How To Clean LVP Flooring

LVP, that is Luxury Vinyl Plank flooring are beautiful to look at but just like all kinds of flooring, they need proper maintenance. Dry mopping or vacuuming will serve your purpose in most cases. But you may need to tweak your cleaning techniques at times depending on the type of stain you are dealing with. Also, there are some basic dos and don’ts you need to keep in mind while dealing with luxury vinyl plank floors.

We will today cover the details on how to clean luxury vinyl plank floorings, both the regular cleaning method as well as the deep cleaning techniques. So hopefully, you will be able to deal with all kinds of marks.

How often does the luxury vinyl plank flooring needs cleaning?

In order to make the luxury vinyl plank flooring long-lasting and durable. It is suggested that you clean the floors once weekly. However, if you have them on high traffic sections of your home, then to maintain them, you will have to vacuum the areas or dry mop the floors on a regular basis. This will help you get rid of the grit, which if left uncleaned might lead to scratches on the floors. If you accidentally spill anything on the floor, it is highly recommended that you deal with it immediately to avoid the stains becoming stubborn.

The common ingredients required to clean luxury vinyl plank flooring

Here’s a basic list of tools and equipment you need for Clean LVP Flooring.

• Vacuum cleaner/ broom/ dust mop
• Wet mop
• Microfiber cloth
• Bucket
• Dishwashing liquid
• Commercial cleaner (if required)
• Warm water
• White vinegar
• Rubbing alcohol (if required)
• WD-40 (if required)
• Baking soda (if required)

Instructions to clean your luxury vinyl plank floors

1. Get rid of loose dirt

As mentioned earlier, it is important to get rid of loose dirt and debris from the floors and for that regular or frequent dusting and vacuuming is recommended. However, while choosing a vacuum, make sure you get one that has no beater bar. If your one already has one, then remove that before using. This will help prevent damaging your floors.

2. Choose a good quality cleaner

Cleaners play a vital role in maintaining the vinyl plank floors and choosing a good one, more specifically a pH neutral one is important. Those containing ammonia, bleach or having high pH should be avoided because most of the time they are highly corrosive and can cause damage to your floors.

3. Make the cleaning solution

If you are not so sure about commercial cleaners, it is highly suggested that you use ingredients you already have at home. For kitchen stains, you can use a degreaser dishwashing liquid along with warm water. You should avoid using excessive soap as that can leave a film that may attract dirt and dust and make the space further dirty. As for cleaning the floors in your living room or bedroom, a mixture of white vinegar and water can be used. Vinegar is a natural cleaner that can get rid of the dirt without even leaving behind any residue like in case of soap. You can use apple cider vinegar instead of white vinegar as well.

4. Time to mop

Once you are done preparing the cleaning solution, it is time to mop. So, take a mop and dip it inside the cleaning solution, wring out the excess moisture and start mopping the floors from one end or corner of your room and slowly move to the rest of the space. During it, make it a habit to rinse and wring the mop on frequent intervals to avoid the dirt that got transferred to the mop from the floors from spreading all over the space. Rinse the floors with clean water after that if required and let them dry naturally. You should avoid using too much water as molds may be formed if water seeps inside the seams.

5. Fight the stubborn stains

The above-mentioned cleaning method will work on most of the stains but there are some stains like food stains, grease stains, scruffs that are extra stubborn, in that case you will have to deep clean with more potent ingredients.

• Food stains- If you are dealing with discoloration or dried food stains, then a mixture of baking soda and water may be very effective. Just spray or pour the mixture on the stains, allow it to work on it for about 5 minutes and then with the help of a clean microfiber cloth, scrub away the food carefully.
• Grease/ink stains- For these stains, rubbing alcohol is beneficial. Just take a microfiber cloth and dampen it in the rubbing alcohol. Work from the exterior of the stain and move to the center. This way the stain won’t spread.
• Scuffs- Scruff marks are quite common thanks to the furniture and shoes. So, if you are worried about scuffs, take a little bit of WD-40 and use a dry microfiber cloth to buff the concerned spots.

6. Protect the luxury vinyl plank floors

Cleaning the floors is necessary but to make the floors last long, you need to protect them as much as possible. Here are some ways in which you can protect your lvp floors:

• Since the doorways are high traffic areas, it will be good if you use a throw rug or doormat. This will prevent the doorways getting overtly dirty which in turn will help you avoid damaging the floors.
• Use floor protectors on the legs of the tables and chairs to prevent dents on the floors.
• The rolling casters can be removed from the furniture. If not, a preventive mat may be used.
• Avoid paste or liquid wax on the luxury vinyl plank floors
• Avoid harsh cleaners while cleaning the floors.

Conclusion

As you can see luxury vinyl plank are not that hard to clean. All you need is the right ingredient and the right technique to get it done Also, try to maintain a proper cleaning schedule to prevent the floors getting excessive dirty.