Vinyl Flooring Care Guide

Vinyl flooring is low maintenance, easy to clean and works well in almost every room of the house.

Despite being super easy to care for, there are a few things to know that will make sure you get the most out of your new vinyl flooring.

Vinyl will never be damaged by water, unlike wood or many laminate ranges, making cleaning much simpler and a more versatile product in wet areas.

Top Tips Caring for Vinyl

Sweep or vacuum your vinyl regularly, with a hard flooring mode on the vacuum if possible.

Dry any spills quickly to avoid any water stains and to remove any slip hazards. Use a mop to get the worst of the spill before polishing with a dry cloth to ensure absolute safety.

Warm soapy water will usually remove.

How to clean Vinyl flooring

Vinyl is the ultimate easy-clean flooring choice. Let's break down exactly how to get it looking good with some top tips to ensure your vinyl flooring stands the test of time.

Sweep or vacuum your vinyl regularly, with a hard flooring mode enabled on the vacuum if possible.
Dry and spill quickly to avoid water stains and to remove any slip hazards. Use a mop to get the worst of the spill before polishing with a dry cloth to ensure absolute safety.
Warm soapy water will usually remove any stains or spills, but bicarbonate of sofa can be applied for any especially tough stains.

Which cleaning products are safe to use with vinyl flooring?

Always read the label - product manufacturers will say whether or not their detergent or cleaner is suitable for vinyl flooring.
Labels will also clarify whether the product is pet and child friendly, super important for family homes!
Never use abrasive scourers on vinyl floors. They can cause permanent damage to the surface, leaving marks and jeopardising your floors longevity.

How do you treat stains on vinyl flooring?

Use a damp cloth or paper towel to clean the vinyl with warm water.
Use a flooring cleaner specially designed for vinyl to rub the mark with a non-abrasive cloth to remove the stain.

For some vinyl flooring types, you can use stronger chemicals to remove stains:

Bleach solution can be used for stubborn food and drinks stains.
Rubbing neat alcohol can be used for tougher stains.

How to remove pen stains from vinyl

1. Mix four parts of water with one part of bleach.

2. Soak a clean cloth in the mixture.

3. Place a cloth on the stain for an hour.

4. Remove the cloth and rinse with plenty of water, before drying.

5. Repeat if needed.

How to remove grass stains from vinyl

Act as quickly as possible and don't let the stain set.

1. Sweep away any soil, grass and dirt.

2. Slice a lemon in half and place the cut side directly onto the stain and rub gently.

3. Wipe the area with a clean, wet cloth to remove the lemon juice.

4. Pat dry and repeat if necessary.

Vinyl flooring maintenance

Vinyl is relatively low maintenance, but we’ve put together some expert vinyl care tips to help you maintain your flooring. While it should be resistant to most of the marks and indentations caused by heavy furniture, you still need to proceed with caution.

Vinyl flooring is most likely to get damaged just after installation. Before you begin moving your furniture into the room, make sure you remove all debris, then sweep and vacuum the flooring to get rid of any dust leftover from the installation.
Keep sharp objects away from the surface and avoid sliding or dragging anything across it. Messy floors and debris can cause damage to vinyl over long periods of time, so make sure the surface is cleaned regularly.
Ensure all furniture legs are smooth and won’t mark your vinyl and replace any narrow, glass or dome shaped glides with smooth protectors to ensure your vinyl remains intact when it comes into contact with the furniture.
Fit felt covers to casters and feet for added cushioning that will protect the surface of your vinyl.
Never push, pull or drag heavy furniture across your vinyl flooring as this can mark, scratch and damage the surface. Instead, always lift or wheel in any sofas, tables or chairs, as this will prevent scuffing and other marks from occurring.
When Vinyl comes into contact with rubber for prolonged periods it causes a chemical reaction that leaves a permanent yellow stain at the point of contact. Such stains cannot be removed through cleaning and it is important therefore that your vinyl floor does not come into sustained contact with Rubber. Be aware that common household items such as bicycle and pram wheels, latex or rubber backed mats and rugs, the soles of shoes and slippers may contain rubber and should not be left standing on a vinyl floor for prolonged periods.

Top Tips

DO

Sweep or vacuum regularly

Once a week, wipe your floor with a specifically designed cleaner

Put doormats and rugs by doors

Wear soft soled shoes

Lift furniture to move it – even with soft pads, grit can scratch

Keep pets’ nails trimmed

DON'T

Use a steam cleaner

Use abrasive materials such as scouring pads

Use furniture polish

Wear high heels

Leave puddles to soak in

Push pull or drag heavy furniture across the floor