Cleaning Vinyl Floors

Care of Vinyl and Linoleum Flooring

Sweep your floors regularly to keep abrasive soil off the surface. Good floor mats inside and outside your entrances will help prevent dirt from being tracked in. Proper care of your floor prevents damage, extends its life and keeps it looking new for years.

Vinyl Floor Cleaning

Tracked in dirt and grime is enemy #1.

Check out the bottoms of those shoes and you'll find oil, dirt, small rocks and who know what else. No wonder your floor stubbornly refuses to come clean. Make it a habit to always vacuum or dust hard floor surfaces before mopping, and your floors will look new for years longer.

Cleaning Linoleum Floors

Linoleum floors generally require only warm water for cleaning. Most detergents won’t rinse clean and leave behind a sticky residue. That residue becomes a magnet, attracting dirt off the bottom of your shoes. It builds up, deteriorating the sealant and leaving you with the hard job of stripping and waxing.

If you find your floor requires a cleanser, use Ivory Liquid dish soap. Fill your sink with suds, mop away then rinse with a clean towel. Ivory rinses clean so the sticky buildup never causes problems. Other detergents can be too harsh for the floor so stick to Ivory. Mix Ivory in a spray bottle of water as a floor pre spray or all-purpose cleaner. It’s inexpensive and quite a good cleaner.

Damp mop on a regular basis, using a gallon of water and a mild neutral cleaner, such as a dash of liquid dishwashing detergent.

Wait a little while after mopping to allow the cleaning liquid to penetrate the ground-in dirt, then wipe dry with a soft dry cloth.

If you need to loosen stubborn, ground-in dirt, scrub your floor gently with a white nylon-backed sponge. When time allows, scrubbing on your hands and knees yields the best results.

To mop, use just water or water and a little mild detergent. Don't permit standing water because that may loosen the tiles around the edges. Some people add about a tablespoon of baby oil to the water occasionally to help restore natural oils lost over time.

Cleaning Tips

 There are 4 basic types of flooring:

1. Wood
2. Swedish Finish Wood
3. Tile or Linoleum
4. Stone, Terrazzo or Marble

Cleaning Wood Floors

This floor type is usually found in older homes or buildings. These floors are generally worn in appearance, and the surface is porous and holds a lot of dirt. Unless the client requests otherwise, use Murphy's oil soap on this type of flooring. The oil helps restore luster. Vinegar and water can also be used but it will not clean it as well. Make sure your mop is not soaking wet. Do not set a wet bucket directly on the floor as it may leave a ring. Wipe it dry.

Swedish Finish Wood

Use vinegar and water on this floor. Swedish finish wood floors can be identified by their bright, shiny appearance. If you are not sure if a floor is Swedish Finish or not, be cautious use vinegar and water. These floors are easily streaked, and puddles will dry as spots. Dry the floor after mopping.

Tile or Linoleum Floors

Use vinegar and water or disinfectant on this floor. Spots can be scrubbed out with your hand brush or abrasive sponge. This may also be done by hand with glass gleaner. A good cleaner de greaser will cut through hairspray. Use glass cleaner or mop afterwards to remove it, and its stickiness.

Stone, Terrazzo or Marble Floors

Stone or Terrazzo can be cleaned with vinegar and water, or disinfectant. Marble MUST be cleaned with a pH neutral cleaner. Always use either warm water or marble cleaner for marble. Vinegar will permanently etch the floor if used. Always dry marble when mopped.