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Whenever
possible place a non-staining doormat outside each entrance
to your home to prevent dirt, sand, grit, and other substances
such as oil, asphalt, and driveway sealer from being tracked
onto your floor. Do not use latex-backed, rubber-backed or
coco-fiber mats on your vinyl floor.
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Sweep
your vinyl floor regularly (at least once a week).
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Vinyl
manufacturers recommend the use of latex-based driveway sealers
to minimize the potential staining from asphalt sealer tracking.
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To
avoid sunlight causing your floor to fade or discolor you should
always close your curtains or blinds where extreme sunlight
hits the floor.
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Replace
all narrow furniture rests with wide-bearing ones. Support
furniture with wide-bearing, non-staining floor protectors.
It is recommended that all furniture protectors be at least
one inch in diameter, made of non-pigmented, hard plastic,
and rest flat on the floor. Non-staining felt protectors are
also acceptable. Casters with a minimum 3/4" flat surface
width or floor protectors are recommended for all moveable
furniture. Metal floor protectors are generally not recommended.
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Always
use strips of 1/4" plywood or sheets of underlayment as
runways to protect the floor if you need to move heavy objects,
such as your refrigerator, across your vinyl floor. Runways
should always be used even with furniture dollies, or even
if the heavy objects are equipped with wheels or rollers.
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Wipe
up spills immediately to help prevent stains. The longer a
stain sits the tougher it will be to remove from the surface.
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To
prevent dirt build up occasionally mop your floor with the
manufacturer's recommended floor cleaner. Follow the instructions
on the bottle and do not over mix or your cleaning solution
may leave a dulling film. Avoid soaps, cleaning powders and
detergent products as they will leave a dulling film. Although
the no-rinse cleaners do not need rinsing, rinsing will provide
the better shine. If you do notice a dulling film after cleaning
the floor, try a thorough rinse with warm, clean water.
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To
restore the hi-gloss on a urethane vinyl floor most manufacturer's
do recommend the use of a polish. Do not use paste wax and
do not try to buff a urethane vinyl floor. Be sure the floor
is thoroughly clean and completely dry before applying the
manufacturer's recommended floor polish. (If all the dirt is
not removed prior to applying the polish the dirt will become
trapped underneath.)
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Vinyl
floors can become slippery when wet. Use extreme caution when
walking on a wet floor.
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Some
of the newer vinyl floors have a low-gloss finish and the use
of a floor polish may make the floor shiny.
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It
may be necessary after several applications of polish to strip
the entire floor and reapply a new coat of polish. This may
also be necessary for excessive dirt and grime build-up. Use
the manufacturer's recommended recommend heavy duty floor cleaner
and stripper product. Once the floor is thorough cleaned, rinse,
dry, and then apply a new coat of polish. High traffic areas
may require more than one application of polish. Allow polish
to dry "tack-free" between coats.
