Your LVT flooring

1. Grit is the real enemy. A quick daily sweep or vacuum removes the small particles that cause most fine scratches.
2. Get a mat. Good entrance mats catch grit and moisture before they reach the floor, but avoid rubber-backed mats as they may discolour the floor.
3. Use the cleaner made for the floor. Redwood Step 1: Everyday is made specifically for LVT. It cleans and helps maintain the floor’s lustre and slip resistance without dulling the finish or leaving a residue.
4. Use a damp mop. Use a well-wrung microfibre pad on your mop to avoid flooding the floor. Standing water can soak into skirting boards and furniture panels, where it can cause swelling or damage. Use a second, dry microfibre pad to lift the last of the dirt and help the floor dry quickly.
5. Lift rather than drag. Furniture, appliances and trapped grit can scratch or damage the surface. Lift items rather than dragging them wherever possible.
6. Use protective pads or cups beneath tables, chairs and heavy furniture to help prevent indentations and movement scratches.
7. Pet pedicure. Regularly trim pets’ claws, as they can cause fine scratches.
8. Steam cleaners are not suitable. Do not use a steam mop or steam cleaner. Heat and high-pressure moisture can affect the floor, adhesive, joints and nearby furniture.

Your new Luxury Vinyl Tile floor needs a little time to settle and for the adhesive to cure fully. Unless your fitter has advised otherwise:

• Light foot traffic is fine.
• Do not wash or wet mop the floor for at least 24 hours.
• Small marks can be wiped carefully with a lightly damp cloth.
• Avoid placing rugs or mats over the newly fitted floor.
• Do not switch on any underfloor heating. Ask your fitter for the correct start-up procedure.
• Lift furniture and appliances into position rather than dragging them.
• Take particular care with heavy items, as the adhesive may still be vulnerable to movement or pressure.

Different adhesives and site conditions may require different curing times, so always follow any specific advice given by your fitter.

Your floor is easy to look after. With every Redwood-installed LVT floor, we supply:

• a mop with 2 microfibre pads;
• Redwood Step 1: Everyday LVT Floor Cleaner;
• a printed copy of this floor care guide.

This is everything normally needed for regular cleaning during the first year.

Cleaning your floor

Small traces of dried installation adhesive may become visible during the first clean, as contact with water can make it appear white. It can easily be removed by gently rubbing with a clean, damp floorcloth.

Remove loose dust, grit and dirt using a soft brush, dust mop or a suitable vacuum cleaner on its hard-floor setting.

• Dilute 25 ml of cleaner in 4–5 litres of clean water.
• Apply it evenly using the supplied microfibre mop.
• Keep the mop well wrung out so that it is damp, not wet.
• Avoid flooding the floor or leaving standing water.
• Use the second, dry microfibre pad to lift the last of the dirt and help the floor dry quickly.
• Rinse the mop pad thoroughly in clean, cold water after use.

Note: more cleaner does not mean better cleaning. Using too much can leave residue and cause streaking.

Redwood Step 1: Everyday is made specifically for LVT. It will give the best long-term results, help support the product warranty, and help maintain the floor’s lustre and slip resistance.

Spills, stains and scuff marks

A quick wipe solves almost everything. Usually a clean floorcloth moistened (not wet) with warm water is sufficient. For oily or greasy spills, a small amount of washing-up liquid may help.

Be especially careful of red wine, oils, coffee, turmeric or acidic foods. Most everyday spills will come away easily if they are dealt with before they dry. Wipe up spills promptly, as any smooth floor can become slippery when wet or contaminated.

Start with diluted Redwood Step 1: Everyday and a clean microfibre pad. Work from the outside of the mark towards the centre, then wipe the area with a clean damp pad and dry it if needed. Avoid scrubbing hard, as this can change the surface sheen and make the cleaned area more noticeable than the original mark.

Tip: where a substance has dried or hardened on the surface, it may be possible to lift it carefully using the edge of a blunt plastic card, such as an old bank or loyalty card. Keep the card flat to the floor and work gently. Do not use metal blades, sharp scrapers or abrasive pads. Stop if the surface begins to mark.

Black marks from shoes or furniture are often transferred rubber rather than damage to the floor.

Tip: try gently rubbing the mark with a clean tennis ball. The felt can lift the rubber deposit without the need for a stronger cleaner. Make sure the ball is clean, as trapped grit could scratch the floor.

Before trying stronger chemicals, check the flooring manufacturer’s care information in your handover pack. Take particular care with paint, adhesive, ink, oil or grease, solvent-based products, strongly coloured food or drink, or unidentified stains. The wrong cleaner can cause more noticeable damage than the original mark.

Protecting your floor

Good entrance mats catch grit and moisture before they reach the floor. Avoid rubber-backed or PVC-backed mats unless the flooring manufacturer confirms that they are suitable. Some backing materials can react with vinyl flooring through a process known as plasticiser migration. This may cause permanent discolouration, soften the backing or make the mat sticky and adhere to the floor.

Lift mats occasionally and clean underneath them so that trapped grit does not scratch the surface.

Lift furniture rather than dragging it whenever possible. Use suitable protective pads or cups beneath:

• chair and table legs;
• heavy furniture or items that are moved regularly;
• items with small or sharp contact points.

Check the protectors occasionally. Worn or dirty pads can collect grit and become a source of scratching themselves.

Take extra care when moving fridges, washing machines and other heavy appliances. Use suitable floor protection and do not roll or drag them directly across the finished floor.

Regularly trim pets’ claws and wipe grit or mud from their paws as needed. Place water bowls on a suitable non-staining mat or tray and wipe up splashes before moisture reaches nearby plinths, panels or skirting boards.

Make sure the vacuum cleaner’s wheels, brushes and attachments are clean and suitable for hard flooring. Use the hard-floor setting or soft-brush attachment where available, and switch off any rotating beater bar that could scratch or mark the surface. Check the wheels regularly, as trapped grit can be dragged across the floor and cause fine scratches.

LVT flooring is designed to retain its appearance under normal household conditions. However, no flooring material is completely unaffected by prolonged sunlight or concentrated heat, particularly in south-facing rooms or where roof lanterns and large glazed doors increase light and temperature levels.

Gentle tonal changes over time are a natural characteristic and are not normally considered defects. Use blinds or curtains where practical during periods of strong sunlight and avoid placing concentrated heat sources directly against the floor.

Where LVT has been installed over underfloor heating, follow the commissioning and operating instructions supplied for the flooring, adhesive and heating system. Increase the temperature gradually and avoid sudden temperature changes. Unless the flooring manufacturer specifies otherwise, the floor-surface temperature should not exceed 27°C. The underfloor-heating thermostat or floor-temperature sensor should be set to prevent this limit being exceeded.

Longer-term care

Your LVT has a factory-applied polyurethane (sometimes called PU or PUR) surface treatment. This forms part of the tile or plank and helps resist everyday dirt, marks and wear.

Later in the floor’s life, routine cleaning may eventually stop restoring an even appearance. At that point, the wider three-step care system may be useful. It is usually easiest to buy the flooring manufacturer’s complete care kit, as this will contain the full three-step system of compatible cleaning products, pads, applicators and detailed instructions.

• Step 1: Everyday is the routine pH-neutral cleaner used for regular cleaning. It removes everyday dirt and marks while helping maintain the floor’s lustre, factory-applied protective surface and intended slip performance without leaving a dulling residue.
• Step 2: Strip removes accumulated residue and any previously applied polish from the floor.
• Step 3: Polish replaces the maintenance polish, helping restore the floor’s lustre and adding a fresh protective wearing layer.

Stripping and repolishing are not normally required during the first year and should not be treated as an automatic annual task. They are used when the floor’s condition and appearance indicate that deeper maintenance would be beneficial.

Always use Step 2 and Step 3 together: do not use Step 2: Strip unless you intend to follow it with Step 3: Polish. Follow the instructions supplied with both products and check the flooring manufacturer’s guidance before starting.

Where LVT has been installed over underfloor heating, follow the commissioning and operating instructions supplied for the flooring, adhesive and heating system. Increase the temperature gradually and avoid sudden temperature changes. Unless the flooring manufacturer specifies otherwise, the floor-surface temperature should not exceed 27°C. The underfloor-heating thermostat or floor-temperature sensor should be set to prevent this limit being exceeded.

Retaining the leftover complete tiles or planks from the original installation gives the best chance of a close match if a piece is damaged later. Flooring colours and patterns can change between production batches or may eventually be discontinued. Keep spare flooring flat, dry and clean, protected from damage, and away from extreme heat or cold.

One of the practical advantages of LVT is that a tile or plank that has been deeply scratched, cut, burnt or otherwise damaged can often be removed and replaced by an experienced fitter, particularly where spare material from the original installation has been retained.

This guide gives practical Redwood advice for normal domestic use. Where the manufacturer gives a specific instruction for the floor installed, follow that advice. The manufacturer’s cleaning, maintenance and warranty information for your particular flooring is included in your handover pack. Keep it safe, as it remains the formal product-specific reference.

Not sure what caused a mark, which cleaner to use or whether a damaged tile can be repaired? Send a photograph to hello@redwoodkitchens.co.uk or call 0118 321 8286 before experimenting. It is usually much easier to prevent further damage than to correct it afterwards.