Floor Care: Vinyl

General Vinyl Floor Care

The new vinyl floors are extremely durable and long lasting, but like any floorcovering they still need regular maintain to stay looking like new. Follow these general guideline for vinyl flooring. For more detailed information always refer to the manufacturer's written floor care procedures.

Care After Installation

• For the first 24 hours after your new floor is installed, protect all the seamed areas and don't walk on the seam sealer.
• Keep the room at 68° F or greater for at least a two days after installation to allow the adhesives to set up properly.
• Do not roll heavy objects directly on to a newly installed vinyl floor for at least five days. This can cause the vinyl and adhesive to become compressed, and once the adhesive sets up any compressed marks will become permanent. Always lay plywood or underlayment to distribute the weight of a heavy objects being moved across your vinyl floor.
• Allow five days before thoroughly washing your floor. This will give time for the adhesive to cure.
• Before placing chairs or furniture on your new vinyl floor, check the condition of all casters or rollers before setting them on your floor. Replace any worn casters or rollers.

General Floor Care

• Vacuum regularly to remove grit and sand. Wash your floor occasionally with the manufacturer's recommended floor cleaner, such as Armstrong's Once 'n' Done No-Rinse Cleaner, or Mannington's Award Cleaner.
• Wipe up spills immediately. If needed clean with the manufacturer's recommended cleaner. You can also clean with lukewarm water and clear ammonia.
• If you floor becomes dull looking you may need to add the manufacturer's recommended floor polish to restore the orginal gloss level. First, try cleaning with luke warm water and clear ammonia to see if there is a film on your floor causing the dullness.
• Never use abrasive cleaners, soaps, paste waxes, or solvents on your vinyl floor.
• Place non-staining, walk-off mats at every outside entry to your room. This will help keep sand and grit from being tracked on to your floor.

Floor Care Tips

• If your floor gets a cut or gouge in it, cover the area immediately and call your professional floorcovering store. A professional installer can repair the area, but if the cut is filled with dirt, it may be difficult to repair correctly.
• If you purchase an inexpensive PVC vinyl floor you should consider placing 2-3 coats of the recommended floor polish on the floor immediately. Any vinyl floor with a PVC wearlayer will show scuffs, scratches, and other marks very easily, by adding the coats of floor polish, you will make the floor easier to maintain.
• If you have a seam open, cover it immediately, do not wash that area, and call a floor covering professional to come and repair the seam.
• When moving heavy objects across your floor place plywood, or underlayment sheets down first and move the object over the plywood sheets.