Vinyl planks are the most popular flooring solution because they’re affordable and exclusive alternatives to hardwood floors. But what about cleaning? The drawback with vinyl floors need extra maintenance and cleaning is a must for a shiny look to it. Okay, Can You Use a Steam Mop on Vinyl Plank Flooring ?
Yes, you can.
However, since excess water and overheating aren’t good for the glue and the planks themselves, you must use it with care. You’ll use moderate heat with microfiber mopping for a safe steam cleaning on vinyl floor.
We’ll discuss the best practices in details in a while.
Can You Use a Steam Mop on Vinyl Plank Flooring?
If you are thinking How Can You Use a Steam Mop on Vinyl Plank Flooring with safety concerns, no worries, it’s safe if you’re aware. You can clean your vinyl plank floors using a steam mop with caution.
You should scrub gently and use a semi damp cloth because plank is a sensitive material. The steam cleaning process is easy, and a vast number of people use the steam mop for vinyl floors. But as we already said, you have to be a bit cautious.
Overheat could damage your luxury vinyl plank floor. But if you minimize your steam mop’s heat and pressure, it’s safe. Besides, you have to use a microfiber cloth to reduce the heat effect on your vinyl plank floors.
How to Use a Steam Mop on Vinyl Plank Flooring
A steam mops cleaning efficiency depends on its power, water tank size, and many more. Here is the cleaning guide for steam mopping your vinyl flooring. Follow each step carefully to keep your floor’s quality and warranty intact.
Step 1: Assemble the steam mop
Firstly, be sure the steam mop is ready for cleaning vinyl floors, like this one. Then assemble it correctly and use a head that suites your floor. It has variable steam settings and interchangeable heads. You can use the mop at a low temperature for safety. Don’t add any chemical to your water tank.
Step 2: Cleaning with steam
Start with dry-sweeping the surface to remove dirt, grime, dust. Turn your steam mop on and wait for a while to heat up. Now you can mop your floors. While mopping, keep moving to impede penetration into the joints and not to treat one place for too long. If you got a phone or door to open, don’t let your mop run.
Step 3: Change the mop
After cleaning for a while, change your mop cloth or the interchangeable mopping head. You shouldn’t continue cleaning the vinyl floor when the cloth becomes dirty. You can throw out and take new clothes whenever needed.
Step 4: Remove Access Moisture
If you complete your mopping, make sure that your floors are dry and leave no moisture behind. If you have food stains, stubborn grimes, try to scratch them off instead of deep cleaning with the mop with hot water inside. You can also mix a cleaning solution depending on the type of flooring like white vinegar with plain water, or a vinyl floor cleaner.
Step 5: Keep these things in mind
Now your floor is clean and sanitized completely. Do not walk until the floor is dried. In the meantime, you can clean your mop and store it for the next task. Remember, do not use steam mop frequently on your vinyl floor. The vinyl floor cleaning process might give you water damage if you don’t mind the heat settings and use extreme heat for tough stains.
What’s The Best Way To Clean Vinyl Plank Flooring?
Although steam mop can clean vinyl plank floors, there is risk associated with steam cleaning. So if you are afraid of cleaning your vinyl plank floors using a steam mop, you can use a vacuum or normal sweep to clean your floor every day. They’re also good cleaners on vinyl. It will remove dust, pollen, and any other Intruder. Another effective way is to clean using apple cider vinegar.
You just add apple cider vinegar in warm water, take a cotton towel and soak it completely with the mixture. Gently start with the cleaning vinyl floor. If your floor got any stains or tough dirt, add a bit of soap or detergent in the mixer. This harmless process will make your vinyl plank floor cleaning easier and will make it shiny like any other floor type.
Safety Tips When Use a Steam Mop on Vinyl Plank Flooring?
If you use a steam mop to clean vinyl flooring with care, you can avoid damages to your floor. You can follow the below tips to prevent any accidental harm to your beautiful vinyl plank floors.
- Ensure the steam cleaner’s heat is half or lowest to reduce damage caused by heat exposure. It will prevent the glue from melting and bending planks.
- Do not use a scrub brush when cleaning the vinyl plank floor; pass your steam mop continuously and lightly. Heavy scrub and much pressure could damage the coating on the planks.
- Try to prevent direct heat on your floor; use a microfiber cloth beneath the mop. Direct heat and water could damage the glue and chemical compound of your vinyl plank’s bonding. It will suck the excess water, and don’t let your floors be wet.
Final Remarks
So, Now you got the cleaning solutions on how can you use a steam mop on vinyl plank flooring. The primary thing you have to keep in mind that you cannot use high heat for long and excessive water on vinyl. More water and high heat might penetrate the seal and planks of the vinyl.
Rapid steam cleaning and scrubbing could reduce the durability of your floor. You should make sure there is no loose dirt or grain present on your floor. It could be harmful to your floors when you try to steam clean your floor.
Overall durability depends on the user, and it’s up to you how you want to treat your floors to look appealing.
