As the vibrant colors of spring emerge, it is the perfect time to give your home a fresh start. One area that often needs attention after the muddy winter months is your luxury vinyl plank and hybrid floors. Whilst you may have durable floors, it is important to maintain cleanliness to keep your floors looking good.
This how to guide will walk you through effective and gentle cleaning methods to rejuvenate your floors for the spring season, as well as provide some tips to prevent wear and protect your floors long term.
A Thorough Clean Without the Harsh Chemicals
For the wellbeing of your family as well as your floors, we advise avoiding any harsh chemicals when cleaning. Luxury vinyl and hybrid floors are sensitive to harsh chemicals, and do not require abrasive cleaners to get the job done. Stick to mild, pH-neutral cleaning solutions to maintain the integrity of the flooring.
Alternatively, you can use a mild dishwashing soap from your kitchen in warm water to gently clean your floors, using a flat or strip mop head.
If your floors have accumulated some stubborn stains or marks over the winter, use your preferred multi-purpose cleaner to directly target marks and stains with a damp cloth for a slightly deeper clean. We recommend using a reusable eco-friendly microfibre mop or cloth to carefully lift dirt. You may also wish to finish cleaning your floors with an absorbent dry cotton mop or cloth to ensure there are no mopping streaks left behind and as a way to dry your floors to prevent any potential slips.
Prevent and Protect Your Floors
Both luxury vinyl plank and hybrid flooring options are durable and longwearing, but there are actions that you can take to prolong the life of your floors. Depending on your lifestyle and level of foot traffic your floors experience, here are some preventative measures you can take to protect your floors and keep them looking newer for longer:
- Use Doormats or rugs in entryways and high foot traffic areas: Placing a doormat outside your entrance door, and a carpet mat on the inside of your entry will minimise both foot traffic wear and the amount of dirt that gets carried into your home and onto your floors. This will reduce the need for regular cleaning whilst protecting your floors from mud and dirt.
- Furniture Pads: A quick and effortless way to eliminate the risk of scratching when dragging and moving furniture in your home, is to put furniture pads under the feet of dining chairs and legs of couches, along with any other items you may need to move often.
- Avoid Harsh Cleaners: We do not recommend using intense chemical cleaning agents to clean your vinyl plank or hybrid plank floors under any circumstances. By using harsh chemical cleaners, over time, you are risking losing the integrity of your floor colour and the authentic timber texture.
Tips that will Work for Your Household
I have Pets: Dry mopping your luxury vinyl planks or hybrid plank flooring with a commercial flat head mop is a quick and easy way to catch the film of loose hair that your dog sheds daily.! It is a great way to keep on top of the inevitable loss of fur that comes with having indoor pets.
I have Kids: From throwing toys on the floor to weekend crafts, having a play mat or a protective plastic sheet is always a clever idea to protect floors from scuffs and spills. When cleaning up spills, paint or crayon marks, try using either a flat microfibre mop with a flexible head – perfect for cleaning micro bevelled surfaces.
I am a Messy Cook: For more efficient kitchen cleaning, we recommend using an absorbent cotton cloth to soak up liquids as quickly as possible should they spill or drip onto your hybrid or vinyl plank flooring, followed by a clean and pH neutral floor cleaner on a damp mop.
Maintaining clean floors every day is not always realistic when you are juggling a busy lifestyle, especially when it includes kids and household pets. Whether you have luxury vinyl plank or hybrid floors in your home, following a simple yet effective cleaning routine will help keep your floors looking newer for longer.
These quick and simple tips will help maintain your floor’s integrity over its lifespan, whilst keeping your home clean, hygienic, and a visually pleasing living space. Maintaining your floors is not only about aesthetics, but also an investment into the longevity of your floors that you will enjoy for years to come.
Explore a range of flooring options suitable for your home, available in both luxury vinyl plank, and hybrid flooring.
