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How to Clean Textured LVP Flooring: Get Dirt Out of Those Tiny Grooves
I have the most beautiful LVP floors (My floor brand/style ) that look so much like real wood, and I just I absolutely love them. BUT there is one thing that has stressed me out about these LVP floors. They are the textured/embossed LVP (see photo below), which is what makes them have so much character and look so real, but it also creates a problem that I really didn’t anticipate!
Why Does My LVP Floor Still Look Dirty After Mopping?
After having my new LVP floors for a few months, I thought I had been doing a great job cleaning them. They mopped up very nicely, and I ran my Shark robot vac/mop often on them to keep them clean. Then, one day I noticed that the grooves seemed like they were darker than I remembered. I wasn’t even positive if I was actually right, or if that is how they were supposed to be. So, I got down on my hands and knees with a toothbrush and water, and just really started scrubbing a small area on one of the planks. That’s when it became clear that my floors were DIRTY! Those grooves were not supposed to be that color! So, there I stood, staring down at an extremely different looking spot on my LVP floors and thought, HOW am I going to clean 1,000 square foot of these floors, because it certainly is not going to be with a toothbrush!
What You Need to Clean Dirt Out of LVP Grooves
I am going to share exactly what I have found is the easiest and fastest way to really clean the dirt out of all the grooves in your LVP floors. This took me some trial and error, but I came up with a good system that really works. I just felt so compelled to share what works for me because I searched all over and could not find a good answer to this question.
Here is what you are going to need to clean the dirt out of your LVP grooves.
PH Neutral Floor Cleaner
I like the ZEP PH Neutral floor cleaner. Whatever you choose, it does need to be PH neutral, as that is what most (maybe all) LVP floors say should be used to protect your floors.
Soft Bristle Broom
Any soft bristle broom is fine.
Wet/Dry Vacuum (NO STEAM)
The vac/mop is a HUGE part of this process, so I highly suggest investing in one. There are many options, but just be sure you DO NOT get one that steams. Steam is not safe on LVP flooring. I currently have the Bissell Crosswave and I really like it. Someday I may upgrade to the cordless version or the edge version. I’m just not sure the cordless option would have enough battery to do all my floors.
Here are a few of the Wet/Dry Vacuums that would work well for cleaning the grooves of LVP.
I also run my Shark Robot Mop/Vac a few times a week, and it does a nice job of keeping the surface clean, it just doesn’t get into those grooves. So, I think having one of these to run in between deep cleans is also very helpful! Here are a few good robot vac/mop options:
How to Deep Clean Textured LVP Flooring: The Process
Okay, now we have our supplies, let’s break down the exact process step by step.
Step 1: Floor Cleaner Spray
First, mix up a bottle of PH Neutral floor cleaner in a spray bottle. Follow the instructions to dilute as directed by your floor cleaner.
Step 2: Broom Scrubbing
Lightly spray a section of your floor with your floor cleaner solution. Don’t spray too big of an area. Only spray as far as you can reach with your broom. Then take your broom and just scrub that section. I found that scrubbing in the direction of the grooves works really well. This may get a little sudsy, but I think that actually helps so you can tell what you have scrubbed so far. You don’t have to press super hard. The bristles should get down in the grooves easily and lift the dirt up, so it’s ready for the final step!
Step 3: Vac/Mop
Right after you have broom scrubbed a section, go over that same section with the Vac/Mop. I typically just do a few passes over each area, and it does a wonderful job of picking up all the excess cleaner from the broom scrubbing and gives it a sparkling shine. You should be able to tell right away that the grooves are clean! If there is any dirt still in the grooves, just simply broom scrub those spots and go back over with the Vac/Mop.
Step 4: Admire your clean textured LVP floors!
That is really all there is to the process. It is quick and easy, and most importantly, it really works!
What NOT to Use on Textured LVP Flooring
- Do not use cleaner that is not PH Neutral
- Do NOT use a steam mop
- Do not use hard bristle brushes, brooms, or scrubbers that could damage or scratch the floor
How Often Should You Deep Clean Textured LVP?
How often you do this process probably depends on the kind of traffic you have on your floors. I have pretty high traffic, so I tend to do this at least once every two months. I just keep an eye on it, and when I start noticing the grooves are looking a little dirty, I make sure I do this process.
Frequently Asked Questions
Below is a list of the questions I was Googling trying to find a solution that would work to clean my embossed LVP floors. So, if you’re asking any of the below questions, you may want to give my method a try!
- How do you get dirt out of LVP grooves?
- How do you clean embossed LVP flooring?
- Why does my LVP still look dirty after mopping?
- Can you scrub textured LVP flooring?
- Can you use a brush on LVP flooring?
- What is the best way to deep clean LVP flooring?
I really hope this information helps to save you time and get your LVP floors looking sparkling clean! Do you have another method that works for you? One question I still have, is why isn’t there a tool that can do both of these things? I’d love to hear your feedback and your suggestions! Drop me a comment below.
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