Vinyl wood floors have are all the rage in homes thanks to their stunning appearance, but keeping them looking great requires some special knowledge. There are ways to clean vinyl wood floors that’ll keep them shiny without causing any damage, and there are also certain things that should never be used on vinyl wood.
Clean your vinyl wood floors with a specialized cleaner or a solution of apple cider vinegar and hot water. Don’t use ammonia or wax-based products, and don’t use hard scrubbing products that can damage the floor. You can also vacuum the floor with a device (or attachment) that’s safe for wood.
Let’s take a closer look at how to clean vinyl wood floors, including a step-by-step guide, the best cleaning solution, and what to avoid if you want to keep them in tip-top shape.
What’s the Best Cleaning Solution for Vinyl Wood Floors?
You can buy many cleaning solutions that are designed specifically for vinyl wood floors and will do no damage while keeping them clean. One of our favorites is the Rejuvenate All-Floors No-Bucket Cleaner (on Amazon).
It’s important to read the reviews before you buy any cleaning product, as not all cleaning solutions are created equal — and some of them may be more effective than others.
If you want to create your own cleaning solution at home, you can also mix apple cider vinegar (on Amazon) with hot water to form an effective cleaner.
What Shouldn’t Be Used on Vinyl Floors?
There are a few things you don’t want to use on your vinyl floors, as they can cause a lot of damage.
The first is steel wool scrubbers or anything too harsh. This is because they can cause scratches to the wood and even wear it away.
Detergents, soaps, and anything meant to add shine can also be too harsh for vinyl floors. You should also avoid cleaners with wax or ammonia in them.
In general, you’ll want to ensure that anything you’re using on the floor isn’t too harsh, as vinyl wood floors can become easily damaged.
How to Clean Your Vinyl Wood Floors
This is the best method of cleaning your vinyl wood floors.
- Remove Dirt: The first thing you’ll want to do is dry-mop the floors to remove any dirt. You can do this by running a mop across the floor with no cleaning solution on it, ensuring you’re removing any flecks of debris and dust.
- Mop With Your Cleaner: Whether you’ve bought a specific cleaner from Amazon or are using a homemade solution, you’ll then want to mop the floor with it. Try to use as little liquid as possible, as you don’t want a lot of water soaking into the floors, and ensure you get under sofas and furniture and into corners.
- Rinse: The last thing you’ll want to do is ensure you rinse the floor, as you don’t want to leave a cleaner to soak in over time. Rinse your mop and gently wipe the floor with minimal water.
This should be enough — unless you have stains on the floor. In those cases, you might need to take some further steps.
Can You Vacuum Vinyl Wood Floors?
In short, yes, you can vacuum your vinyl wood floors! However, you’ll want to pick a vacuum (or vacuum attachment) that’s safe for them.
A great vacuum to use on vinyl wood floors is the Roomba (which you can buy on Amazon), and it’s also low maintenance since you can program it for certain routes yourself and then don’t have to do the work.
Tips for Removing Stains
If you have stains on your vinyl floors, you may find that cleaning them isn’t enough to remove those stains. In this case, there are a few methods you can use:
Baking Soda and Water
Equal parts baking soda and water can be great for removing light stains. Soak a rag in the solution and gently rub circles on the stain until it comes away. Make sure you rinse the rag and rub away any of the leftover paste on the water.
Bleach and Water
Although you should mostly avoid using bleach on your floors as it can eventually discolor them, you can mix one part bleach to four parts water to deal with stains. Cover the stain with a rag soaked in the solution and leave it there for at least an hour to see if it can deal with the stubborn stain.
Make sure to keep kids and pets away while using bleach.
Lemon
You might be surprised to know that lemon can do wonders for removing stains from a floor. Cut a lemon in half and place it with the inside facing the stain. Leave it for an hour and then wipe away the lemon juice. You might be surprised to see the stain has disappeared!
Rubbing Alcohol
Using a toothbrush, you can also gently scrub a stain with rubbing alcohol. Although you might be tempted to scrub hard to make the process go quickly, resist the urge and make sure you’re gentle in your methods and slow. It may take a while, but this method should remove more stubborn stains.
If none of these methods work, consider hiring a professional cleaner. It can be tempting to try much harsher methods, but they’re more likely to ruin your flooring.
The Final Word
Overall, cleaning vinyl wood floors shouldn’t be too much of an involved process. Use a cleaner from Amazon specific to vinyl floors or hot water and apple cider vinegar, and make sure to rinse away any cleaner that’s left. You can also vacuum the floor.
For more stubborn stains, you can try the above methods. If those don’t work, resist the urge to use a stronger bleach or other ammonia-based product, because you could end up ruining your floor— and none of these stain-removing methods should be used in your everyday floor cleaning. Call a professional to get the job done safely.