Luxury vinyl flooring (also called Luxury Vinyl Tile or LVT) is a beauty to own. Not just because the advancements in film technology have made it virtually indistinguishable from the natural materials it imitates, like exotic woods and natural stone. It’s also a beauty because LVT is so easy to keep looking beautiful! Of course, any flooring type needs proper, routine care; LVT is no exception. But compared to other floors, LVT is a breeze! If you’re a proud luxury vinyl flooring owner, here are five tips to follow for years of continued enjoyment …

  1. Use floor mats. You would be amazed the amount of grit and grime that gets tracked indoors. Some particles are so small you don’t even notice them, and left unchecked, can start to dull your floor. The best defense is to use strategically placed floor mats at exterior doorways. Be sure to change them out when they get worn or filled with soil.
  2. Use a damp cloth to clean up a spill. That’s all it takes to handle the sticky jelly drop from breakfast or the oozy ketchup blob from lunch. No need for harsh spray detergents; in fact, they will dull the finish of your floor.
  3. Do routine sweeping or dry dust mopping. Because LVT like NovaFloor comes with its own protective finish, dust, dirt and grime sits on top of the surface to be easily whisked-away. Of course, depending on the number of people and pets in your home, you’ll want to time the frequency of your “clean-sweeps” accordingly!
  4. Weekly damp moping is always a good idea. This will help remove that extra bit of grime that you didn’t see when sweeping or dust mopping. Remember that heavy detergents and multi-surface cleaners are not good for the finish of LVT. If you must use more than water, a neutral pH cleaner is recommended. You’ll find this at most home centers and big-box retailers.
  5. No need to apply an after-market finish. But if you want a little extra protection and decide to use a finish, make sure it’s made for solid vinyl flooring and is a matte finish. Testing finishes in a small area near a light source is a good idea to make sure it achieves the results you want. NOTE: ONCE YOU START USING A FINISH, THIS WILL NEED TO BECOME PART OF YOUR REGULAR MAINTENANCE ROUTINE. STRIPPING OF THE FINISH ON A REGULAR BASIS TO PREVENT BUILDUP AND DULLING IS A GOOD IDEA, TOO. CONSULT THE MANUFACTURER OF THE FINISH FOR RECOMMENDATIONS.

A word about commercial installations … Commercial environments (retail, offices, workshops, etc.) have their own requirements. It’s best to contact Novalis Technical Services at [email protected] for assistance with the right products and procedures.

For more information about the care and maintenance of your NovaFloor, download at www.novafloor.us/other-available-downloads/.

Let us know if this article was helpful or if you have any questions.

Jim Kups, North American Technical Manager for Novalis Innovative Flooring