Vinyl Floor Maintenance Tips

(HIT) - Many homeowners are paying too much attention to the quaint, yet apparently persistent custom of cleaning vinyl flooring, also known as resilient flooring, with vinegar and water.

"Using vinegar and water to maintain vinyl flooring ranks right up there with putting butter on burns," says Brian Quigley, Director of Consumer Affairs at Congoleum Corp., a leading manufacturer of sheet vinyl and vinyl tile flooring. "This homemade cleaning solution is all right for other areas such as windows, but it really isn't the effective way to maintain a floor that receives high foot traffic on a day-to-day basis."

So save the vinegar for your salad! The following vinyl floor maintenance tips from Congoleum will help you keep your vinyl floor looking bright, shiny and new:

Vinyl Floor Maintenance Tip #1: Sweeping or vacuuming your vinyl floor on a regular basis will serve to remove loose dirt, abrasive sand and grit.

Vinyl Floor Maintenance Tip #2: Wash your floor on a regular basis using a manufacturer-approved, nonabrasive no-rinse cleaner for best results. Cleaners that contain abrasives or solvents may permanently damage the floor and are not recommended.

Vinyl Floor Maintenance Tip #3: High-gloss, urethane floors benefit from the application of a polish. Using a manufacturer-approved floor polish as part of a regular maintenance program will help protect against surface abrasions that can dull the floor's appearance.

Vinyl Floor Maintenance Tip #4: To remedy dulling in high traffic areas—e.g. near the stove, sink, or refrigerator, and under chair legs—deep clean the abraded areas with a manufacturer-recommended floor polish remover. After the floor has been rinsed and allowed to dry, an application of two or more thin coats of floor polish will protect the floor and restore the luster.

Vinyl Floor Maintenance Tip #5: One step "mop and polish" products, dishwashing liquids and oil-based cleaners are not recommended, as these may leave a residue that can attract dirt and dull the floor.

If you follow these cleaning methods, you'll be rewarded with a great-looking vinyl floor that helps the rest of your home to look brighter and newer.

For more cleaning tips and information about proper care and maintenance of vinyl floor products, visit the Congoleum website at www.congoleum.com.

Courtesy: Home Improvement News and Information Center