Looking after your new floors
LVT Care Guide
Naturally, you will want to protect your new LVT floors and help them looking pristine for as long as possible. Whilst it is easy to replace LVT floors, this isn’t ideal. To help you avoid having to replace your floors too often and to help them looking as stylish as when they were first fitted, we’ve put together this useful care guide.
Protecting your new LVT floor
Heavy furniture can create indentations in your new LVT floors, so where possible use floor protectors under your furniture legs. Additionally, when moving furniture, where possible, avoid dragging the heavy items across the floor to avoid scuffs, scratches and damage. Being scratch resistant isn’t the same as being scratch proof, so be careful with heavy furniture.
Doormats serve a great purpose when it comes to protecting LVT. Dust, dirt and dampness are particular enemies of a new LVT floor, so doormats placed at the entrance to a room can keep the LVT floor safe. When placing mats, rugs or blankets on the floor, make sure they have a non-slip backing to keep them from sliding around the room.
Occasionally, extreme sunlight can cause discolouration or fading for your LVT floors. Whilst it isn’t always possible to keep your floors outside of direct sunlight, using blinds or curtains is a sure-fire way to prolong the designs and colours of your LVT planks or tiles.
Cleaning your LVT floor
The most important thing to consider with LVT floors is not to get the tiles or planks too wet, especially the glue/solvent based tiles and planks. Additionally, do not use a steam mop on your floors as the heat will distort or warp the floors and could lead to them becoming loose and ill-fitting. Instead, all you need to do to remove stains from your LVT floors is a damp cloth or mop. Regarding specialist cleaning products and detergents, check the manufacturer’s guidelines.
For regular debris such as crumbs and dust, a regular vacuum will be fine.
We advise against using wax on an LVT floor, as not only will the floor get slippery, but it can also dull the appearance and colour of the LVT planks or tiles.
Repairing or Replacing your LVT
One of the key benefits to LVT is how easy it is to repair or replace individual LVT tiles or planks. If you are looking to repair or fill a hole / scratch in your LVT tile or plank, the key ingredient you will need is called epoxy resin, a type of clear liquid that dries out to create a hard filling for a hole or scratch in your LVT floor. If you are trying to colour match, using an artist’s acrylic paint will be the best course of action.
If repairing the plank or tile isn’t suitable, removing and replacing the LVT is easy. Using a hairdryer or heat gun, heat the adhesive under and around the tile which holds it in place. It should then be simple enough to lift the tile or plank out. The subfloor will need to be prepared by ensuring it is flat, smooth, hard and free from debris, before fitting a new tile in its place.