How To Bring The Shine Back To Your Dull Vinyl Floors

Vinyl flooring is the go-to choice for many homeowners, and for good reason. With advances in floor making, vinyl is no longer like a tacky sticker pasted over subfloors. It can look like authentic hardwood and tile, complete with all the texture and shine as the real deal. As an added bonus, vinyl tends to be far more affordable than other flooring types, and considerably less maintenance than hardwood floors. However, even though it tends to be durable, vinyl can take on a dull appearance over time. This can be due to everyday wear and tear, scratching, using the wrong products and cleaning methods on the vinyl floors, and other factors. The good news is that reviving your vinyl floors is easy with the proper cleaning ingredients. All you need to bring that shine back is some baking soda, WD-40, and jojoba oil. 

Why is this cocktail so good on vinyl floors? They all play different roles and need to be used at different stages. Baking soda is a mild, alkaline abrasive, which means it can help physically remove debris that might be lodged into the grooves and cracks of your vinyl panels, as well as neutralize and stubborn, acidic messes like grease and food spills. There are lots of genius ways to use WD-40 around the home, and vinyl flooring is one of them, as it can safely lubricate the floor and allow you to buff away scuffs and scratches. Jojoba oil works as a conditioning solution and will bring the shine back to your floors. 

The first ingredient to use to revive your vinyl flooring is baking soda. The next time you get ready to mop (using an appropriate mop head for vinyl floors) add a few tablespoons of baking soda to your usual cleaning solution, shake until it's dissolved, and then mop as usual. Take care to sweep or vacuum the floors beforehand, otherwise you're just scooting mud around the floors, which can further dull them. Once the floors are totally dry, take a look for any patches that still look dull. These can be the result of scratching and scraping from daily use and moving furniture around, and are where you'll want to apply WD-40. Spray a small amount of WD-40 to a washcloth, then use it to gently buff away the imperfections. You may need to apply a few rounds of it, but try not to oversaturate the area because while it's easy to add more product, it's difficult to remove. 

After these two steps, your floors should be looking significantly better, but the final step is polishing with a bit of jojoba oil. Apply a bit of the oil to a clean cloth or microfiber mop head, then run it over the vinyl panels. This will provide a beautiful coat without damaging the floors. If you're left with oily residue, you can clean it up with a mix of vinegar and water, but avoid adding too much onto the floors because vinyl does not like to be sopping wet.