How to Clean Vinyl Plank Flooring in 6 Quick Steps

The trick to deep cleaning vinyl plank flooring and keeping your floors clean is to start with a blank slate. As much as possible, move all furniture, rugs, and other large items out of the room so that you can easily access every area of your floor. Moving furniture will also unearth the hidden dust bunnies behind your couch or under your bed. Use this opportunity to check a few more things off your house cleaning checklist, as well, such as decluttering or tossing those throw blankets into the washing machine.

Dust, dirt, and other particles naturally accumulate on our floors every day. While taking a few days off from cleaning the floors may seem harmless, debris is especially detrimental to vinyl plank flooring. Particles can scratch and damage the protective topcoat on vinyl plank floors. You need to clean your vinyl plank floors every one to two days to keep them in good condition. 

To remove dirt and other debris, use a dust mop or a vacuum. Avoid using a broom because the stiff bristles can scratch the protective top layer of the flooring. If you opt for a vacuum, make sure to turn off the beater bar. The beater bar is best to get a deeper clean on carpets, but it can tear up your vinyl plank floors.

Once the floors are clear of the dirt and debris, you can buff out any scuff marks from the kids running through the house or furniture rubbing against the floor. Commercial multi-use lubricant, like WD-40, is the secret weapon here. Spray it on the scuff lightly, then use a clean, microfiber cloth to buff the area.

Now, it’s time to tackle those stains and learn how to clean sticky floors. Of course, if you have a spill, be sure to clean it up quickly with water and a cleaning cloth. But if you do have stains from food or grease, you can find homemade cleaning solutions in your pantry or medicine cabinet.

• Food stain: Make a paste with about two tablespoons of baking soda and one teaspoon of water. Apply the paste carefully to the stain with a soft nylon brush, then wipe clean.

• Grease stain: Rubbing alcohol is great for lifting a grease stain. Use a clean cloth dipped in the rubbing alcohol to scrub away the stain.

• Craft supply stain: Your kids’ art projects are cute, but their spilled paint isn’t. Simply use a cleaning cloth and mineral spirits to wipe away paint, marker, or crayon stain.

You’ve cleared the floor of objects, dirt and debris, buffed the scuffs away, and wiped away smudges and stains. Your vinyl plank floor is now ready for an all-over clean, but it’s important that you choose a safe cleaner for this type of floor. Similar to when cleaning hardwood floors, using a gentle solution that will protect the floor’s protective top layer is best. 

"Dish soap solutions and vinegar solutions are effective, low-cost alternatives that will safely clean the vinyl,” said Asya Biddle, Angi Expert Review Board member and manager of The Dustbusters, a family-owned and operated janitorial company in Williamsport, PA. “Plus, it will not leave a film behind."

If you decide to use a commercial cleaner, check the label to ensure it’s safe for vinyl. Otherwise, you can make your own cleaner.

• Dish soap cleaner: Add a few drops of liquid dish soap into a bucket of warm water. This mixture is great for vinyl floors in a kitchen, which can accumulate crud quickly each day.

• Vinegar cleaner: For anywhere in the house, use diluted vinegar to clean vinyl plank floors. Add one cup of white distilled or apple cider vinegar to one gallon of warm water.

Dunk a mop into your preferred cleaning solution. Be sure to wring the mop out well every time you go for more. Then, mop your floors as usual to give your vinyl plank floors the best clean.