It is important to understand the maintenance requirements of your vinyl in order to keep it looking like new and extending the life of the floor.  The maintenance your vinyl requires varies depending on the level of traffic and the environment in which the vinyl is situated.  Obviously vinyl in a commercial environment or one where it is exposed to high levels of traffic or lots of dirt will require a more intense maintenance schedule.  With regular floor maintenance, you can reduce the frequency floor stripping and resealing is required to be done, thus saving you the hassle and cost and keeps your floor looking great all year round.

An effective cleaning schedule for any vinyl floor should involve regular sweeping & mopping, followed by periodic polishing, scrubbing, resealing and stripping & resealing.  The timeframes for when these tasks are to be carried out can be established on an as required basis.

Daily sweeping, dust mopping or vacuuming the floor is the best way to keep your vinyl looking better for longer, as you will remove the dirt before it gets into the floor.

Spills should be cleaned up immediately to prevent staining, however if you do notice a stain on your vinyl you can attempt to remove with a small amount of neutral detergent and a damp sponge.

When mopping, ensure that the mop & water you are using are clean.  Mopping your floor with a dirty mop can create more build up of dirt in the vinyl than if you didn’t mop at all.  We recommend using a pH neutral detergent in warm water or alternatively a small amount of vinegar diluted in warm water can work well also.

The time between polishing being required will vary greatly and polishing should be on an as needed basis.  Once you notice that the floors appearance has dulled or the mop has become hard to move over the vinyl, this is a good indication that the floor is ready to be polished, resealed and restored to its as new look.

We have jobs that we polish or scrub & reseal every week, every fortnight, once a month, once a quarter, once a year etc.  Every customer has different requirements and we are always happy to recommend a schedule that suits your needs and budget.

Once a floor develops a dirty, dull or yellowish appearance, or if the sealer has worn through in areas, it is recommended that you have the floor stripped back and resealed, thus regenerating the look and feel of the vinyl floor.

Stripping and resealing should be the least performed task of the maintenance services.  It involves more time, labour and money and depending on the situation can be a hassle with moving furniture etc.  It is for this reason that ensuring a good maintenance program is kept up.

This “strip & seal” process is the same whether the vinyl flooring is in a commercial or domestic environment.

1. Strip the floor of all dirt and old sealer.  We do this by using a stripping chemical, lots of water and stripping pads on the scrubbing machine.  Stripping a floor can also involve a lot of manual scrubbing around corners and edges.
2. We need to then neutralize the floor to ensure all dirt and any residue is cleaned up and can’t affect the new sealer.
3. We then polish the floor.  It is important to create a shiny clean surface underneath the sealer as this is what shows through.
4. Sealer is then applied to the floor.

The time it takes to complete the work varies based on a few different factors, these being:

1. The size and position of the vinyl flooring.  The bigger the floor area, the longer it will take and also if the vinyl is not in an open space or if we need to work around furniture or objects, this could impact the amount of time it would take to complete the job.
2. The state of the floor ie. A big buildup on the floor could take longer to remove.
3. The drying time on the day.  As we have a few processes to move through, if the floor isn’t drying quickly, this could affect the time it takes to complete the job.  This would be mainly due to adverse weather conditions or limited airflow.  Air conditioning and fans can greatly assist the drying time.

The floor can be walked on carefully (preferably without shoes) once it is dry to touch, this can sometimes take a few hours and will again depend on the environment.  Furniture and heavy items should be kept off for 24 hours where possible to avoid damage to the sealer.  Heavy items may leave indents and the floor may scratch easier until the sealer is set properly.

Listed below are some tips to ensure ongoing protection of your vinyl flooring.

It is worth noting that some vinyl floors have a chemical reaction to products such as rubber, for example rubber based soles on shoes or slippers or rubber backed mats have been known to cause yellowing on the vinyl.  Without a protective coating of sealer on the floor, this staining may cause permanent damage to vinyl itself and not be able to be removed.

Ultraviolet light and heat from the sun can cause fading of vinyl, so avoid direct exposure to these elements.

Some chemicals, insect repellents, bleaches, or ketchup, for example, may also have a staining effect on vinyl and should not come in contact with the floor.

Avoid dragging of heavy items over your vinyl floor and ensure that chair/table/ couch legs are adequately cushioned to avoid scratching and damage.  If you do need to move appliances or heavy furniture it’s a good idea to lay plywood panel on the floor and walk the item across. This protects the floor from scuffing and tears.

Never use aggressive cleaners, soaps, waxes, solvents, alkaline detergent or any steel brush or harsh scrubbing pads as these will damage the sealer and possibly the vinyl.

It’s a good idea to have non rubber backed mats at entrance doors to your home/ workplace/ shop.  This prevents grit and dirt entering, which act like sandpaper and damage the sealed vinyl.

Avoid stiletto heels as they can leave pit marks and cut the vinyl, causing non repairable damage.

Avoid the use of wax polish or any shine and go products or the like.  These may make the floor appear shiny, however, overtime create a buildup on the floor that is difficult to remove.