Vinyl tile and laminate flooring is attractive, durable, and long-lasting, even under a home’s highest-traffic conditions, but the product is certainly not indestructible. Fortunately, cleaning vinyl flooring is a fairly straightforward and inexpensive process, and with proper care, it’s easy to maintain the material’s eye-catching appearance. The first step is to try minimizing dirt, stains, and abrasions before they occur. Over time, dirt and dust can wear down and degrade the finish on any type of flooring, including vinyl tile or laminate; therefore it is always a good idea to situate a good-quality doormat or area rug in front of doorways so that grit and grime don’t migrate into the house. Another helpful hint is to use a sheet of plywood or paneling any time you need to move furniture across the floor; this will help prevent scuff marks or tears in the vinyl. You also may want to use vinyl coasters under the feet and legs of your furniture to safeguard against permanent indentations.

Related: Green Clean: Eco-Friendly Cleaning Products for Your Home When it comes to cleaning vinyl flooring, you can’t go wrong with plain water and a sponge mop! Always wipe up spills as soon as possible, and mop frequently with plain water. For more intensive cleaning, here are a few tips and techniques: • Always vacuum or dry mop the floor to remove surface dirt, dust, and hair before moving on to wet cleaning; best carpet cleaning solution for allergiesmake sure you get under furniture, in corners, and along baseboards.steam cleaners for carpets rental • One of the best cleansers for vinyl flooring is apple cider vinegar. price of vacuum cleaner in kenyaThe 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. There are a few areas of caution and products to avoid when it comes to cleaning vinyl flooring: • When vacuuming vinyl, do not use a “beater bar” attachment; this can damage the flooring surface. • Never use highly-abrasive scrubbers or steel wool. • Do not use detergents, abrasive cleaners, or “mop and shine” products, because these can leave a dull film on the floor. • Do not use paste wax or solvent-based polishes. • Do not use ammonia or ammonia-based cleaning solutions on vinyl flooring; these can break down the material and cause cracks in the flooring. Some commercial cleaners are specially designed for vinyl floors. These include Pine-Sol Multi-Surface Cleaner; Pledge Tile & Vinyl Floor Cleaner and Pledge Tile & Vinyl Floor Finish with Future Shine;

and Armstrong’s Once ‘n Done Resilient and Ceramic No-Rinse Floor Cleaner and Armstrong Shinekeeper Polish. With just a little time and elbow grease, vinyl flooring will take years of use and abuse and still look lovely. For more on cleaning, consider: How To: Clean Slate How To: Clean Concrete How To: Clean Painted Walls There’s no way around it: Keeping the house clean demands your time, your energy, and even some of your money. Fortunately, this arsenal of cleaning tips can help you finish the housekeeping more quickly—and with fewer commercially sold products.Luxury Vinyl Sheet Care and Maintenance You can protect your Mannington Luxury Vinyl Floor by following these easy guidelines. Use a doormat outside each entrance to your home to prevent dirt, sand, grit, and other substances such as oil, asphalt, and driveway sealer from being tracked onto your floor. Use non-staining mats on your floor. To minimize potential staining from asphalt tracking, we suggest you use a latex-based driveway sealer.

Close your curtains or blinds where extreme sunlight hits the floor. A combination of heat and sunlight causes most home furnishings, including resilient floors, to fade or discolor. Support furniture with wide-bearing, non-staining floor protectors. Ideally, the protectors should be at least one inch in diameter, made of non-pigmented, hard plastic, and rest flat on the floor. Non-staining felt protectors are also acceptable. Casters with a minimum 3/4" flat surface width or floor protectors are recommended for all moveable furniture. Make sure any metal protectors are rust-proof. Replace your narrow dome furniture rests with wide-bearing ones. If you need to move heavy furniture and/or appliances, such as your refrigerator, across the floor, always use strips of wood or hardboard runways to protect the floor. Always use runways even if you have an appliance dolly, or even if the heavy objects are equipped with wheels or rollers. Luxury Vinyl Sheet Maintenance Here are some simple things you can do to keep your Mannington Luxury Vinyl Sheet Floor looking like new.

Initial Maintenance (within 24 hours of installation) Keep traffic light during the first 24 hours so adhesive can dry properly (if adhesive was used) If the floor has been seamed, avoid stepping on the seam sealer for 24 hours so it can dry undisturbed Avoid scrubbing or washing floor for at least three days after intallation. Spot clean floor avoiding all seams When moving heavy furniture or appliances across the floor, always use wood or hardboard runways to protect the floor Routine Maintenance (daily/weekly as needed) Sweep your floor regularly (at least once a week) to remove loose dirt. Prevent stains by wiping spills promptly. Occasional mopping with Mannington Award Series® Cleaner (available from your retailer) is recommended when dirt builds up and sweeping alone is not sufficient. Use a solution of 2 to 3 capfuls of Award Series® Cleaner (or clear, non-sudsy ammonia) in one gallon of warm water. Using more than the recommended amount of cleaning solution may leave a dulling film.

Do not use soap or detergent products as they will leave a dulling film. Rinsing is not required when using Mannington Award Series® Cleaner, but if time permits, rinsing will provide the best care and highest shine. Luxury vinyl sheet floors have a low gloss. Use polish or "mop and shine" products only if you wish to make the floor shiny. After several applications of polish, an occasional stripping and reapplication of polish may be necessary. This may also be necessary for excessive dirt and grime build-up. We recommend the use of Mannington Award Series® Heavy Duty Cleaner and Stripper. After thorough cleaning, rinsing, and drying, apply Mannington Award Series® Polish to restore the shine. High traffic areas may require more than one application of polish. Allow polish to dry "tack-free" between coats. Caution: Resilient floors can be slippery when wet. Use extreme caution when walking on a wet floor. Mannington Resilient Floors offer excellent stain resistance, and most spills will wipe off quickly and easily with a clean cloth.

Removing certain stains takes a little extra effort. Here are some guidelines before you begin: Start with the first procedure listed. Only do the procedures necessary to resolve the problem. Always use a clean white cloth for wiping up stains, and turn it frequently to avoid spreading the stain. Rinse with clean water and allow area to dry between procedures. For items not covered by the following chart, call Mannington Consumer Services at 1-800-FLOOR-US (1-800-356-6787). If a gummy substance, scrape with off with a dull knife. Scour using Mannington Award Series Heavy Duty Cleaner and Stripper and a nylon pad or stiff bristle brush. Saturate a clean white cloth with bleach solution, cover stain and allow to stand for no more than 1 hour. Tar, Oil, Asphalt, Grease, Paint (oil-based), Wax Scrape excess off with dull knife. Scour using Mannington Award Series® Heavy Duty Cleaner and Stripper and a nylon pad or stiff bristle brush. Wipe with a clean white cloth dampened with lighter fluid, painter's naphtha, or isopropyl alcohol.