Mistakes Everyone Makes When Cleaning Their Vinyl Plank Floors

Whether you already have vinyl plank floors throughout our home or are considering having them installed in your kitchen, living room, or bedroom, there are some important things to know. Vinyl plank floors are a popular choice because of their overall durability, as they are quite resistant to scratches, fading, and water damage. They are also generally easy to care for — in fact, vinyl flooring is often considered the flooring material that's easiest to clean. However, don't let this trick you into thinking that anything goes when cleaning them.

Some of the most common mistakes homeowners make when cleaning their vinyl floors can have devastating consequences. If you want your vinyl plank floors to continue looking their best for years to come, you'll want to avoid these errors. Ahead, we'll go through some of the most common mistakes and offer pointers for what you should do instead when cleaning your floors.

Did you know that you can make a cleaning mistake before you even start vacuuming or sweeping your vinyl plank floors? Well, if you wait too long to complete either of these tasks, that is precisely what will happen. Many people aren't sure how often they should be cleaning their vinyl floors, and they end up waiting too long to complete the task. As with other household surfaces, dust, dirt, and other debris will build up on vinyl floors if they aren't cleaned frequently. However, these debris pose a serious risk to the floors if they're allowed to build up. As you and others walk over them, you'll drag them over the floor. Each crumb or spec of dirt will rub against the floor, causing the finish to dull or even leaving scratches behind. 

To avoid this, it is important to keep up with a regular sweeping or vacuuming schedule. Ideally, you should sweep or vacuum the floors daily to keep the surface free of debris. Each day, focus your attention on high-traffic areas so you can remove the majority of the debris as soon as it accumulates. Doing so will help preserve the finish and prevent scratches and scuffs from forming.

While regularly vacuuming can help protect your vinyl floors from scratches and dulling, it has the potential to make things worse if you use the wrong setting. Many vacuums have an integrated brush roll that is designed to pull up hair and other debris that are embedded in carpeting. If your home has a mix of carpeting and vinyl plank flooring, you may think you can simply push the vacuum from one surface onto the next. However, if you leave the brush roll on when cleaning the vinyl, you may end up regretting it. As the brush roll rotates, its bristles will repeatedly slam against the vinyl planks, leaving behind scratches and scuff marks. The more you vacuum with the brush roll on, the more your floor will be covered with these unsightly marks.

While this vacuuming mistake can damage the vinyl plank floors, it is easily avoidable. All you need to do is to switch off the brush roll before using an upright vacuum on your floors. Alternatively, if you have a canister vacuum, you can swap in a separate cleaning head before cleaning your vinyl plank flooring or other hard floors. Some vacuums, like the Kenmore 600 Series Canister Vacuum, come with attachments specifically designed for such surfaces.

Mopping your vinyl floors regularly will help keep them clean and allow them to maintain their shine. However, a string mop is not the best type of mop to use on vinyl floors . Choosing this type could prove to be a big mistake. Why? String mops move a lot of water from the bucket to the floor. After you've finished mopping, the floors will remain quite wet. Leaving water on the surface may dull the finish of the floors. But, even worse than that, water could seep between the planks, potentially causing them to warp.

When choosing a mop for your vinyl floor, look for one that won't leave too much excess water behind. One good option to consider is a spray mop with a microfiber pad, such as the Bona Premium Spray Mop for Hard Surface Floors. Spray mops leave less liquid on the surface, and you're in greater control of how much is applied to the floor in the first place.

If you encounter a stubborn, sticky mess on your vinyl plank floors, you might be tempted to reach for a stiff-bristle brush or a steel wool pad to loosen and release the grime. However, doing so would be a mistake. While these scrubbing tools may make quick work of loosening the gunk from the floors, they'll also leave behind evidence of their use. Steel wool and other abrasive cleaning tools can scratch the surface of the floor. Not only will the scratches themselves be unsightly, but they will collect more dust and dirt, further complicating future cleaning.

Instead of reaching for these tools, use a soft sponge dipped in a solution of warm water and a drop or two of mild dish soap. Take care to squeeze the excess water out of the sponge before tackling the affected area of the floor. It may take some additional time to remove the residue, but you won't damage the floor in the process.

Bleach or ammonia can come in handy for cleaning many surfaces around the house, such as the bathtub, toilet, or washing machine. However, just as neither should be used together, neither should be used to clean your vinyl plank floors. Due to their high pH levels and corrosive nature, you should seriously avoid using these cleaning agents on your vinyl floors. They can dull the finish of your flooring, cause it to become brittle, or just make the floor look much older and worn than it is.

Instead, stick with pH-neutral products when cleaning your vinyl plank floors. With a neutral pH, you won't have to worry about the cleaning agent being overly corrosive or damaging to your floors. Many professionals recommend using a simple solution of just water and mild dish soap. This is all you need to effectively remove dirt and grime and it won't damage the finish of the floors.

While mopping with a mixture of dish soap and water is one of the safest and easiest ways to clean vinyl floors, it is still possible to make a mistake when following this method. If you add too much soap to the cleaning solution, you may find a residue left behind on the floors after they dry. The surface may feel a bit tacky or sticky. Beyond being annoying, this sticky residue that is left behind acts as a dirt magnet — drawing more dust and debris to the surface and making the floors get dirtier more quickly.

To avoid getting into this sticky situation, carefully measure out the dish soap before mixing it with water to make a cleaning solution for your floors. Dish soap suds up well, so you'll need even less than you might think. About half a teaspoon per each gallon of water should be just right to clean the floors effectively without leaving residue behind.

While a spray mop or microfiber mop is generally the safest option for your vinyl floors, you may prefer a sponge mop. This option can be safe as long as you thoroughly wring out the mop before using on your flooring, as this will avoid getting them too wet. However, you do risk making the mistake of using dirty mop water as you continually dip the mop into the bucket. If the water isn't changed frequently enough, you'll just end up spreading dirt over the floors. Your freshly "cleaned" floors won't actually look (or be) clean when you're done mopping.

Instead, be sure to monitor the state of your mopping solution. If the water starts looking dirty, pause your cleaning session to dump the solution and rinse out the bucket. Then, fill it with clean water and another few drops of dish soap before you continue cleaning. To minimize how frequently you'll need to change the water, consider rinsing out the mop head in a separate bucket or under the faucet before dipping it back into the cleaning solution.

Steam cleaners make it possible to remove gunk and grime from a variety of surfaces without any chemicals. They are very versatile cleaning tools, so you might think you can also use them on your vinyl plank floors. You might even see some steamers or steam mops advertised by the manufacturer as safe for vinyl floors. However, steam cleaning is one thing you should never do if you have vinyl flooring.

If you clean with steam, some of the moisture will penetrate between the seams of the planks. If it travels far enough, mold and mildew could begin to grow or the planks could swell. Steam cleaners also generate a lot of heat. This too can pose a risk to your vinyl floors, as they are sensitive to heat. The planks may warp, leaving them misshapen. This can threaten the strength of the floor as a whole. Additionally, heat can cause the vinyl planks to peel, making an unsightly scene that's even harder to clean.

We've talked a lot about the devastating impact that moisture can have on your vinyl floors. Unfortunately, water damage can occur even when using a spray or microfiber mop, or if you wring out your sponge mop well. Some water or cleaning solution is ultimately left behind after you clean your floors, which is why you should take a few additional minutes after mopping to dry your vinyl plank flooring.

If you use a spray mop, simply follow up with a clean and dry microfiber pad to complete this step. If you're using another type of mop, consider using a few microfiber towels, such as the AIDEA Microfiber Cleaning Cloths, to dry the floor. In addition to protecting the vinyl from moisture damage, drying it will also help it look better. Any streaks or spots left from mopping will be evened out for a flawless look.

If you're in the middle of preparing dinner or are trying to juggle helping the kids with homework with making lunches for the next day, you might be tempted to put off cleaning up a spill on your vinyl floors until a bit later. What's the harm? The spill will still be there, so it doesn't matter if you clean it up now, in 20 minutes, or in two hours, right? Unfortunately, this isn't the case. Waiting too long to clean up the spill could prove to be a mistake.

Remember, vinyl floors and moisture do not mix. Spilled liquids can seep between the planks and cause them to warp. Some spills, like spaghetti sauce, can leave stains behind if not tackled immediately. Even if it is a bit of an inconvenience, it's worth prioritizing cleaning up spills right away. Doing so will prevent unnecessary damage to your vinyl plank floors.

Waxing and polishing hardwood floors can keep them looking their best, so it seems logical to assume that vinyl floors can benefit from the same care. However, this isn't the case. Vinyl floors don't need to be waxed and polished. In fact, you can actually do more harm than good by applying polish or wax to them.

Vinyl flooring has a protective coating, so wax and polish aren't needed like they are for wood floors. If you try to apply polish or wax to vinyl, you'll likely realize your mistake quickly, but it will be too late to reverse it. These products won't spread evenly or penetrate into the floor as they would on hardwood floors. Instead, they'll create a buildup over the surface of the floor. Not only will this buildup be sticky and cause more dirt and debris to cover the floor, but it can actually damage the upper layer of the vinyl planks.

Cleaning your vinyl floors properly is important. However, if you are only relying on cleaning methods and aren't taking any proactive measures to limit how much dirt and debris are tracked onto your floors, you're still making a mistake. As highlighted, dirt and other debris can scratch your floors as they're kicked and slid around.

You can limit how much dirt gets tracked around your floors with the help of runners, rugs, and mats. Focus on high traffic areas, such as the entry point into your home or hallways. Adding some mats in these spots will help trap dirt, pebbles, and other debris that can damage your floors. Consider a washable runner, like the Rugcomf Nonslip Runner, for long hallways that see a lot of traffic. You can also consider encouraging guests and family members to take off their shoes when entering the home. This will greatly limit how much dirt gets brought into your home and potentially extend the life of your vinyl plank floors.