Shining up vinyl flooring

[Mark]

Does anyone know a good way of shining up vinyl flooring? Or maybe a real strong cleaner? Ours look so dull and dirty its pitiful.

Mark

[Guest]

Hi Mark,
If you just want it to shine any floor wax or even Mop & Glo will make it shine like crazy, but it doesn't last long in traffic areas. Getting as much ground-in grime off the floor as possible with a strong cleaner (and steel wool pads or SOS) is the first order of business. It may dull the finish a bit, but a clean floor will shine more once the wax is applied. I've heard from floor tradespeople that Armstrong sells a polymer product for their floors, applied like wax, that is extremely shiny and long-lasting.

[klm9707]

I agree with using a good tough cleaner. Then give it a rinse to make sure all the dirt and also the cleaner residue is removed. Sometimes a rinse with clean warm water takes up a lot of gunk.

[Guest]

They must make a Krud Kutter for floors by now. Yanita would probably know. I use Mr. Clean, but mixed to a potent ratio of 50/50 and spray Fantastic or 409 directly on the tougher spots and let it sit awhile. I suppose you could use Simple Orange or the various grease busters available too. Rinsing thoroughly is definitely a must, to remove the residue of the strong cleaners as well as the grime.

[Yanita]

LOL Mobile Wayne!

Well for floors in that condition I would probably start with Krud Kutter in a 50/50 mix.

Personally I would not use any abrasive chemicals, scrub brushes or pads. JMO. I have seen where these leave scratches and dull the finish even more.

I think most vinyls these days are considered no wax floors. I have seen where some folks have waxed them and they become real sticky, not sure why.

Guess I would start with a bucket of warm warm, knee pads and a very soft bristled brush if the floor has any texture to it.

Turn on the music and get scrubbin.

~Yanita~

[Maureen]

Hi Mark, here's what I tried on our old floors. Keep in mind that I had this vinyl and it's 34 years old... but I like it looking clean until I can get it replaced.

I know that Yanita is our cleaning expert here and her advice is great! But, since I'm dealing with old stuff here, here's what I've done.

I use my little hand held steamer to to really clean the floor well. It breaks up anything without using chemicals of any kind.

Then I went down to Home Depot and got Rejuvenate, in the cleaning section. It was very easy to apply, and it did bring back the shine... it also has lasted for well over a year! Mop & Glow and such are good, but they need re-applying and stripping. No wax floor are great until they reach about 10 years old. Then they lose that no wax effect lol!

You can also find Rejuvenate online. They have infomercials everywhere. The stuff works well on the floors and laminate counters. Haven't tried the wood and cabinet stuff.

Maureen

[Yanita]

LOL Maureen,

I am no expert at cleaning. Although my home is clean and that's what I do professionally, please keep in mind that I deal in newer homes or commercial offices. Everything is maintained on a regular basis.

Since being in this business there are certain products that I find work better than others. This business has changed my mind in what I want in my own home.

Yanita