How To Care For Luxury Vinyl Tile Flooring – Cleaning & Maintenance For LVT Floors 

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LVT or luxury vinyl tile flooring is an excellent choice for many spaces in your home. It is durable, waterproof, and comes in many appealing designs. LVT is different from standard vinyl composite tile (VCT) in a few ways. First, it has a higher percentage of vinyl, which makes it thicker than VCT. Its high vinyl content makes it more comfortable to walk on.

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Additionally, the composition of LVT makes it ideal for embossing patterns or textures. In most cases, these designs can be pretty realistic and beautiful. Not to mention, its composition makes it more low maintenance and a breeze to clean. 

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Nevertheless, knowing how to care for your LVT floors is essential to keep them looking as attractive as the day they were installed. Here are our best tips for LVT floor cleaning and maintenance. 

How To Care for Your LVT Floors 

A protective layer on the top of LVT helps to make it durable. This layer also makes it able to be printed with beautiful print patterns. Damaging this urethane layer can make your floors unsalvageable. Protecting your floors is essential. 

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• Clean with pH-neutral cleaners. When it's time to clean your floors, pH-neutral cleaners are best. They won't damage the top layer of your LVT or leave a residue. 

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• Avoid harsh cleaners. Acidic solutions, those that have a high pH or contain bleach, ammonia, or chlorine, can be too rough on your floors. They may harm the top layer and, in some cases, the printed design or pattern underneath. 

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• Always rinse after cleaning. It's a good idea not to let your cleaning solution sit on your LVT floors. You must rinse them after washing them with clean, fresh water. Then, you'll want to soak up as much rinse water as possible with an absorbent cloth or mop. 

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• Seal as needed. The top protective layer we keep referring to can wear down over time. When this happens, you may need to reseal your LVT floors. If your floors are not yet at the replacement stage, a water-based urethane may be able to rejuvenate them. 

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• Avoid sealers that need stripping. Some sealers will require stripping in the future. Wax and acrylic are two primary examples. You'll want to avoid sealers that will need to be stripped because the stripping process will often remove the protective layer too. If the print layer underneath is damaged, the only option will be to replace your floors.  

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• Carefully consider added traction. Some designs of LVT can be a bit slippery. After installing your floors, you may discover that you would like added traction. Some products can help make your floors less slippery, but they should be used with caution. You don't want to choose anything that could damage your LVT or need to be stripped down the line. If you do apply a traction coat, select something that provides a micro-thin coating or capping. 

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Thankfully, maintenance is quite simple once you've learned how to care for your LVT floors and found a few reliable products! 

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