Vinyl Floor Care: Proper Steps
Lasting Floors Begin with Care
All resilient floor coverings require maintenance. How frequently the floors must be maintained depends largely traffic and use. Following regular and well-planned maintenance programs protects the floor by reducing wear, preserves the floor’s attractive appearance and ultimately increases its service life.
Grit Control:
Controlling grit and soil from any source is crucial to prolonging the appearance of any interior floor. Grit or soil is any material — including dirt, stones, sand and clay — that is deposited onto the floor by normal traffic. The best way to control grit is by using appropriate walk-off mats which we can also provide.
Recommended mats have a high-friction, open surface, designed to remove grit particles from the bottoms of shoes and keep them from entering the building. Other types of mats designed to remove moisture and fine grit may also be appropriate.
Mats should be used at every entrance, inside and outside, should be at least as wide as the doorway and 5´ to 8´ long. Don’t forget that the mats need to be cleaned regularly.
Some soil may still find its way into the interior despite the existence of recommended walk-off mats. Regular vacuuming, sweeping, dust-mopping and spot mopping will help control this type of grit. The most cost-effective method of controlling fine dust-like grit is with a dust mop.
Immediately After Installation
- Sweep or vacuum thoroughly to remove all loose dust and dirt.
- Remove any dried adhesive residue with a clean, white cloth dampened with mineral spirits, carefully following warnings on container.
- If necessary, the floor may be damp-mopped with a very dilute neutral (pH 6-8) detergent solution such as, S-485
- Commercial Floor Cleaner carefully scrubbing black marks and excessive soil, avoid excess cleaning from pooling on seams.
- Note: Do not machine scrub the floor for at least four to five days after installation. This is to prevent excess moisture from interfering with the adhesive bond and/or seam treatments.
- If other on-site work is continuing, consider using a protective covering such as plain, non-dyed Kraft paper to guard against damage to the new floor. When moving heavy fixtures or appliances over the flooring on casters or dollies, the flooring should be protected with 1/4˝ or thicker plywood, hardboard or other underlayment panels.
Daily / Regular Maintenance
- Sweep, dust mop, or vacuum the floor daily to remove dust, dirt, grit, and debris that can damage the floor and be come ground into the surface.
- Spot mop as needed. Any spills should be cleaned up immediately.
- Damp mopping of the floor should be performed on a regular or daily basis, depending upon traffic and soil levels in the area. Use a properly diluted neutral detergent solution.
- Water mixed with white vinegar works good for restoring shine and luster.
- NO AMMONIA OR ACETONE BASED CLEANERS! Mild PH cleaners only
- Machine buffing is ok. Use only a lower grit pad such as the 3M brand red or white colored pads.
- A floor wax can be applied but should not be necessary.