Vinyl Floor Maintenance Guide

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What You Need to Know about Vinyl Maintenance

Maintaining the vinyl floor

Any floor, no matter how new or beautiful, is meant to be walked upon. Vinyl flooring is no exception. Time and the onslaught of foot traffic will most certainly take its toll. But take heart, keeping your vinyl floor as beautiful and inviting as the day it was installed just requires a little knowledge.

Check out the following expert tips and be a little smarter about smart, stylish, and elegant vinyl flooring.

Why Consistency is the key

Recent vinyl floorings are incredibly durable and long-lasting, but like any other floor covering, they still need regular maintenance to stay looking in shape.

Follow these general vinyl maintenance guidelines.

Know this About Time and Temperature

For the first 24 hours after your new vinyl floor is installed, shield all the seamed areas and don’t walk on the seam sealer.

Keep the room at a temperature of 68° F or greater for at least two days after the floor installation to allow the adhesives to set up properly.

Do not roll heavy objects directly on to a freshly installed vinyl floor for at least five days. This can cause the vinyl and adhesive to become compressed, and once the adhesive causes, any compressed marks will become permanent.

Allow five days before thoroughly washing your floor. This will give the adhesive time to cure.

It’s Smart to Spread Your Weight Around

Before moving heavy objects across your vinyl flooring, hold on! Always lay plywood or underlayment sheets down to disperse the excess weight.

Before placing chairs or furniture on your newly installed vinyl floor, check the condition of all the casters or rollers before setting them on your floor. Replace any worn casters or rollers.

Protect your vinyl flooring by covering the legs of furniture with felt protectors.

Get Down and Dirty With Dirt

Remove grit particles, dust, and sand frequently by sweeping or vacuuming your vinyl floor.

Don’t use a vacuum with a beater bar as the beater may end up scratching your floor.

The attachments that come with your vacuum are convenient to clean the edges or to get to hard to reach areas

When sweeping or vacuum cleaning does not remove the dirt, mop the floor with clean, warm water.

Rinse the floor thoroughly with fresh water. If water alone does not clean the surface either, use cleaning products recommended by the vinyl manufacturer.

If you are unable to determine the manufacturer’s cleaning product recommendations, use one tablespoon of liquid dishwashing detergent to one quart of water.

Finally, think prevention: place non-staining, walk-off mats or rugs at every outside entry to your room.

This will help keep sand, dirt, and grit from being tracked on to your vinyl floor in the first place.

Just be sure to avoid using rubber-backed rugs as they can damage and discolor your floor.

Instead, use mats or rugs made specifically for vinyl floors and remember to treat them accordingly.

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Questions?

Spills Happen. Use These Tips:

Ensuring the vinyl flooring is completely dry after cleaning

For spots or spills, wipe them up instantly and use a clean cloth to wipe the cleaner onto the floor.

Make sure the flooring manufacturer recommends the cleaner and that the product label indicates “self-cleaning,” meaning you will not get an accumulation of wax on your floor.

Rinse the spot or spill area thoroughly and wipe dry with a clean, dry cloth.
Avoid applying abrasive scrubbing tools as they will leave scratches.
Never use abrasive cleaners, paste waxes, soaps, or solvents on your vinyl floor

How to Get The Old Sparkle Back

If your floor becomes dull looking, first try cleaning it with lukewarm water and clear ammonia cleaner to see if there’s a film on your floor, causing the dullness.

If that fails to work, use the manufacturer’s recommended floor polish to restore your vinyl flooring to its original gloss level.

If you purchased a PVC vinyl flooring, you should consider placing two to three coats of the manufacturer’s recommended floor polish on the floor immediately.

Any vinyl floor with a PVC wear-layer will show scuffs, scratches, and other marks very easily. By adding coats of floor, polish makes the floor easier to maintain.

For Serious Damage, Call the Pros

If you have a seam open, cover it immediately, do not wash that area, and immediately contact us for a vinyl floor covering professional to repair the seam.

If your floor gets a cut in it, cover the area and call us immediately. A professional vinyl floor installer can repair the area, but if the cut is filled with dirt, it may be difficult to repair correctly.

For more maintenance information specific to your vinyl flooring, remember to consult the manufacturers’ recommendations.

You can’t avoid wear on your vinyl floor, but knowing how to care for and maintain, it can keep your floor in beautiful condition and make it a source of pride for years to come.

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Johns Creek

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Suwanee

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Lawrenceville

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Winder

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