What are the best practices for maintaining vinyl floors?

Over time, it’s possible that your vinyl flooring will start to fade and lose its original luster. To keep your vinyl floor looking like new, it’s important that you engage in regular maintenance. Giving your flooring the attention that it deserves will ensure a pristine look for years to come. Here are a few maintenance tips to help you maintain the appearance of your vinyl floors:

• Lifetime: Over the life of your flooring, it’s likely that your vinyl will suffer superficial damage such as gouges, curling and tears. If you start to notice these blemishes in your vinyl floors, you should address them early on before they expand. Consult your manufacturer’s guidelines for repairing these problems as they appear so that your floor stays looking fresh.
• Day to Day: When it comes to day to day cleaning, your vinyl floor shouldn’t need that much attention. Regular sweeping and periodic mopping will keep your vinyl flooring clear of dirt and debris so that it always looks its best.
• Seasonal: Some seasons, such as fall or winter, can be particularly rough on vinyl floors. The dirt and debris that comes from dead leaves in the fall, as well as the increased moisture from snow and ice in the winter, can all have a tremendous impact on your flooring. During these tougher seasons, it’s important that you give your floor extra attention, cleaning up moisture and dirt accumulation as soon as you notice it.
• Other: When cleaning your vinyl flooring, steer clear of harsh chemicals such as ammonia or bleach, which can cause serious damage to your floor. A better idea is to use a simple solution of soap and warm water. This will effectively clean your vinyl flooring and preserve its health for the future.

As previously mentioned, one of the biggest additional costs of your flooring project is preparing your home for the installation process. Because preparation involves a number of different tasks, it can be helpful to view them and their costs individually. Additional costs you can expect over the course of your vinyl flooring project include:

• Moving Furniture: Before you lay down vinyl flooring, you will need to move any furniture from the rooms included in your project. The cost of moving your furniture can be influenced by a number of factors, including how many pieces need to be moved and if you will need to store your furniture for any period of time. Most flooring contractors will move your furniture for you for an added price, which can sometimes vary from $20 to hundreds per piece. At the outset, ask if your contractor would be willing to move your furniture for a flat price.
• Removal of Old Flooring: Another factor that can add to your flooring cost is the necessity of removing old flooring. While this isn’t always a concern with vinyl flooring, it is still a possibility hat occasionally requires hiring an additional contractor. If you need to remove old flooring, the price can be anywhere from $0.75 per square foot to $2 per square foot per layer (the price can be doubled or tripled depending on the amount of layers of existing floor).
• Substrate Installation: Although not always a concern for vinyl flooring installations, you may have to lay down a substrate layer before installation can begin. Substrates can add both to your material costs and your labor costs, making it important that you weigh your options carefully before installing a substrate. This cost is included in the preparation costs ($0.5 and up).
• Smoothing the Surface: Finally, before your project is complete, your contractor will need to be sure that your flooring is level. While this is not usually that expensive of a process, in and of itself, it can increase the time frame of your project, which is a concern if you’re paying your contractor by the hour. This cost is included in the preparation costs ($0.5 and up).