4 Myths About LVT Flooring That could be damaging your floors

Luxury Vinyl Tile is growing in popularity. You’ve probably seen it used on the popular renovation shows on HGTV. But now it is becoming an exceedingly popular and common choice in commercial office spaces.  

It’s not surprising. Luxury Vinyl Tile, or LVT for short, is a great flooring choice for office spaces, medical offices, schools and even childcare centers. That’s because LVT is not only durable but comes in a variety of colors that can complement any design. Even though LVT flooring is being used in more office spaces, there is still much confusion about exactly what these floors need to look great.  
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We’ve created a handy reference guide that explains LVT floor care. You can get a free copy of that guide here if you’d like more detailed information. However today, we’re going to address the most common myths about LVT flooring.

Myth 1: LVT floors don't scuff or scratch

It is true that LVT floors are durable. In fact, most are rated as scratch resistant. That means that while the floors may not easily scratch, it isn’t impossible to scratch them. LVT is durable, not indestructible. That means protective measures are still important for LVT flooring to prevent damage. Protective tools such as roll mats, walk-off mats and furniture caps will still be needed to protect your LVT floors. 

Myth 2: LVT floors don't require maintenance

The maintenance that LVT floors need may be different than Vinyl Composite Tile (VCT), but it still needs maintenance. LVT is often sold as maintenance free and a way out of the intensive and maintenance often needed by VCT. But that sales pitch often leads to disappointment and frustration.  

While LVT does not to be stripped and waxed, it does require periodic machine scrubbing to remove ground in dirt. Just look at the manufacturer’s care instruction sheet that’s included with every case of LVT flooring.  
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You’ll find something that looks like the image below. This is a screenshot of the care instructions for Milliken LVT flooring. The very first bullet point says that a red pad is needed to remove ground in dirt. These types of pads are used with rotary floor scrubbing machines. While stripping and waxing is not necessary, LVT flooring will need maintenance beyond mopping, to keep a clean appearance.  ​

Myth 3: LVT floors are less expensive to maintain than VCT floors

That depends on several factors and can’t be said to be an absolute fact. In general, machine scrubbing services cost less than strip and wax services. But whether that will result in lower costs will depend on how often your facility will need or want to have your LVT floors cleaned.  

How often LVT floors will need to be cleaned because of visible ground in dirt will depend on how busy your facility is, the type of business, environment and many other factors. How often you will want your LVT floors cleaned will depend ultimately on how you want the floors to look.  
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If no sight of ground in dirt is acceptable and you have a high traffic facility, machine scrubbing will be needed quite often. However, if your facility isn’t busy or the appearance of ground in dirt can be tolerated, then you can choose to have the LVT floors cleaned less often. The latter choice could save money depending on the frequency you choose.

Myth 4: LVT floors don't need special cleaning products

This myth ranges from using nothing but water to using anything including laundry detergent on LVT floors. Following this myth will lead to damage to your LVT floors.

The manufacturer’s care instructions for most LVT flooring recommend using a neutral cleaner. That is a product with a pH of 7. Anything else could cause damage to the surface of the tile.

​To protect your tile and prevent damage, avoid using any product that is not clearly labeled as being a neutral cleaner. That also includes bleach and other common household cleaners.

Need help taking care of your tile Luxury Vinyl floors? Our team is here to help you create a maintenance program that will keep your LVT floors in great condition. You can reach our Luxury Vinyl Tile Maintenance pros at 904-388-8790 to schedule a consultation. 

About Quality Maintenance & Repair Service Inc 
 
Quality Maintenance & Repair Service Inc is a full service commercial janitorial company. We provide office cleaning, medical office cleaning multi-tenant office cleaning for in Jacksonville Florida and surrounding areas. In additional to janitorial service, we can help you easily maintain your building in excellent condition with maintenance services such as window cleaning, carpet cleaning and tile cleaning services.  
 
Get in touch. 
Office: 904-388-8790  Fax: 904-388-8799 Email: [email protected] 
www.qualitymaintenance.co ​