The flooring in your home provides the backdrop for your daily life. When your floors are clean, shiny and cared for, you can enjoy them so much more. Maintaining your flooring also helps you get the best return on your investment by extending your floor’s life span. This guide covers how to clean multiple types of flooring and offers tips on when to replace it.
How to Clean Different Types of Floor Stains
Every kind of flooring has a different level of absorption based on its material. For example, hardwood flooring absorbs water and stains more deeply than vinyl flooring. Removing deeply absorbed stains from flooring is much trickier than dealing with surface stains.
Before you clean flooring, always refer to the flooring manufacturer’s cleaning requirements. Many floors react badly to being cleaned with excess water or specific kinds of cleaners. If you do some quick research before you begin, your cleaning session shouldn’t damage your flooring.
Here are several tips on removing stains from different types of flooring:
- Vinyl: Scrub stains with vinegar and water, baking soda paste or rubbing alcohol. Avoid harsh cleaners since they can scratch and damage the surface.
- Laminate: Scrub stains with vinegar and water or specialized laminate floor cleaner. You should also avoid using harsh cleaners on laminate.
- Tile: Treat stains with baking soda or a specialized tile and grout cleaner. Avoid ammonia, as it can damage the grout.
- Hardwood: Scrub the floor with a hardwood floor cleaning solution. For deep stains like pet accidents, try an enzymatic cleaner that can work deeper into the flooring.
- Carpet: Instead of scrubbing, use a soak-and-blot method to pull stains out. For deeper or dried stains, rent professional equipment or hire a professional cleaner.
Always choose cleaning solutions that won’t damage your flooring. Your goal should be lifting stains out of the floor — depending on the material, that may mean scrubbing, blotting or purchasing a specialty cleaning solution.
Keep reading for additional tips on cleaning your flooring!
How to Clean Vinyl Flooring
Vinyl has become one of the most popular flooring types in the industry, used by builders, designers and homeowners alike. This flooring is versatile, durable and budget-friendly. It’s also easy to clean and maintain, making it a top choice for families with busy lifestyles. Here’s how to keep your vinyl floor clean:
- Sweep and vacuum regularly. Sweeping ensures you’re removing dirt and dust, preventing the finish from scratching.
- Mop with vinyl cleaner. This will keep that finish looking new for years to come!
- Avoid wax cleaning. You should never wax a floor that’s newer than 25 years old, as wax can dull its surface. In fact, most wax finish floors are from over 50 years ago and have likely been updated. Historic homes are typically the only places you’ll find floors that require wax cleaning.
Because it’s designed to resist dents and scratches, vinyl flooring should last for years with the right maintenance. You shouldn’t have to worry about damage from mopping because most vinyl flooring is water-resistant or waterproof from the top down.
How to Clean Laminate Floors
Laminate is a lot like vinyl. It’s durable and resilient with plenty of finish options available. Many people choose laminate flooring because of its hyper-realistic appearance — it can be designed to look just like hardwood.
If you have laminate, here are the best ways to achieve clean floors:
- Sweep often. Use a microfiber dry mop or broom to wipe away dirt and debris.
- Dry mop your floors. To avoid water damage, you can use a dry mop to clean laminate floors. You can also use a laminate cleaner to lightly mop your floors.
- Avoid abrasive materials. Abrasives can scratch and damage the laminate’s finish.
Using excess water on laminate can damage the flooring. Lightly scrubbing individual stains is a great way to clean your laminate flooring while avoiding a full-on mopping process.
How to Clean Tile Floors
Whether ceramic or porcelain, tile has an incredible range of styles and colors. You can find tiles made from marble, granite and other materials. If you have vinyl tiles, reference the vinyl section above! Here are the best ways to clean your tile floors:
- Sweep and vacuum regularly. Sweeping and vacuuming once a week keeps dirt and other debris from piling up and scratching your floors.
- Mop your floors regularly. Use warm water or a specialized tile cleaner to mop tile floors. When mopping, give attention to the grout lines as they can become discolored if not cleaned.
- Clean the grout. You can make a DIY solution of vinegar and baking soda to clean tile grout or use a specialized grout cleaner.
Compared to other flooring options like vinyl and hardwood, tile must be mopped the most often. Because the stone material is so shiny, dirt or stains on the floor are easily visible.
How to Clean Hardwood Floors
Hardwood floors are a great option if you want a timeless look in your home. They’re also an excellent choice if you prefer natural materials but don’t like the cold feel of tile underfoot.
If you want to keep these floors beautiful for as long as possible, follow these tips for cleaning your hardwood floors:
- Sweep regularly. Using a dry microfiber mop or cloth, sweep your hardwood floors daily to prevent dirt and particle buildup.
- Vacuum weekly. Habitual vacuuming will keep your hardwood flooring clean, smooth and comfortable to walk across.
- Lightly mop. Dry mopping or using a barely wet mop will keep your hardwood flooring shiny. Avoid getting too much water on the floor, as this can damage hardwood.
Caring for your hardwood floors is easy with the right tips, supplies and techniques.
How to Clean Carpet
Carpet is another popular flooring option for many homeowners. It’s soft, providing comfort for your feet and protection for young kids learning to walk and play without falling on a hard surface. There are also many fun styles of carpet, so you can seamlessly create an aesthetic you love.
Here’s how to clean carpet flooring:
- Vacuum regularly. Vacuuming weekly will help prevent the buildup of dirt and other debris, keeping your carpet in top condition.
- Spot clean. Take warm water and gently blot the spot where the spill occurred. You can use a dry rag to soak liquid from the treated area out of the carpet.
- Deep clean your carpet. Every about two years, you should have your carpet professionally steam cleaned. This will keep your carpet fresh, removing deep-seated stains and dirt.
Because carpets have texture, they don’t show dirt as quickly as smooth floors. However, it’s equally as important to vacuum carpets because they affect the air quality inside your home.
If you plan to steam clean, checking your flooring’s warranty first is important. Steam cleaning will void most warranties. You should only use this method if the flooring manufacturer specifically recommends it or if it’s done by a certified cleaning company.
When Should You Replace Your Floors?
Even with the best care, your flooring will need to be replaced eventually. Every type of flooring has a different life span, depending on its material, treatment and original quality. Here are a few signs you may need new flooring:
- Warping and bubbling: This could indicate water damage, and it’s hard to repair this issue without replacing the floor.
- Dents and scratches: Too many nicks and dents may mean it’s time for a newer, nicer floor.
- Visible damage, like cracks: If your tile is cracked or there are large gouges in your flooring, it’s time to replace it.
- Extensive staining: Over time, some flooring will yellow or accumulate stains that don’t come out. At this point, you may want to update your home with fresh, new flooring.
- Home renovations: If you’re renovating part of your home, it’s a good time to replace the flooring, too. This is especially true if you’re changing your home’s layout.
If you’re seeing signs of age and wear that you can’t clean off, it’s probably time to replace your flooring. At Choice Floors & Stairways, we offer a variety of quality flooring so you can enhance your home’s design with fresh new floors.
Why Work With Choice Floors & Stairways?
Choice Floors has been installing quality flooring for mid-Atlantic families since 1976. We put our customers’ needs first, prioritizing design to ensure they love how their new flooring fits into their existing space.
Our Room Visualizer software allows you to visualize our options in your space before making a purchase, helping you confidently choose your next floor. When you schedule a measure with us, our team of experts will take precise measurements to reduce waste and offer personalized suggestions based on your budget and lifestyle.
Find Floors That Last With Choice Floors & Stairways
At Choice Floors & Stairways, we want to help you bring your dream space to life. We offer top-quality materials and service to help you plan, choose and install the right new flooring for your home.
Visit our showrooms in Maryland or schedule a shop-at-home experience. Our design experts will bring product samples to your home for a convenient shopping experience. Have any questions? Reach out to us online to learn how we can support your flooring needs!
