Cleaning Vinyl Floors

Written by Amy Gordon (last updated April 29, 2024)

To get the best results when cleaning a vinyl floor, mop using a mild detergent and let it soak in for a while before you mop it up. If the edges of your flooring are not sealed, try to keep any soaking water away from there as it could get under the vinyl and cause a dampness problem. Dampness beneath your vinyl flooring could also cause mold and mildew growth and even warping of your floor.

Since vinyl floors are prone to having food stick to them, you'll want to use a mop that has a scrubbing surface as well as a wiping surface, but you'll want to avoid using abrasives. Abrasives can scratch the surface of your vinyl flooring and leave permanent dullness behind. Also, if you plan on moving any appliances, you'll need to lay down another layer of vinyl to protect your flooring from your appliance's feet. Refrigerator feet especially can warp vinyl as they move over it. Another easy trick for protecting your vinyl is to attach carpet squares to the bottom of your appliance. Carpet slides easily over vinyl and will also cushion some of the weight of the appliance. Use carpet squares only when moving your appliance, since they may be a fire hazard or collect mildew if left under an appliance.

To have a little fun while cleaning up, use a detergent mild enough to touch skin and tell your kids to get their swimsuits on. When you're mopping, your floor literally becomes a Slip'n'Slide. Your kids can slide across your kitchen on old towels, thus both scrubbing the floor and having tons of fun. Again, you will want to make sure that the edges of your flooring are sealed. If they aren't, you can also try lining the edges of your vinyl flooring with extra towels. Make sure to have your children rinse off after sliding around on the soapy floor, so their skin won't be irritated by your mopping detergent.

Author Bio

Amy Gordon

Amy Gordon loves keeping things simple, natural, and safe so she can spend more time having fun. Every day she learns new things about making life at home easier and she loves to share it with you! ...

MORE FROM AMY

Use a Paint Brush to Clean Delicate Items

Tiny collectibles can gather dust in hard to reach places that you can't get to with a regular cloth. To completely clean ...

Discover More

Planting the Christmas Poinsettia

Instead of throwing away your beautiful Christmas poinsettia, consider planting it in your yard. Make sure to tend the ...

Discover More

Terrific Tulips

Tulips are a beautiful and easy to grow plant. Even if conditions are not right, most tulips are forgiving and will grow ...

Discover More

Keep Your Hardwood Floors Like New Bona's hardwood floor cleaner is the #1 choice of professionals. The no-residue formula is specially designed to be safe for floors, families, and the environment. Check out Bona Hardwood Floor Cleaner Refill today!

More Cleaning Tips

Carpet Odor Removal

There are all kinds of things that can create an odor in your carpeting, and while there are some simple steps that ...

Discover More

Cleaning Tile Grout

Cleaning grout properly is an absolute necessity when it comes time to reseal your grouting. Why not save time and money ...

Discover More

Cleaning Discolored Linoleum

Whether through age or through excessive changes in heat over time linoleum will become discolored and start to look ...

Discover More
Subscribe

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in Cleaning Tips from Tips.Net. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

View most recent newsletter.

Comments

If you would like to add an image to your comment (not an avatar, but an image to help in making the point of your comment), include the characters [{fig}] (all 7 characters, in the sequence shown) in your comment text. You’ll be prompted to upload your image when you submit the comment. Maximum image size is 6Mpixels. Images larger than 600px wide or 1000px tall will be reduced. Up to three images may be included in a comment. All images are subject to review. Commenting privileges may be curtailed if inappropriate images are posted.

What is 7 + 9?

There are currently no comments for this tip. (Be the first to leave your comment—just use the simple form above!)


Newest Tips
Subscribe

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in Cleaning Tips from Tips.Net. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

(Your e-mail address is not shared with anyone, ever.)

View the most recent newsletter.