying all over your house. Bad idea
lol I have been doing this for years. Everyone thinks I am crazy. It is the best way to clean. I have 24 sq feet also. It keeps my base bord heat clean also. From one crazy lady to another. Keep on cleaning.
I did this once when I bought a home that was very dirty. Doesn’t it get dust all over your walls?
I just use my roomba…. and Mop every week. They are holding up great
I’m confused as I thought you weren’t supposed to use anything with a spinning brush on LVP, but so many people recommend vacuuming after mopping. Don’t all vacuums have brushes that spin or roll?
Hey Pam,
This is a yes and no answer but hopefully with the info you need. Your larger carpet vacs and multi vacs do have rollers but many, esp the multi vac have a way for you to disengage the roller. Some times the switch will have multiple settings and the 1st or lowest setting the brush will not spin on. I have a Shark that works this way. My mother had a Dyson Animal canister that there was a large round plastic button on the head, outside of where the brush attached to the side that you could pull out on and it would disengage the roller and you pushed it back in to make the roller work again. There are also a number of what many people refer to as stick brooms, smaller, light weight vacs that do not have a brush at all. I have one from the fuller brush company that does not have the brush. It also has a micro pad that fits to the back of the head behind the wheels and also dust while it vacuums. Sadly with the pandemic this company seems to have discontinued making vacuums. Search for any of these features on your next purchase.
I have central vac and have a floor attachment. Most regular vacuums have a smooth floor attachment
No. I purchased a Katcher wet n dry vacum and it’s the best. Also has a blower function to boot. It is technically an outdoor vacum or commercial grade but it’s easy to wheel around and no rollers in sight. I have a wet bathroom (ie wet room) and Dan throw the water around, remove the paper bag and suck up all the water. The kicker? It cost NZD $168.00 for the entry model.. tgey go up but you won’t need the full on commercial grade / industrial one. Mine is the WD3. I’m a driver trainer and it’s great because I clean my cars and trucks with it also. Easy to park and store. Forget normal household vacums thus is the best I have ever owned. I want to upgrade ASAP model up you don’t have to remove the bags for water as it has seperate catchment. Look up Jatcher online and absolutley trust me. I’ve owned $1400 wertheims, shark, Bissel and others.. nothing beats this thing on price or performance. Can suck dust off crevices and ledges.. I will stop banging on about it now.. just trust me and get one!
We installed 2500 sq ft of life proof by nil plank flooring , it’s really beautiful however we have grandchildren that are in and out all day . It really takes a lot of time daily to keep the floor clean . To vac daily takes me about 3 hours , that’s a lot of time vacuuming per day , using my spin mop doesn’t take long at all . . I’m 70 years old with health issues and it’s really hard to keep up the amount of cleaning required, I’m looking into investing in a robot vac which one is the best without spending a $1000
I’m 70 and we just had 2400 sq ft of vanilla plank flooring installed. We have grandchildren who live real close and they’re over multiple times daily and it takes me about 3-4 hours to vac daily . Can I get a recommendation on a good price robotic floor vac that would really help me out, I can’t afford $1000 for one , any recommendations on a very good one that can be used daily
I have the Roborock S6 and it is wonderful!
Do you have cats? When I do use my Hoover wind tunnel vacuum it sucks up the cat liter. I compared it to Dyson which spit cat litter right out the back in my face ( I brought the litter to the store and put it on their hard floor for testing to compare . Hoover won by far, no spitting cat litter out.
I have a Neato robot vac. Love it!
Roomba, around 200. On Amazon. Love mine.
Get the Shark robot vacuum with the docking station that also sucks the dirt out of the robot. You can get it for like $500 and it works great, and they sell replacement parts if you ever need them.
Not all do, and if they do some (like my shark) can have the brush turned off for hard floors.
Not all vacuums have roller brushes and some you can actually turn off. I’ve been doing a lot of research.
We moved into our newly built home January 2020. We chose LVP and LVT throughout our home with our master bedroom being the only exception with carpet. Our builder used EVOKE brand LVP and we chose Dax. To date (it is Nov. 2, 2020) it has held up beautifully! We have 2 dogs and because we are on new property, we are constantly bringing in dirt/straw, etc. I use a Dyson Animal on it every day and 1-2x per week, I use my iBraava (think Roomba but the wet version). The iBraava uses straight water as well as a cleaner of their own, which I use very diluted. I have absolutely no streaks/water marks ever. What DOES leave marks are my boy dogs’ occasional ‘drippings’ (sorry, TMI), but they clean right up. I wouldn’t go back to hardwood, which we had previously. Feel free to email if you want images of our flooring.
Thank you for your proven cleaning tips!
I have Flooret vinyl plank in a matte very light gray/taupe. I’m using water with a drop or two of dawn and a couple drops of vinegar. Ive had no problems so far (about 9 months).
I think think it really helps if you don’t get the floors overly wet. I use one of those buckets where you swipe the pad through several times so its really just damp. No streaking problems.
Like everyone else, I didn’t put in these floors to have more work than before so I hope they hold up over time.
I used a hardwood floor polish by mistake on my new vinyl floor, so do you think I’ve ruined my floor. Will it just wear off or should I try to clean it with something else. Please help!😥
I don’t think you’ve ruined it. You’ve probably just put a thin film coating on top of the wear layer. Maybe try mopping the floor with a mild solution of dish soap and water to see if it will come off?
What do you mean by “ruined my floor”? If it’s shiny and this hardwood floor polish made it shinier, what’s the problem? Why not leave it and enjoy the shine?
Help! We just built a new house and put in quite a lot of the Shaw click vinyl flooring.I am so sad about it.It shows every water spot and print and smudges that you would normally never see on floors.What can I do? I was told to clean with just vinegar and water which I have been doing.My floor has a really dry look.Always has had that.I cant even mop without showing all the mop swipes.Is there anything else to do besides replace the flooring…and who can afford that?!
We have Coretec Plus and it is better than our old wall to wall carpet but it does have a natural looking no sheen appearance. Some people do not like it. Your sample should have looked the same. Laminate flooring generally has the sheen many people like but it is not water proof. It also damages easier. The vinyl will wear longer. Good luck
I clean houses for a living. Make sure you are mopping with the wood and use a mop with a pad. Get as much of the water up as possible( going with the wood). Please don’t use any gloss products like mop and shine. This will give you a great look at first but will show a lot of scratches as well as peel. If you want a shine to your floor you will have to hire someone to put down polyurethane and this will last for a lot of years. Hope this helps!!
Jennifer – I had someone come clean my VPL and they used Mop n Glo!!!! I now have drops everywhere that were not mopped up. It is driving me crazy! I’ve tried to get them up with just hot water and vinegar but it didn’t work. Any suggestions?
Thanks – Heidi
We had this problem too and I drove me crazy. Ended up having the installer (who put down the mop and glo) pay for a company to come out and strip the floor. Mop and Glo is evil.
I use a luxury vinyl floor cleaner- there are several brands on Amazon and microfiber pad on a stick mop which I also bought on Amazon I do sweep and use a swifter before mopping
Hi… I just got LVP down throughout the house. What cleaners are you currently using and like?
This is the first useful comment I’ve seen! Thank you!!! I have a mop that is similar to a swiffer wet jet. You put whatever cleaner in it you want and you squeeze the trigger like a spray bottle (not battery operated) and it has machine washable pads. I just had LVP put in yesterday and want to make sure I treat it well! Thank you!!
I’ve had Shaw LVT for years with no issues. I was told to only use R2X; diluted vinegar is too acidic and will damage the floor.
Hello Twinmom, OMG you too ? i just spent a fortune on Cortec 100%waterproof vinyl and i bought myself a new job clean it every time i walk on it , sneakers, slippers, etc. dosen’t matter shows every mark , i’m not gonna change it spent a lot on money on this ..BIG disappointment
Agree! Cortec plus! Shows every step we take! Horrible! But like you, must live with it, big bucks spent! Grrrrrrrrr
We put VINYL plank flooring into a travel trailer we just bought. We have the same problem. Every time someone comes in from outside, every scuff & smear shows. I don’t know what to do but certainly can’t install a new floor. Pine plank in our house is so much easier & prettier.
I also have Shaw lvp Flooring, you need to be using either zep neutral floor cleaner or Shaw has a neutral floor cleaner you can order. Zep can be purchased at Lowes or Home Depot. I have also noticed if your family wears socks and you use fabric softener or fabric softener sheets it tends to leave spots like oil on the floor. I now wash socks with clothes that I don’t add fabric softener or fabric sheets. Hope this helps!
Vinegar is acidic. You don’t want to use it on your floors because anything too acidic or alkaline can ruin them. If you have water spots, it could be that the water in your area is very “hard”, meaning, it has a lot of minerals in it. I was told to use either just plain water to clean my floors or a pH neutral floor cleaner. Zep seems to be a popular one.
Ya’ll are making this way too complicated. They recommend a vacuum or sweep every day for best results, but they know that is unrealistic. But if they say only once a week, them human nature being what it is, we would think it would be OK every other week! And unless it has been an especially dirty, rainy week, passing a simple dust mop made of a good microfiber is enough for the cleaning we do most often.
The next thing I do is to use my rechargeable stick vacuum that is awesome for hard floor surface…not a Dyson. Found it on Amazon for about a third of the price (if not less)…had great reviews…just can’t recall the name. I figured if it didn’t last as long as Dyson, no biggie…I can buy 3 of these for the same price. And once we got it…we absolutely love it. I does a better job on hard floor than my old Dyson…something to do with the beater bar. The charge lasts through at least 4 larger rooms…of thorough cleaning. Quite a while. So that picks up the stuff the dust mop can’t. I also use a microfiber mop pad, normally using just water for weekly cleaning. If it is dirtier than just water can handle, I then pick up the Neutral Floor Cleaner by Zep (Lowe’s).
One last tip…someone mentioned this earlier…finish off your mop strokes in the direction of the wood grain. It will make a difference. And passing a dry towell or two will finish it off nicely…if you have time.
Same issue as in above article- foot shows every mop mark etc when it dries
I’m having the same problem. Im scared to use anything else but I do see people using dish soap.🤷♀️
Be careful with vinegar. I spritzed it on my engineered hardwood floor because I had an older dog who had bladder issues. Even though I cleaned it, I smelled the odor. So I soaked the area with vinegar to neutralize the odor but I think it harmed the finish. Think about it. Vinegar can clean rust off metal. Use vinegar in very small amounts.
Try Glass Plus (or similar non-amonia glass cleaner) with a microfiber flat mop. We used this on our wood floors as well as our LVP. No streaks.
I feel your pain. I use Zep for vinyl floors. It doesn’t streak but with a microfiber mop I can still come up with dirt if I go over a spot with a damp cloth. Also having problems with every drip showing. Said I’m going to close the blinds so I can’t see it!
My husband takes care of our laminate floors. To keep from having spots and watermarks, he adds both vinegar and a bit of rubbing alcohol to the water. No spots!
Is there a robot mop (thinking of buying iRoomba Braava Jet 240) that is okay to use on Rigid Core Vinyl Plank flooring?
I have those clear shiny spots all over my house! I have LVP from Lowes in every room.) Did you ever find anything to get them up?
Dawn dish soap and warm water will cut the grease and take them out.
I agree with Francis that my Roborock S6 that has a separate mop unit which is really a little container of water with a pad that attaches to it, and has been enough so far to keep my floors clean (it’s a new house and I’ve used it for approx 2 weeks).. with the mobile software you can create zones so it only cleans where you want it to, and doesn’t clean where you don’t want it to. It’s also less expensive than an iRobot which doesn’t have a mop.
However, I’d still like to know if I could use something like Bono professional which says it is safe on LVP floors?
Spilled some ammonia based cleaner on the floor accidentally. Cleaned up with paper towels, then cleaned twice with CoreTec recommended cleaner. Have I ruined the floor, or is this just a “near-miss”?
Can I use a BISSELL crosswave on my life proof vinyl plank flooring..
I use the bissel crosswave. No problem
Do you use the cleaner as well?
I use on my vinyl with no problem
Probably ruined it. I did the same when my dog pee and made a mess instead of taking the stain away. I imagine that ammonia is even worse. Please let me know if you solve the problem though
I was going to take up carpet and put down Cortec Vinyl planks. I have back problems and difficult for me to vacuum. Was told the Cortec Vinyl planks would be easier to take care of. After reading all these comments decided there is no way I could be mopping 1,960 square feet of flooring daily and still look dirty. Thank for letting people know how much work they are. When you are elderly don’t need more work. Maybe carpet is better.
We have Coretec on around 1200 square feet of our main living area. We have two dogs. The product we chose is light and the dog hair doesn’t show unless the sun is shining on it. We don’t vacuum every day, more like 1-2 times a week. Then I follow up with a quick wet mop weekly. The spills and messes are very easy to clean. I love the look, feel, and ease of it. My husband and I are over 60 and it is doable.
I HATE coretec flooring…did my entire house out of it…it is textured and you cannot get it clean…
I agree. I love ours. It was installed in May and we just mop with plain water and it looks great after. It shows dirt spots but they clean easily. Our carpet was terribly dirty thanks to our puppy but this floor has been perfect for our needs. Plus I have allergies and carpets hide dirt and dust but it is still there. I much prefer the care of our new floors to our old carpet.
We ripped out all the carpet in our two bedrooms on the main floor, the living room, and dining room, and installed vinyl planks. They look great, the air in the house smells fresh again, and I vacuum probably three or four times a week, because we have two dogs. These floors are so much better than the carpet, and vacuuming is quicker, too.
What was not mentioned is robo vacuums and mops! I wouldn’t have any solid floor without a robo vacuum! It works great with no effort! I have seen the mops but haven’t tried it, but I’m assuming they work just as well.
Ho Mike,
I have 3500 sq ft of Coretec and it’s the best thing I ever did. We use a rumba vacuum that goes off every morning on its own and vacuums the house and sweep when needed. And it’s so much better for my families health to have Coretec due to the flooring not holding the dandruff off pets or the normal dirt, like carpet does.
Hello, would you mind sharing which Rumba you have, and does it go up and over area rugs, vacuum them also, then return to the LVP? Do you think it would work okay with a couple of deep shag area rugs? Thanks.
More work. Wish I’d kept my ugly tile.
They are horrible to keep clean…I have never hated a floor as much as this one, and my entire house is done in it….oh, it still looks clean, until you take a paper towel to it after mopping it…its textured and its the worst…if you do go with a lvp…go with one that is NOT textured.
we have a vinyl plank floor that isnt textured and its terribly hard to keep clean! I would NEVER put this flooring in a house again!Shows every footprint and smudge.
I have luxury vinyl and I have the same problem.
The dirt gets in the grooves. I tried Oxi clean on a small area the other day and the dirt just dissolved. I am afraid to try it on the whole floor. Don’t know if it will ruin it.
Hey Mike, I’m older as well with a spinal fusion. We had LVP put down earlier this year and I LOVE it. No more dragging a vacuum around. I bought a great wool dust mop that just glides easily over the floors. It works great. I don’t do it everyday and I usually only wet mop kitchen and bathroom the most. Don’t let these people scare you. They’re making it harder on themselves
I also use the Bissell Crosswave and I still can’t get these Coretec Vinyl Plank floors clean! I’ve cleaned them 4x in 1 day and still bare feet are dirty. I can’t stand it, I’m losing my mind over these floors! I have them throughout my home 2000 square feet. I mop them 2x a week and still dirty!
I would encourage you to get LVP versus carpet. Carpet traps everything and can trigger severe allergies. If you live by yourself or just with your significant other and not a lot of foot traffic, it will not be difficult to clean. You can sweep or vacuum once a week and mop with plan water. Only use a little dish detergent when absolutely necessary. I hope that this helps.
Always check with the manufacturer of your floors. Mine states that I need to use a pH neutral cleaner. If I followed this article I would ruin my LVP with acidic vinegar and or alkaline Swiffer wet jet!
Any liquid dish soap is ph 7 to 8 which is neutral. Coretec says use a neutral cleaner.
Using a neutral Ph cleaner. My floors are a mess.
yes! i’ve read these before and i did use dish soap and vinegar in small amounts diluted with water and it fills the floors terribly….. best thing i have found is the galloway house “quick shine” floor finish and floor cleaner….. i love the floor finish….. it’s like a wax almost but so easy….. and the floors are beautiful for months!!!! i use the cleaner in between but it eventually fills the shine but i haven’t found a cleaner only that doesn’t….. any recommendations?
I have used non-ammonia glass cleaner on my floors for years…both hardwood and LVP. There is no streaking or rinsing needed when using a glass cleaner, such as Glass Plus. It’s gentle on the floors and does not leave a residue.
Terry,
Do you mix it with water ir just spray on?
So are you saying your floors dont show the smudges and prints anymore after you applied the Quick Shine?
You are correct. It must be a ph Neutral floor cleaner or you could ruin the floor and the warranty. Zep has one, Bona has one etc.
I am curious about the robotic vacuum/mop. Which one is good and how much are they?
SAME!!! I was told only minimal water with a drop of dish soap. Never ever use swifter or any Bona cleaner.
Can I mix a little rejuvenate all floors cleaner into a pail of water and clean my LVP floors with a microfiber mop? How much,and will it have some shine and clean well?
Rejuvenate makes a cleaner specifically for LVT floors. I found the large refill bottle at Homedepot.com.
I also use Rejuvenate LVT cleaner , it does a very good job. My question is if you have used Rejuvenate all floors restorer? My floor is only 3 yrs old but I have many scratches in it. My planks do not have any shine, which I like, but wonder if the restorer will leave the floors looking shiny ?
You cannot use a roller BRUSH to clean these floors.
Neither should you use vinegar.
Just a few drops of Dawn in a bucket of warm water is what is recommended
Many sites recommend the use of vinegar mixed with water and a few drops of baby or jojoba oil. to care for vynil planks floor. Please clarify your suggestion of not using vinegar. Thank you
My vinyl plank flooring is extremely dirty. Used a clearner stating good for vinyl flooring. Still does not look clean. My flooring is a mat finish
Hi, I have a cortex matte finish floor, I also have a large dog and a family of four. I have only had the flooring for a year and a half and somehow it’s lost it’s luster. I clean my floors a few times a week with a stiffer or with a mop and bucket with dawn dish detergent. I still see smudges on the floor after I’m finished mopping. What can I use to restore the finish.
I use a walker with wheels will this mark my new floor?
I have a Miele vacuum. Is it okay to vacuum with it on my vinyl plank floors? The floor vacuum does not have a roller, but the base does.
Also the manufacturer said to just use water to clean the floor
I use a walker with ski’s on the back legs and yes, it does mark my floor. Also have used tennis balls but my kitchen is the only plank flooring so the tennis balls are no good for carpeted rooms.
My husband’s walker leaves marks every time he goes across the room. It frustrates me because I am cleaning this floor several times a day. It’s been more work than any other flooring we’ve had.
I used vinegar mixed with water and a few drops of baby oil. on my LVP and it actually made it look spotty and I noticed that the oil and water did NOT mix and made droplets on the floor which I had to constantly go back over. NOT WORTH IT!! We now use Bono and it is easy and gives a great shine. Our problem is that our mop flips over when you are mopping.
OMG! This site just brings up more questions than answers. Use white vinegar & water. Don’t use vinegar. Use Swiffer wet jet – don’t use it. Use steam cleaner. Don’t use steam cleaner. Vacuum every day? What? I used to vacuum carpets once a week. Sweep every day? I thought this was supposed to be “easy care.” No pets, no kids. I had CoreTec LVP installed in my kitchen (by necessity, damage to vinyl) since kitchen extends into laundry room and wanted waterproof. Loved it so much I had it installed through rest of house. It is a matte finish beach-sand color, so I don’t need to get it shiny. So many conflicting opinions here I don’t know what to do. Sure can’t afford to take LVP up and go back to carpet. Have to admit, I had no idea how much dust & debris was hiding in my carpet until I started sweeping the LVP. Sure wish CoreTec, Shaw and other manufacturers would weigh in here to give us THEIR suggestions.
I agree with you about this article .. I have new LVPF throughout my whole house and love it! It’s a matte finish and I don’t think it ever shined. I just sweep then mop with Swiffer Wet Jet but i was looking to see if there was another alternative. I guess I’ll locate the manufacturer (bought these from Lowe’s) to find out their recommendation.
I also have sand colored flooring. I looked at the core-tec website and they recommend using a neutral based cleaner. We use Don Aslett floor cleaner (from his website or Amazon) and an O’Cedar mop that has a washable head and a refillable canister for cleaner. 2 teaspoons of cleaner per canister. This will last 2-3 washings for us. We have a lot of floor and the project seems daunting, but usually doesn’t take long at all. What I miss one week, oh well, I can get it next time!
You really need to look at the manufacturer of the floor you have. We just installed LifeProof vinyl plank flooring. We saved one of the instruction sheets from the 82 boxes we installed. It specifically states, for this brand, to not use vinegar. Basically water and a mop will do the trick. I have a Roomba that I will program for every morning and that helps with the dust and hair.
Ph Neutral is 7
between 8.7 and 9.3
What Is pH of Dawn Dish Soap? Dawn is a famous label that produces cleaning products. According to the Materials Safety Data Sheets, the pH level of Dawn dish soap is between 8.7 and 9.3 which makes this washing product moderately basic.Jan 11, 2020
I found and used the Shaw R2x cleaner and it is the best out there for lvp.
Where did you buy the cleaner?
I just looked it up on Amazon so you can buy it there. But after Reading many reviews it sounds like the mop itself if you get the kit is not good at all. I’m thinking about just buying the cleaner
I just had my waterproof vinyl flooring installed I cleaned it just once with my steam mop now after reading moments I am worried if I could have caused any damage
I just finished the flooring and am wondering also if steam cleaning machine will damage.
Steam cleaning LVF can damage it And it can void the warranty. Nest to call manufacturer and ask how to care for your floors. I did.
I installed plank vinyl in my house six years ago. I also have three small dogs that spend the majority of their time inside. They have accidents, especially when it is raining or snowing. I have rags that I use to clean up pee spots. I also use a shark steam cleaner on my floors weekly without any damage. However, I do not let it sit in one place and steam, I keep it moving. I also turn on ceiling fans to ensure rapid drying.
What do you put in your shark steam cleaner?
Only water goes in mine, the hot steam cleans the floors without any chemicals!
Shark steamer can void the warranty on you LBP flooring. Please verify with the manufacturer and/or where you purchsed
LifeProof vinyl flooring specifically states to not use a steam cleaner.
I gushed hard as nails heavy duty construction adhesive in a tube or big caulking tube
Did it work for vinyl plank floors?
I too have vinyl planks. Sometimes I wish I hadn’t covered my tiles. I feel they are very high maintenance. They have a matte finish, and show every little speck of dirt, or smudge. Whenever we walk in the house with sneakers on, you see the sneaker print on the floor.
I did use Holloway House Quick Shine, when the planks were first installed. I called Holloway, they told me only to use that every 6 months, in between, just use hot water. They said not to mix products, because another brand may not be a match to Holloway. Using water is a better choice. It actually does work. My only complaint is, when you’re finished washing the floor, you can actually see the mop marks. Then I need to go over with a soft micro fibre cloth. It’s a project when your cleaning 2000 square feet. If you like shiny, the Holloway does the trick.
My question is…after you use the Holloway does that take care of all the smudges and print that show up so easily? I almost despair at keeping my floor clean looking!
Can you use the Bissell Crosswave to clean luxury vinyl plank flooring?
Can you use a steam mop?
Yes.. I have used it bit ight doesn’t handle dog hair well despite claims. I can only finish the kitchen and have to dip and clean. Have mine ayu and kept my GSDs.
I also have a serious question?? Please cleaning a business of 2800 sq ft . Floor has white vinyl!!! Tiny pin holes in the flooring as made this way . Dirt gets in those tiny holes. It’s cleaned Dailey 2 times a day. Still can see dirty. I am using the bissell crossway, it helps but have to get down in knee and scrub tiny holes . Is there something that I can use to help me am there for 8 hours.
What about a white LVP scratch filler to fill the holes?
I do, with the fiber ONLY roller that doesn’t have the plastic bristles. So far so good…I use water with a drop of dawn and white vinegar…1/4 c per bottle of warm water. gets the dirt up nicely. The vacuum sucks up any excess water so no worries about too much or too long.I am thinking about trying Quick Shine fo a bit more shine…hmm…
Yes. But confirm with your LVP manufacturer
The glue which seeped out when installing my luxury vinyl plank flooring has left permanent shiny spots on what is a matte finish plank, how do I remove it?
I used WD40 on a microfiber rag. Gently rub off glue then use dawn dish soap and water to clean residue of WD40. Glue is gone with little effort😊
“Goof-Off” – orange smell bought in Home Depot or online.
Mineral spirits is what I use to remove glue on a microfiber cloth.
Can you use a stiffer wet mop?
did you get an answer yet? I just used swiffer on mine….
Can you use Swiffer wet wipes on vinyl planks? My floor shows lots of spots &smears when the sunlight is on it.
I use a wet Swiffer to clean up spots between steam cleanings.
Yes but be careful if you have pets. My vet said the swiffer wet solution can make pets very sick.
Can a rubber backed rug be put on top of luxury vinyl plank flooring?
According to CAli Bamboo, I have their luxury plank vinyl, you should not. It will discolor your flooring.
No. It can even voide some guarantees
Carpet can void a warranty?
I bought ruggable rugs. From what I read, they are safe for LVP.
Can the cleaning solution be used to treat scuffed up areas, wet puppy paws and “spot” cleaning? Do you have the ratio of water, to dishwashing soap, to white vinegar, if needed? What temperature should the water be? One major step I learned during this process is to mop in the same direction your planks are installed. I’m using o’cedar, promist max, with the flip option. Great for having a 2-3 step mopping process.
After you use your wood cleaner, go back over it with clear water and a few drops of baby oil then a dry mop to rub in the shine.
Can we use a steam mop on our luxury vinyl plank?
Everything I have read, no, it will damage the finish. Simple warm water and Dawn does the trick. Going to try adding a little white vinegar next time.
Steam mops can cause the glue to heat up and thin then planks to move around.
I have a steam mop and was told not to use it.
No. I’ve read that it can mess with it.
Recipe for vinegar, dish soap, water solution please. That won’t take the shine off will it. We have the luxury vinyl planks. Love our floor.
It *will* mess up the finish on your floor… I know
Were you able to fix it? I just did the same thing after the salesperson told me I could
Problem: my vinyl plank flooring has started to warp at joints: sides and ends!! We’ve been very careful and have followed the cleaning routine that the installers, and flooring company recommended on floor purchase. How do we fix the problem?!?! Thanks for your input.
Dee
Isn’t there some type of warranty on the flooring through the manufacturer? If you’ve been caring for it as recommended, there should be some recourse on the problems you are describing.
Contact flooring company. We had to use their installers in order to have valid warranty. From my understanding they should come out to assess the problem and if they can’t fix it they will send a rep from the flooring manufacturer. Apparently there are micro chips in some of the products, for example if glue was used, they are able to detect if the recommended brand was used before warranty is valid. It sounds like the installer didn’t allow for movement of the planks due to humidity, weight and breaks, like the doorways.
I’d ask for proof about a microchip being placed in “some of the products … if glue was used, they are able to detect if the recommended brand was used….” This just does NOT sound possible. I think it’s bunk on the part of the manufacturer to avoid honoring their warranty. I would have asked for proof, in writing, before I’d believe any of this. What else is this “wonder chip” supposed to be able to detect?
Dee, my v did the warping, or the floor mfg called it “cupping” I had mine installed August of 2018 and in May 2019 had to have it replaced. It was a product of Shaw and was bought at Nebraska Furniture. Each of them worked really well with me and it was replaced at no cost to me. I did choose and upgraded plank, but only because I wanted to. Now that cost me $1500.00….
What brand and size like plus plank. Did you leave the recommended hat on all sides of the floor edge for expansion contraction and do you have a vapor barrier what is the moisture reading ? Asking for a floor I stallern
It’s called cupping. My floors started the same after about 7 months and the warranty covered it. It was Shaw flooring but came from Nebraska Furniture. They are the ones who came and inspected the flooring. They are the ones who removed the old and installed new flooring. I did upgrade and spent a little more for a better grade but that was my choice. Didn’t have to.
I’ve found the best mop and product is by Shaw. The product is called Shaw R2X Hard-floor Cleaner. Their mop that comes with the kit is great as well. It comes with a wet and a dry mop head. I refill my solution with their gallon bottle. Trust me. You won’t regret this product. I was not happy with my floors until I tried this product. Now I don’t have to worry about spots and streaking. The scent is also very gentle. It’s just a very clean scent, without being overpowering.
Hi Valerie, is it OK to use wood cleaner on a vinyl floor? My concern is will it dull the vinyl over time?
Thanks
Kelle
Is the Shaw product you mention ok for luxury vinyl planks?
Hello. I looked up the Shaw R2X cleaner on Amazon and it does clean hardwood, ceramic, and resilient flooring.
What is resilient flooring?
Resilient flooring, also called vinyl flooring is a flooring created from carefully selected natural and synthetic materials. Today`s resilient flooring is a highly engineered combination of polymer materials.
I just had vinyl flooring installed so I am excited to try this out.
I hope this helps everyone out that had questions.
Will a vacuums roller brush wear the down the mil (wear) layer of the LVP and cause damage?
Good question!
Do you have to rinse after using the shawR2x?
The tips on cleaning are helpful with all the variants tried and trued. I installed Lifeproof vinyl planking and found a few light scratches and need info on how to hide or conceal them. All the floor techs I talked with don’t have any idea or suggestions to help. All do agree that no furniture scratch remover will work without some damage. Does anyone have any suggestions?
I was told that a permanent marker is the best bet. Hope you find something that works.
I too have life proof vinyl planks. I use Old English and a rag, works great for filling in the scratches and restoring my floor. But I also have expresso colored floors. If your floors are light maybe try it on a spare sample of your flooring or in a discrete location.
The man who came to finish the doorways of our new flooring said if it gets scratched—rub some olive oil on the scratch and it will go away. Haven’t tried it—just passing it on.
Hi, just got new Vinyl Plank floors and need to know if I can use a steam cleaner on it?
Thank You!
No, I would not advise to use this! My directions on the the Metroflor Engage Genesis vinyl plank very specifically says, DO NOT USE STEAM CLEANERS. Clean the debris daily from your floors and use a neutral cleaner. Mine recommends the make Prevail Neutral Cleaner, but check with the info sheet that came with your floors. Otherwise you can check other neutral cleaners in your area. Hope this helps!
We have LifeProof vinyl planks throughout our entire house. We love it! We have 3 dogs, and the flooring stands up to claws and accidents (one dog is elderly). We’ve been using the Bissell Crosswave to mop up major messes, which I actually use with a water/vinegar mix instead of the costly cleaner. I’ve also mopped with floor cleaner designed for vinyl AND have used a steam mop a couple of times. I haven’t noticed any dullness (though we chose a dark gray plank, so that might be why) or warping. I will probably opt for tile when I build a house in Texas because that’s the norm there, but vinyl is a good option for people who want wood floors but can’t go with real wood or laminate because of price, pets, or children.
The instructions that came with my vinyl plank flooring said never use vinegar on the floor.
Yes! I am on my knees scrubbing to get dirt out of the grooves… Way too much work. I am going to try and buy a long broom with a scrubbing brush head. Will have to vacuum, scrub and then mop. 😭😢😭
The instructions that came with my vinyl plank said never use a scrubbing brush head.
Our last renters left our brand new vinyl plank flooring with a greasy like film on kitchen and living room. We have cleaned with vinegar and water but has little effect. The living area had rugs on it. Help!
I also purchased an entire house of Coretec vinyl plank and I am so disappointed. We had a major flood at the house and our one and a half year old gorgeous laminate floors were ruined. Many people suggest vinyl floor planks. First, I had to go with a darker color than my wood laminate and it is not as shiny. I am sick. Any suggestions for getting it shiny? And yes it does leave spots.
I add a few drops of baby oil (tablespoon) into warm water white vinegar and dawn dishwashing soap (just a few drops).
I use Quick Shine for a great shine in my floor. Omg the best shine ever. You can use this on all types of floor. It will look like glass. Just make sure you wait at least half an hour to walk on it. Quick Shine!!!! The Best.
Pauline, I’m just reading your post about your floors. I have dark brown vinyl plank floors as well. I am so unhappy with them. No matter what I’ve tried to clean them with you can see a residue or just hazy and dull look. Have you found anything that works? Thank you
I use Armstrong floor cleaner for laminate flooring. I buy it at Walmart about $5 bottle. I pour a little in the squirt bottle, add water to dilute to a very pale blue and spray my floors mopping with a microfiber mop head. I change my mophead after each mop job. Make sure you sweep first so not to mop mud into your floor. Mop the direction of the grain on the flooring. Start with a small area that is out of sight to test. I think you will be pleased.
We had that same hazy problem and did the same thing. It worked okay. Then we tried Rejuvenate and WOW, talk about shine!
Rejuvenate for luxury vinyl has an awesome cleaner and shiner that really brings out a shine.
Use ZEP Wet Look Flooring Polish. It’s made for Vinyl flooring and it leaves the floor looking wet and shiny.
If you are considering vinyl planking go with Flooret which is only sold online. Beautiful, high quality product. No regrets!!! Love my vinyl floor!
I Bought Flooret Two Years Ago and Love It. I Didn’t Know How To Clean It. So I Called And They Said Vinegar And Water, But Guess What It Had Dulled In The Kitchen Area. It’s A Forty Year Wear Layer So I Think I Have To Call Them. LVP was Brand New Two Years Ago, And I Don’’t Think They Really Thought It Would Dull The LVP. I Did NOT Use The Vinegar And Water On The Rest Of The House After It Had Dulled The Kitchen. So Now I Just Use Water.
I’m Afraid To Use Anything Else.
After Reading These Conments, Maybe I’ll Use A Little Dawn Or Rejuvenate.
I have CoreTec Harrison Oak vinyl plank flooring in about 2,000 sq. ft. They are a matte finish and have distressed look to them. With 2 60 pound dogs who do not shed and 6 grandchildren who visit often, I only need to sweep once or twice a week.
I mop only with Rejuvenate floor cleaning made specifically for LVP. Leaves no residue and you do not have to rinse. Dries in minutes. Leaves no footprints. My floors look the same as the day they were installed. Love them.
Do not use steam on these floors or use anything that will leave a residue.
Ok so I have CorTec Calypso vinyl plank flooring and love the color and feel underneath my feet! However we can’t seem to find a cleaner or solution to the problem of them SHOWING EVERY STEP TAKEN wether we are in slippers, socks, bare feet. We leave our shoes in the garage! We have even used Coretec’s recommended Encore floor cleaner. WE can clean them one day and the next they look absolutely horrible and filthy dirty. Please help!
I have the same problem with my Smartcore vinyl flooring. The floors are scrubbed everyday to remove footprints. Please are there any suggestions?
I really hate my vinyl plank floors and they cost us a small fortune. They are dull-looking, and if you happen to walk on them with wet feet, the tracks are there until you mop again. If I had it to do over, I would never opt for vinyl plank flooring. I clean using only water with sometimes a very small amount of a mild dishwashing liquid. I wish I could use something to make them less depressingly dull.
I also purchased vinyl plank flooring. I hate it! I was talked into it because of a flood mishap in the laundry room. Because the flooring had to be replaced in that room, the bathroom, hallway, etc. the kitchen and hallway floor that butted up next to it had to be replaced for continuity. Long story short, the vinyl plank flooring is “gritty” feeling and so dull it looks like the old linoleum floors we had in the 50’s – 80’s after we would strip them to rewax them. A floor person at Home Depot recommended Rejuvenate floor cleaner and Rejuvenate Shine-It Floor Polish. It does give that dull floor a little sheen, It’s not perfect but I don’t cringe everytime I look at my brand new disgusting vinyl plank floor. Good luck!
What brand did you buy?
I just had mine installed. I haven’t even moved in yet, and I am already so sick that I went with this Vinyl Plank. I hate it! Why a company would recommend this flooring is beyond me.
Mine has been moped four times. It is smeared and muck-looking all over. I put this all over my house. I am just sick!
Sounds like the crew who installed it used glue. My vinyl floating floor is beautiful and pet proof.
I had it installed over 4 months ago, used Rejuvenate, terrible, now it is also streaky and agree that it was expensive and I am not impressed. Trying to get the Rejuvenate off and find some way to like this as it is throughout my entire main floor.
I’m having the same issue! They always look dull and it makes me sad. We just built and I was so excited about these floors. 😕
We use 1 gallon water, and 1/2-1 cup of white vinegar or apple cider vinegar and a tablespoon of baby oil… it brings out a nice glow, not extremely shiny just brightens up our floors. But, you need to go back and mop with plain water.
What type of mop do you use? Your method sounds the best.
We are thinking about putting this solution in a spray bottle to apply then using a sponge mop?
We purchased a high quality LVP and paid several thousand dollars to do it. It is a medium/dark shade with a slightly variegated look. I hate it. It shows every foot/paw print, every dusty tennis shoe print, everything. I can clean it multiple times a day and it gets dirty within minutes. Maybe if you live in a house without pets/kids and walk around in clean socks it might stay clean for you for more than a day.
Totally agree! Would never go for COREtec again. Spend all day going behind my 2 labs getting up drool marks & paw prints & people footprints. Have tried cleaners specific for vinyl laminate flooring & the old vinegar/ dish soap method & even a steam mop— nothing works wonderfully. Never had this problem with real hardwood. ☹️
I vacuum and dry mop every other day. Our installer said to use one drop of Dawn in warm water and to wash the floor in the direction of the grain. Halfway through mopping, dump solution out and mix another batch to complete the washing. Next, wash it with clean warm water, dumping halfway.. Follow that with Rejuvenate (Bottle will fit on a Swifter WetJet to make it easier to apply). Our floors look great all the time and we love them!
That sounds like a lot of steps and hassle. I thought LVP was supposed to be easy and durable. It sounds like you really have to baby it.
I thought this floor was going to be so easy to maintain. If I had known I wouldn’t have bothered purchasing it. I have no choice now. I mean, I like it, but how can you clean in between the planks without scrubbing? I didn’t know that I couldn’t use any harsh chemicals as I do normally. I’m a germ freak! Has anyone lived with vinyl floors for a good time? Can you give me tips?
For cleaning and disinfecting I use the vinegar and water method. It’s natural, gets the stains up and kills germs. This is what I do weekly or more often if needed. My floors are the Mohawk regal weathered barnwood planks. They have a slight sheen on them which I prefer. Unfortunately if you use the wrong product on them you can be taking what little sheen you had on them in the beginning off. They don’t tell you that. I found that through my own research that is how I found the vinegar and water method.
I read that Neutral PH Floor Cleaners are recommended for vinyl plank. I found a good one in OdoBan with Splash O’ Citrus (much better than regular OdoBan). I have cats and it gets the litter dust up and makes the floor look a little bit shinier. No rinsing is required and it is pretty streak-free. I really like the results. The floor feels better and cleaner to the touch after I have mopped with the OdoBan.
Is that safe for pets?
Has anyone tried Fabuloso to clean Vinyl flooring? It says it’s a multipurpose cleaner that doesn’t leave residue.
I have vinyl plank throughout my home and have used the Fabuloso multi purpose cleaner. Smells great, seems to get the floors clean but still dull looking. I’m in search for a product to bring back the shine.
There is a product called Allure. It now has to be ordered on Amazon. It comes in two finishes. It keeps the shine for several weeks. I used to use it exclusively on my vinyl plank floor. Then could not find it in stores…..so glad to find on Amazon.
Fabuloso contains sodium which can leave a haze on luxury vinyl tile.
I’ve used it on regular vinyl floors and it makes them sticky. I hate it.
I have textured vinyl flooring in light gray planks. Beautiful floor until dirty. Takes scrubbing to remove the dirt from the texture. Lot of work!
Does anyone else have this problem? How should I clean? I have to use a scrub brush to remove and sometimes bleach water!
I have asked this question over and over. I have asked all our neighbors who all have our identical floors. And they all say they have been using the H2O floor cleaning system that is a steam system. No problems, no warping or lifting. How can this be?
Use a cleaner that does not leave any residue. Home Depot has a product called Zep – Neutral Floor cleaner 1 gallon concentrate that you mix with water 1-2oz per gallon of water.
Use a regular sponge mop, squeezed tightly so the sponsee is damp. You must wipe the floors dry in order to not see streaking etc. Then do not walk on the floors with any type of rubber sole or bare feet, or even with damp bare feet (even with socks on). Dog prints that are damp will show too.
It’s like LVP, it is more work than it’s worth in durability – unless you don’t care about seeing feet, paw or shoe prints. Not shiny, very dull. We went with CoreTec med/light in color, lone natural oak floors.
We installed Shaw Bella Duca (medium with slight variations) 1 year ago in our entire house (approx. 2700 sq/ft) and we absolutely love it. It is so low maintence. We live in South Florida with lots of humidity, a pool, and two puppies weighing 50 lbs each. We have zero scratches, scuffs, marks.
We entertain constantly and our dogs run wild with bones and toys in the house. We were very diligent when installing- ripped out all old tile and took 2 days to sand down subfloors so we would have an even install..we believe this is crucial after living with them.
You WILL feel any small bubbles or dips, so be sure your subflooring is in tact. We vacuum every few days and mop once a week with Zep Neutral floor cleaner. It was the best choice for us as wood in Florida is asking for trouble and I don’t care for tile and carpet. Best of luck!
Something we learned before we inherited (as a buyer) VPF: both a friend and a family member, two separate incidents, lost their first (new) installation of VPF when their dishwashers (neither very old) flooded the kitchen right after the new flooring was installed.
Had a thought: Seems too coincidental…gonna make sure our inherited (15 yo) dishwasher isn’t likely to do that before we use it…had an appropriate repairman look it over, okayed it, then asked him, “Is there any way the install of new flooring may have triggered the flooding issue with either/both dishwashers in those cases?” He didn’t think so at first, but on checking underneath the dishwasher — voila! — it’s LIKELY in both cases that a specific spot was bumped and damaged and caused both those curious incidents — in both cases the dishwashers had been successfully used for years without problem and in both cases the new VPF had JUST been installed and the dishwasher was used the first time afterward in each case.
We can’t remember what particular spot the repairman identified, but he was solid on that having been the issue and having likely been dislodged or something of that sort during installation — this after he originally thought not but changed his mind on examination of that spot and area on our dishwasher and flooring interface. We managed to avoid that problem, thankfully. We think the dishwasher had NOT been used prior to selling after the floor had been installed, as it did need some work on it before we used it, and the house had been being set up for sale in recent history before we bought it (from a landlord-type, and probably very cautious about the sale) – for which we were very thankful, even though we had to buy a bunch of lightbulbs so we could see in the dark in our “new” old home.
We have Armstrong vinyl deluxe planking installed in our home, about a year old. It is looking dull. Armstrong has a product called “New Beginnings” that is supposed to strip off the worst stains and then Shinekeeper to make it shine again. The problem is, the stuff is violent and the walls, moulding and doors have to be taped off ahead of time, scrub 3 x 3 sections hands and knees on the floor. 3 to 4 days once or twice a year. No videos on youtube or their web sites on how to apply.
Stay away from armstrong. Bad product, expensive to install and maintain. Poor customer service.
How can VPF be ruined by water?
I have been cleaning houses for 16 years. Don’t use vinegar on your floors except for tile. It will take the finish off. Also any time you use a product that puts wax down you are putting a buildup on your floor. The best thing to use is water with a very gentle mild ph balanced soap. Very diluted.
Yes, I found a spic n span brand today, fresh linen. It is does not have phosphate/ph so I will be using that. Directions say nothing acidic. If it is citrus, orange, lemon, scented it is acidic. Directions specifically say no vinegar.
Just had Armstrong Prizm Hard Core flooring installed. After installers left I noticed some scratches and places where the color had come off. Does anyone recommend a touch up for these spots?
I laid Shaw Vinyl Click and Lock planking 7 months ago and find it very easy to maintain. A once a week vacuuming and every two weeks mopping is all it takes to keep the shine. Glad I switched from carpet to Vinyl planking.
I also have Shaw Vinyl plank flooring. What type of cleaner do you use for mopping? I’m nervous about buildup and/or stripping the floor.
We were instructed by a flooring sales company not to use vinegar (I asked specifically because that’s what I normally like to clean with) on our vinyl plank flooring. They told us it can damage the finish.
My husband and I are getting vinyl flooring in our kitchen with some other home renovations in a month or so, and you’ve really helped us know how to prepare to take proper care of it. I had no idea that dust had sharp edges to it, but I do work hard to keep a clean home, so giving it a good, daily sweep won’t be a problem at all for me. Mopping is something I planned to do every week, as well, so it sounds like we’re ready to have that lovely, luxurious vinyl installed.
After choosing vinyl plank flooring for the main floor of our new condo, I read this article and the comments and was concerned, but by then it was too late to make another choice. After living with it for almost a month, I’ve learned that for it to look its best, you have to immediately wipe up spills (Including water drops), and vacuum once a day to keep it looking clean. This has also cut down significantly on the amount of times I have needed to mop as well. At first it seemed as if the floors scratched easily, but since I’ve been doing this daily cleaning, I haven’t noticed any new ones. Now that I have a system figured out that works, I am happy with my floor, but there is definitely a learning curve involved.
Our main living floor is vinyl plank which was installed in the house before we bought it this summer. In the weeks we were moving it was clear that sweeping and vacuuming was going to have to be an almost daily thing. It just always seemed to get dirty. I bought a robovac during Amazon’s Prime Day deal and I wished I would have bought this things years ago for my last house. We almost never have to sweep, the robovac does its shift each night while we sleep and I’m quite honestly shocked at how much it picks up each week. We mop it according to the methods in this blog post, just mild soap and water. It’s a snap. Get a robovac… It takes care of a that daily thought process of ‘… the floor is dirty again… where’s the broom?”
What can I use to polish dark colored luxury vinyl planks? Thanks.
I use hot water and Murphy’s Oil Soap once every four to five weeks.
Thanks for all the comments. I just had new Armstrong LVP flooring installed. Rated as excellent by Consumers Report. Also bought a new iRobot to use. So far I love it. Have it in dining room, kitchen, and entry way.
I put a scratch on my vinyl plank. What can I put on it to cover it up?
I bought quick shine multisurface floor cleaner and the finish on amazon. Very reasonable, used irobot vacuum, mopped with quick shine cleaner using microfiber mop, no rinsing needed. Once dry apply the finish with separate microfiber mop head. I used a refillable bottle sprayer to spray on floor and mopped it with a damp mophead. Dries in minutes, then added 2 additional layers. A lot of work, but results are amazing on my nucore mixed mocha floors.
I just had dark colored luxury vinyl planks installed throughout 2 levels of my home. Regrettably I did not realize how dull the planks are. What product can I use to gain shine? Thank you.
My exact thoughts! It’s so dull looking. I now wish I had spent more money and got real hardwood. Very dissatisfied, 20 grand later.
We have had vinyl plank flooring laid throughout our entire home and it is not dull.
1. Sweep or vacuum every night. I bought a terry cloth sweeper/mop by Libman from Fred Meyer.
2. Use white vinegar 1 cup to one gallon of water. Using a spray bottle to apply to flooring and using a damp terry cloth mop.
Have you tried white vinegar in your mop water?
The builder recommends Once and Done for cleaning. (No rinsing).
We have Armstrong vinyl plank throughout our house and use Once and Done, no rinsing!
Once n Done contains ammonia. Do not use this on LVP.
Use rejuvenate wax and cleaner. Comes with a mop and pads!
I would like to put a shine on my vinyl plank flooring. What should I use?
Can I use Murphy’s oil to clean vpf?
The book that came with my luxury vinyl said No oil soaps or dishwashing detergents. Only a nonrinsing biodegradable cleaner that leaves no residue and requires no rinsing. No Swiffer Wet product.
Hmmm, I was just at a house where the LVP, like what I’ll be getting in my new home was being installed. The floor guy said that I could use the Swiffer wet jet. Seems you just don’t know what to believe anymore.
If you have animals, don’t use a Swiffer. The residue left on the floor can be toxic to animals that might lick things off the floor.
I have been using a swiffer wetjet and I can see every foot/paw print. It is driving me crazy!
My smart core ultra floor is giving me fits, has some residue that can only be cleaned with alcohol. I have gone back to contractor and asked for professionals to clean the floor. No one should have to clean board by board with alcohol. #nothappy #shawflooringfailsme #manufacturerdropsball
I appreciate the detail in this article. Well written and to the point!
We had the first floor of the house installed with Shaw Vinyl flooring. We hate it. We were told it was low maintenance. The floor is dull, easily scuffs and scratches. Have not been able to remove the scuffs, you see water stains. We paid so much for these floors and we hate them. We listened to the designer who said they were maintenance free. Should have gone with porcelain or ceramic.
Hi Magdalena,
Did you just install the floors in September? I was about to order Fusion vinyl planks in my entire first floor, including the kitchen and entrance, and I am now having second thoughts. I need these floors to hold up for at least ten years. I am worried that the light “natural oak” look will show all the dirt, but the medium “gunstock oak” look will show all the scratches. I really want the consistency of having the same floor throughout to make my house look bigger, but it seems that maybe the LVP only belongs in rooms that don’t get much traffic, like a bedroom, living room or formal dining room. Would you suggest I stay away from the vinyl at least in the kitchen? I don’t want to be a daily slave to my floors. Thanks for your thoughts.
We just had it installed and did a mocha color which I hate. It is so dull it makes me cry! Everything shows up on it, constant dust! I wish my contractor would have had more experience with it and recommended a lighter color so that it wasn’t so dull. We went this due to having pets and kids, so we will see how durable it is.
I’m curious where you bought the product? Did the store you bought it from actually Do the Install? Installers don’t normally talk customers into or out of products, they just put down what you bought. Leveling is a giant problem with LVP. Spending the extra money for a good Install is Key on these Especially in Florida where nothing is ever Level.
We feel the same way as you do with our newly installed Shaw LVT. Our concrete floor was not leveled well enough before installation. The tiles are having to be uninstalled, floor leveled properly and then reinstalled. It looks great, but sounds hollow/cuppy and cheap, (which it was not) when we walk on it. Also wish we had done porcelain or ceramic.
I too went with Shaw luxury vinyl tile and was told it was low maintenance. I can’t believe after replacing the old vinyl tile that was in my kitchen that I would have the same problem with a build up in the dirt in high traffic areas. I was also told water and vinegar but I’m telling you it doesn’t do anything to clean the deep down dirt that’s already embedded in a floor that’s only a year and a half old. I should’ve went with ceramic tile.
We just recently installed LVP in a white and light grey oak color. It is MAGNIFICENT. With our white cabinets and island in the kitchen as well as a beautiful white dining room set with black leather chairs, it is awesome! No problem at all to wipe up a little spill with plain water and dry it off. We also just use the dusting head every day. Next project is the carpet, and then new counter tops.
I’m not crazy about Luxury Vinyl Plank Flooring. I wish I had went with hardwood. Felt on the furniture legs or the bottom of furniture is the pits. If I had know all this and more I would never had bought it.
You’d still need felt or rubber on the bottom of your furniture legs with wood or laminate flooring. What I would suggest is using rubber pads under furniture which you don’t regularly move such as your couch, entertainment center, etc. I would then put felt on items that regularly have to move such as dining chairs or small furniture you might move while cleaning your floors.
We just replaced all of our flooring with Vinyl Plank. Love it. Until we had to clean it. Our dog got sick. I need to clean this floor… What am I supposed to use besides water? That’s just not going to work.
I use Mr. Clean all purpose spray cleaner and Bounty. We rescue and rehabilitate cats, so as you can imagine it can get messy, that’s why we invested in the vinyl plank.
I had floating boards installed and then when I moved I had the same ones installed. I love them and I use the flat microfiber mops a couple times a week to pick up any dirt or hair. I always go in the direction of the planks, I can do 2 rooms before I need to give the cloth a good shake and then do the rest. I use the same or similar microfiber mop with a half bucket of hand-hot water with a couple spoons of vinegar and a squirt of dishwashing liquid. I wet the cloth then wring it out, tightly attach it to the mop head and proceed to wipe the floor (but always in the direction of the boards). Your cloth should only be damp and certainly not leave puddles of water on the floor. By the time I have finished it is nearly dry, however if you want you can go over it with a dry cloth. Again always go in the direction of the boards and your floor will always look superb.
Home Depot floor person recommended Rejuvenate floor cleaner and Rejuvenate Shine-it Floor Polish. It is not perfect but it does give that dull looking floor a little sheen so I don’t say to myself everytime i look at it, “I hate this floor!”
I have vinyl laminate flooring in every room. Installed a year and a half ago. Love it. Dry Swiffered every other day. Every two weeks, wet Swiffered. Floors look great, and three of my friends installed the same flooring. We all are happy.
I was told by the installer to never use a wet Swiffer. I would ruin the floor. That the swiffer leaves a residue that when walked on with shoes etc, just puts more dirt down. He said use one part vinegar to 3 parts water.
I actually found a microfiber mop with an attachment you can put water in and use like you use the swiffer.
Pat, Can you share the info/brand of the microfiber mop you are using?
Do you remember what brand and color you installed Barbara?
We recently installed LVP and love it. The manufacturer recommended a ph neutral cleaner and no steam or vinegar. Our roomba runs daily to keep after the cat and a good deep vacuuming is done weekly just because. Our ph neutral cleaner leaves the floor with no streaks and the matte finish gets a bit of a shine to it.
Regarding rugs: get a commercial quality walk-off rug for outside the front door and other traffic entry ways. For inside, use only natural fiber backed rugs (never rubber). You may need to use a non-slip underlayment. Get one that is rated for vinyl. Lots of info about these products on the internet.
My lvp manufacturer recommended only vinegar, and I hate it. It streaks. Since you’re happy with your ph neutral cleaner, can you please share what it is? Thanks.
What Ph neutral cleaner are you using?
I am getting this flooring in a couple weeks and was wondering about using my Roomba, so thanks for clearing that up. If you read this could you please let me know the kind of ph neutral cleaner that you are using? There is not much info out here yet and my Lowes where I bought the floor tells me different things depending on which associate I speak to, so I think they have no idea. I am getting smartcore ultra premium.
I use “Once ‘n Done” Resilient and Ceramic Floor Cleaner. It does a good job cleaning. I am disappointed that my new LVP floor shows every footprint and needs to be cleaned every time my grandchildren leave. But it does look good after cleaning it.
I have the LVP tiles with acrylic grout in the kitchen and mudroom. I absolutely love it and it never shows dirt or footprints. It looks like ceramic tile but warmer and softer.
Our roomba runs each night. We use a dust mop too on occasion. We use rejuvenate in our spray mop. If we have a pet issue we soak up urine with paper towels and then use Clorox wipes and then mop with rejuvenate. So far so good.
We put the felt pads on our furniture. Takes a bit of time and a small investment but worth it in the long run. We have rug pads made of pvc instead of rubber. Read your manufacturer’s warranty for acceptable rug pads. Our warranty also said no soap or bleach and we heard vinegar was a no go too.
What proportion of white vinegar to water is best for cleaning my new vinyl plank flooring?
Cleaning luxury vinyl flooring is easy-peasy! Use a white vinegar and water solution and a mop that squeezes to damp. This will clean away dirt, grime and germs; providing a sparkling clean, disinfected floor without any damage. This method is also better than having your children or pets down on a floor cleaned by chemicals. Go with manufacturer suggestions for rug backing materials. Never use a steamer. A Swiffer is ok, but a better choice is a BONA brand product that sprays a floor conditioner specially made for luxury vinyl. Vacuuming or sweeping with a soft broom or even a dust mop is good for frequent touchups. Don’t make maintenance harder than it needs to be. Enjoy your floors!
How much vinegar, to how much water?
Vinegar is a great cleaner but it is NOT a disinfectant – just wanted to point that out.
I have found contradictory information on cleaning products. Dawn soap leaves it dull and doesn’t disinfect enough for me. I vacuum and use swiffer dry pads that really take up most of the dirt. You would be amazed at how well they clean dirt and pet fur and get at edges of floor better than any vacuum. I’m going to try white vinegar to disinfect with a few drops of olive oil and see what happens. Otherwise will stick to wet swiffer, which has not harmed it and leaves it beautiful, and weak bleach mixture of 2 tsp per gallon of water. This is the vinyl planks’ worst feature, not being able to disinfect.. mop with water only my foot! Nasty!
So, just had vinyl wood flooring put down. Before it was installed, ceramic tile removed and then the glue had to be removed. Needless to say, dust everywhere. We tried to use a swifter to mop up dust. Now it has left a stain of film. Also foot prints on the vinyl tile. How do you remove the stains/film or whatever you call them?
I am having the exact same problem! Did you get an answer? Because I am about to rip it all up! So frustrating! I thought vinyl flooring was easy to care for?
Yes, if you like living with germs! Vinyl plank is not all it’s cracked up to be.
Hello, I have the same problem. This is terrible. I just had my floors installed, after we removed ceramic and hardwood floors, we chose COREtec Plus floors. And this was a huge mistake, the floor look dirty constantly. I know the they are matte finish but this is beyond any possible way to keep it clean. It looks very bad after they are clean and there is traffic in place. Any suggestions for this floor? Or this is a manufactured mistake when they made these floors?
I just had 2000sq ft installed and am having the same issue! Have any of you found a solution? I’m devastated as I heard so many good things about LVP and was so excited to have it installed!
We had LVT installed almost a year ago and it always looks dirty. I hate it but it’s too expensive to take it out and put something else down. I’m almost ready to pull it all out and just have concrete floors.
I used rejuvenate on mine they look beautiful!
Which Rejuvenate…the one made specifically for LV plank?
Bissell Hard floor expert, along with the bissell hard floor cleaner that vacuums and mops at the same time. A little bit of vinegar and warm water. I have put LVP in my last 2 homes. The entire house… Once they are clean it’s very easy to maintain.
We have Coretec plus in Bicayne oak. With 2 kids and 2 dogs, we just have to sweep or vacuum every day and them mop at least twice a week. We generally use Bona, but I’ve been finding that water and vinegar work better.
With a full house, LVT has been a savior for us. They tore up the hardwood we had before and we don’t have a single scratch now (we’ve had the floor in almost 6 months)
Just bought a Shark robot and I’m in heaven. Use everyday and keeps dust, every dust, away! It’s a must for hard wood or vinyl floors. I got sick of seeing dust every afternoon when the sun hit just right. Amazing how you can try dust mopping yourself and think you did good job. Nope. Shark robot picks up everything. Now about the footprint marks and dullness, that I haven’t mastered. I will try the vinegar solution and see what happens.
I just had vinyl plank flooring put down this past week and had “smear” marks that wouldn’t come up with Bona.
On another site someone suggested Magic Eraser. I tested in an inconspicuous place. I wet the Magic Eraser, wrung it out the best I could, wiped it in the direction of the grain, then immediately followed to dry with a soft cloth.
No more smear marks. I will say we have a vinyl plank that is a matte finish vs shiny, so test in an area not very visible first. Good luck!
I put a rubber mat at the door entrance, however In two weeks I have discovered that the mat is turning the floor yellow! Any suggestions on how to remove the discoloration, and/or what product can be used to stop the floor from holding dirt? Cleaning every day is not a viable option.
Rubber products cannot be used on vinyl plank flooring.
It is a total pain to keep clean!! Manufacturers recommend daily cleaning. Don’t know why anyone likes this stuff.
Must use latex backed rugs.
Latex IS rubber! Ask me: I’m allergic to both because they are the same!
I just purchased a two-year old home that has vinyl plank flooring through-out. I have researched the best way to maintain this flooring on a daily basis. But, is it safe to polish the flooring, perhaps, once a year? If so, what product is recommended for vinyl plank flooring?
Thank you for any advice!
Is it ok to use my Shark steam mop on vinyl planks? How about Swifters instead of brooms?
Yes, how about swiffers?
No, do not use hot steam! I just use water and my wide plank Vinyl flooring throughout my entire first floor, including bathrooms, laundry room, hallways and kitchen. Gorgeous still 2 years later!
Swiffers are fine. Steam is not.
I have a house full of vpf. And the one definite that was given is no steam mop and no wet swiffer. I see someone above doing wet swiffer, so??
I have been using dry then wet swifter on my Motorhome which we had Coretec installed in. It feels sticky and looks dirty. Dealer said to try vinegar and water.
Can I use my Haan upright steam cleaner for the apartment wide plank vinyl flooring I have inherited? It does a great job on my last hard wood and ceramic tile floors. Dries so fast as it is hot steam.
Lynne,
I have the same question. Did you ever get an answer?
Thanks.
Do not use steam cleaners on vinyl plank flooring.
Never use a Steam Mop on floating vinyl planks as you are forcing steam in between the planks and eventually they will warp.
Painters left small specks of overspray paint on my floors. They will not clean up and I need to do this without causing any damage to the floor. What should I use?
I used only my fingernail. The paint flecks easily popped off the vinyl planking; very few areas required patience and more work (still with only my fingernail). Result: pristine vinyl planking again, with zero scratches.
Damp microfiber cloth and elbow grease. You got this! 🙂
Use Denatured Alcohol. You’ll find it in the paint section of your hardware store. It’s just a very strong alcohol solution. Dampen a paper towel with it. It will gently dissolve the paint spatters away, I guarantee.
Test first on a piece of your flooring to make sure it won’t dull the surface (it shouldn’t). If it DOES dull the finish, I’d try plain old rubbing alcohol next. It’s a much weaker solution. Whatever you do, don’t use Goof Off! It will dissolve your flooring! GOOD LUCK!
Have you tried GoofOff on an inconspicuous spot to take the paint splatter off?
I have new Lifeproof floors and can’t get scuffs out. Any suggestions would be appreciated.
I found this in researching cleaning vinyl plank flooring but can’t vouch for validity
• For stubborn scuffs, try putting some WD-40 lubricant or jojoba oil on a towel and rub the area until the scuffs disappear. Clean thoroughly with the vinegar and water solution to remove any traces of lubrication.
be sure to check your manufacturer’ maintenance guide first – some specifically state not to apply any type of petroleum based product (i.e. – oil) on your floors!!
Jojoba is a plant oil. Plant oils do not contain petroleum.
Cleanup solvent 22 – takes all marks out. Have vinlyl plank flooring.