How to Clean Luxury Vinyl Plank (LVP) Flooring

Mary Marlowe Leverette is one of the industry's most highly-regarded housekeeping and fabric care experts, sharing her knowledge on efficient housekeeping, laundry, and textile conservation. She is also a Master Gardener with over 40+ years of experience and 20+ years of writing experience. Mary is also a member of The Spruce Gardening and Plant Care Review Board.

Maria Sabella is an E-Design consultant and has spent the last six years working in the interior design and staging industries, as well as writing digital content focused on home-related topics.

Katie Berry is a cleaning expert with 30 years of household management experience and 12 years of writing about cleaning methods and routines for Housewife How-Tos. She is the author of several books about homemaking.

Emily Estep is a plant biologist and journalist who has worked for a variety of online news and media outlets, writing about and editing topics including environmental science and houseplants.

If you've recently installed new LVP flooring, knowing how to clean it properly is essential. Vinyl flooring is an excellent way to update your home, as you get the look of hardwood without the hefty price tag. Luxury vinyl plank (LVP) flooring is durable and comfortable underfoot, and whether yours features tiles or planks, it's easy to clean with the proper steps.

Regular cleanings are key for vinyl floor maintenance. Plan on dry mopping or vacuuming floors daily in high-traffic areas and deep cleaning them at least once a week. To make it easy, you can mix your own cleaning solution with basic pantry staples such as distilled white vinegar and baking soda.

Learn how to clean LVP flooring and help it shine using simple tools and supplies you probably already have on hand.

Before You Begin

LVP flooring is manufactured for easy care, but there are a few important points to know before cleaning it.

• Avoid using cleaners that contain ammonia, mop-and-shine products that leave a film, liquid or paste wax, commercial floor cleaners that are not labeled as safe for LVP flooring, steel wool, and stiff-bristled brushes.
• Choose mild cleaners like dishwashing liquid, diluted distilled white vinegar, or plain water.
• The tools you select to remove dust and dirt should be non-abrasive, like a microfiber wet/dry mop or a vacuum without a beater bar.

Dry Mop or Vacuum

Dry mop and vacuum vinyl floors regularly—daily in high-traffic areas—to remove loose dirt that can cause permanent scratches. Always dry mop or vacuum vinyl floors before using wet cleaners.

• Dry mop: Grab a dry mop or a sweeper with dry disposable or reusable microfiber pads and go over your vinyl flooring in long strokes to pick up dirt, hair, and dust. Make sure to go all the way to the baseboards and corners, and use gentle, linear motions to prevent spreading dust around.
• Vacuum: Disengage the beater bar or choose a model without a beater bar to prevent unnecessary damage to LVP flooring. Vacuum the floors, ensuring you cover corners and any gaps or cracks in the flooring.

Mix a Homemade Cleaning Solution

Once you've dry-mopped vinyl floors, make your own cleaning solution with these basic household items.

Distilled Vinegar Solution

Use this cleaning solution for floors in bedrooms, hallways, and living areas.

1. Add vinegar: Fill a large bucket with warm water and pour distilled white vinegar into the warm water, using a cup of vinegar per gallon of water ratio.
2. Mop: Dip a mop into the cleaning solution and wring out most of the moisture. The mop should not be dripping, just damp. Start at one corner of the room, leaving yourself an exit point. Rinse and wring your mop frequently as dirt is transferred from the floor to the mop.
3. Air dry: Let the floors air dry completely, if there are any excessively wet spots, dry them with a clean, dry microfiber cloth.

Liquid Dishwashing Soap Solution

Use this cleaning solution on kitchen floors to cut through greasy messes.

1. Add dishwashing soap: Fill a bucket with hot water and add a few drops of liquid dishwashing soap such as Dawn to the hot water. Do not over-pour to prevent excessive suds that can leave a film that attracts dust and dirt.
2. Mop: Dip a mop in the bucket, wringing out most of the moisture to leave the mop damp but not dripping. Start at one end of the kitchen, working your way to an exit point. Rinse and wring your mop frequently to prevent spreading dirt around.
3. Air dry: Let the kitchen floor air dry completely.
   

Baking Soda Solution

Use this cleaning solution for tough stains, not as an all-over floor cleaner.

1. Mix the solution: In a small bowl, mix equal parts warm water and baking soda to make a paste.
2. Apply the paste: Using a small spoon, spread the paste directly over tough stains and stuck-on dirt.
3. Gently rub: Grab a clean, damp microfiber cloth and gently rub the baking soda paste onto the floor surface.
4. Wipe off: Grab another clean microfiber cloth, dampen it, and wipe off the paste. You may need to rinse and wring out the cloth and wipe the floors a couple of times to get all the baking soda off, as it sometimes creates a film.
5. Wipe dry: Wipe the spot dry with a clean, dry microfiber cloth.
   

Warning

While vinyl flooring is water-resistant, excess water can cause LVP and LVT flooring to buckle if it seeps into the seams, and mold can form between the LVP and subflooring.

How to Remove Scuff Marks

Shoes and furniture can leave scuff marks on LVP flooring. Spray the scuff mark with a tiny amount of WD-40 and buff the area with a clean, dry microfiber cloth.

How to Prevent and Remove Tough Stains

Prevent stains with a regular cleaning routine and by quickly wiping off spills and messes as soon as they happen.

Food Stains: Remove dried-on food stains caused by tomato sauce or red wine with a baking soda paste. Mix two tablespoons of baking soda and one teaspoon of water, then spread the paste directly on the stains. Use a clean microfiber cloth to gently rub away the food without dulling the vinyl surface.

Lipstick, Grease, or Ink Stains: Dampen a microfiber cloth with rubbing alcohol. Start at the outer edge and work toward the center of the stain to prevent the stain from growing larger. Keep moving to a clean section of the cloth to prevent smearing.

How to Maintain Vinyl Floors

• Use a doormat: Place a doormat or throw rug at every entrance to catch grit and dirt that can damage floors.
• Use felt protectors: Prevent dents from heavy furniture by outfitting tables and chair legs with felt-backed floor protectors.
• Remove casters: Remove rolling casters from furniture or use a protective mat to prevent scratching.
• Clean regularly: To keep LVP or LVT floors in high-traffic areas of a home looking their best, they should be dry mopped or vacuumed daily to remove grit that can cause scratches. Spills should be wiped up immediately to prevent stains that may be more difficult to remove later. The floors should be thoroughly cleaned at least once a week.

Restore a like-new shine to vinyl floors with a distilled white vinegar and warm water cleaning solution. Start by dry mopping the floors to remove loose dirt, then mix the cleaning solution in a large bucket, using one cup of vinegar per gallon of water. Dip the mop into the bucket, wring out the water so it's damp but not dripping, and clean the floors in long strokes. Rinse and wring out the mop as you clean, start in one corner of the room, and work your way to an exit point. Let the floor air dry completely.

Avoid using abrasive cleaning tools such as steel wool and stiff-bristled brushes, and remove the beater bar from your vacuum. Stay away from cleaning products that contain ammonia, mop-and-shine products that leave a film, liquid or paste wax, and commercial floor cleaners that are not labeled as safe for LVP flooring.

• There was loose dirt on the floors that wasn't dry mopped or vacuumed.
• Too much liquid dishwashing soap in your cleaning solution left behind a film, in which case you can mix a new distilled white vinegar cleaning solution and go over the floors with it. Use less liquid dishwashing soap next time, as too much of it can attract dirt and leave behind a film that dulls the floors.
• The water in your bucket got dirty; If you notice the water solution in your bucket getting excessively dirty, mix up a new solution with clean warm water to prevent spreading dirt around.