Cleaning of LVT Flooring & Unwanted Lines

Posted by Art of Clean on 20th December 2020 -

Here at Art of Clean Cambridge we sometimes get asked to resolve issues with flooring and furnishings.

We have been asked to address the issue of unsightly lines in an LVT (Luxury Vinyl Tile) floor.

The problem of the lines in the floor was caused by the uneven Subfloor and the glue that was used as well as the methods the tiles got glued to the floor.

You can read the whole article explaining the problem HERE – https://www.artofclean.co.uk/what-are-those-lines-on-my-luxury-vinyl-tile-floor/

So how did we go about to make these lines in the Vinyl floor much less visible?

We noticed that a shiny Floor dressing that would be applied as standard to LVT floors could enhance the look of any imperfections in the floor. Most vinyl Floors have a more matt look to them though there are exceptions.

This floor was a Karndean Vinyl Tile.

After a lengthy discussion with Karndean, we came up with a solution that could potentially resolve the issue.

The product of choice for a Karndean LVT floor would be Dr SCHUTZ Stripper, Cleaners, and dressings. The Standard Karndean Branded Dressings comes as a Tatin finish and after multiple coats of this to the floor the shine level increase. This is the reason the lines showed up way more.

Karndean advised us to order a Matt Version of the Dr SCHUTCH dressing – This is the one https://drschutz.co.uk/retail/floor-mat/

We also chose to use Dr SCUTZ stripper to remove the old dressing.

The floor was cleaned and stripped back until none of the old sealers was left. In places, we could not totally remove the old sealer, but it was hardly visible.

We always advise our clients of the risk that liquid cleaners and strippers on the floor can cause swelling and slight paint flaking on furniture, skirtings, kickboards, and walls. To reduce the risk we use the minimum amount of cleaning solution on the floor, and we choose to use an oscillating cleaning machine if possible rather than a rotary system – If we clean bigger floors, we do opt to use rotary cleaning systems as it can be faster and more effective.

Once the LVT was deep cleaned, and sealer was removed to Neutralised the floor. This can be done in multiple ways. We use a high flow rinse tool to ensure no residues are left behind. An alternative van is to mop the floor with clean water multiple times to ensure all stripping agents are rinsed off. Give the floor a final clean with a neutral floor cleaner. Let the floor dry thoroughly.

We then applied three coats of the Dr SCHUTZ Floor mat Dressing using a flat microfiber mop.

The Karndean floor now shows a much more natural look, and the lines are hardly visible.

Please note that other LVT floors like Amtico, Moduleo, Harvey Maria and Dalsouple Rubber floors can all be treated in this way. However, it requires an experienced technician as they all have their own particular requirements.

If you have any challenges with your Luxury Vinyl Tile Floor, we would like to help as much we can.