Luxury Vinyl Flooring is not only beautiful, but it is also highly durable and waterproof. It only takes a few simple care and maintenance steps to keep your luxury vinyl floor looking beautiful for years to come and make the most affordable type of flooring.
Routine Maintenance
- Dust, sweep or vacuum the floor regularly to prevent any buildup of dirt or gritty substances that can scratch or dull the floor. If you do vacuum, do not use on with a beater brush, they can cause damage to the floor.
- Any spills should be cleaned up immediately with a damp mop or cloth.
- Occasionally clean the floor with a resilient floor cleaner.
Preventive Care of Luxury Vinyl Flooring
- Protective mats. Place mats outside of all entrances and exits, and make sure to clean them on a regular basis. They will absorb soil and moisture and trap excessive dirt, sand, grit, oil, asphalt, or driveway sealer that would otherwise be tracked inside. Mats that are 100% latex-backed should be used. Do not use mats with rubber backing, as they can discolor the flooring. We also recommend using latex-based driveway sealer to prevent any staining.
- Appliances. Be aware that refrigerators, ranges or other heat-producing appliances, or hot air registers that produce heat over 120°F, can burn, fade or discolor your floor. Any hot objects, such as matches or cigarettes, can also burn and damage your vinyl floor.
- Furniture legs. All the legs should have large surface floor protectors that are non-staining. Use flat, smooth glides to replace dome shaped, small, or narrow metal glides. To keep from scratching the floor, these glides should have self-adhesive felt pads. They also need to be checked regularly for wear and dirt and then replaced when needed.
- Heavy appliances/furniture. Any appliance or piece of furniture that is heavy and rarely moved should have flat furniture cups or casters that are non-staining and of appropriate size. The available sizes are round, 1 3/8” to 1 5/8”, and square, 1 ½” to 2 5/8”.
- Moveable appliances/furniture. Mobile appliances should have casters that swivel easily. These casters should have a diameter of 2” and ¾” hard rubber treads that are non-staining. Ball shaped casters should not be used.
- Be careful of your feet. Avoid wearing stiletto-style heels, cleats, or spiked golf shoes on your flooring. They may cause scratches and indentations.
- Sunlight protection. Keep window coverings closed during the times of day when there’s heavy sunlight. Resilient floors can fade or get discolored if overexposed to the sun.
After Installation Care of Luxury Vinyl Flooring
- To make certain you get a proper seam bond on your resilient flooring, protect the sealed seams and do not tamper with them for at least 16 hours after the application of the seam sealer.
- Grouted vinyl: no traffic at all on the floor for 24 hours, then only light traffic for the following 24 hours. After 48 hours you can return to regular foot traffic.
- Un-grouted vinyl: traffic should be kept at a minimum for 48 hours in order for the adhesive to harden. (This is for floors such as resilient sheet, resilient tile, Adura or DuraCeramic.)
- Do not put any furniture on the floor until the grout and adhesive have had sufficient time to dry. Grouted vinyl floors need 48 hours and all other vinyl floors need at least 24 hours.
- Be very careful when moving heavy appliances and furniture to prevent floor damage or tearing. You should use strips of hardboard panels or plywood and lay them on the floor. Then, take the piece of furniture or appliance and slide, roll or walk it across the boards.
- Use a resilient floor cleaner to wash your floor 48 hours after the installation.