When it comes to ridding your vinyl flooring of unsightly scuff marks, the answer isn’t always as direct as we hope it would be. Some scuff marks, like those left behind from rubber, don’t always respond to a friction-based approach.
Let’s take a look at the finer points of removing rubber marks from vinyl flooring so that you can restore your floors to their former glory.
What You Need To Know About Removing Rubber Marks From Vinyl Flooring?
For this type of job, we are going to employ chemical-based cleaners to aid in removing these unwanted rubber marks from your floors. We will still rely on some scrubbing, but we are going to let the cleaning products do the heavy lifting.
If you are unfamiliar with cleaning vinyl flooring in your home or business, you are probably considering using a commercial cleaner. You can go this route, but there are almost always safer methods that work just as well. Commercial products vary from brand to brand, so it’s hard to make a guarantee on a product that won’t damage your floors. Here at ProFlooringZone we always recommend starting slow and working your way up to stronger substances, only if necessary.
Supplies You’ll Need For Removing Rubber Marks From Vinyl Flooring
- Baking soda
- Bucket
- Dish soap
- Eye protection
- Gloves
- Isopropyl alcohol
- Microfiber towels
- White vinegar
How To Remove Rubber Marks From Vinyl Flooring? (6 Steps)
Step 1: Prepare The Area
Before we can get down to actually scrubbing our floors, we need to prep the floors. This means moving any furniture and doing a quick once-through to remove any loose dirt that may be lying around. This will make our job go smoother and allow us to identify the problem areas much easier.
Step 2: Using Soap And Water
To start, we want to use a gentle dish soap or detergent mixed with warm water. This is because we don’t want to use any sort of chemical that might strip the finish off of the vinyl. Mix your cleaning solution in a bucket and be sure you use gloves and eye protection to avoid getting any soap where you don’t want it.
Step 3: Application
Dunk your microfiber cloth in the soapy solution and be sure to wring it out before applying it to the floor. Excess moisture is the enemy of almost any type of flooring, including vinyl. If it has a chance to seep underneath the finish, it can warp the vinyl and ruin the entire area.
Using the damp cloth, scrub the affected areas in a circular motion until they show signs of fading. Periodically rewet your cloth and continue to wipe the rubber marks down until they are no more. Don’t forget to wipe the areas dry in between scrubbing to minimize the time any water has to seep underneath the flooring.
Step 4: Using A Stronger Solution
If soap and water don’t seem to do the job, then it’s time to break out the bigger guns. In this case, you will want to use white vinegar, baking soda, or isopropyl alcohol mixed with warm water (pick one of the three, don’t mix them all together. Repeat step 3 until your floors look new again.
Step 6: Don’t Get Discouraged
If at first you don’t succeed then try again. It is possible that you may have to apply these cleaning solutions more than once. If you start to see results from one, then continue the process until the rubber marks are no longer visible. Patience is your best friend when cleaning vinyl flooring. It is always better to spend some extra time repeating a few steps of the process instead of using risky chemicals that can do permanent damage to the flooring.
Final Thoughts On Removing Rubber Marks From Vinyl Flooring
When it comes to keeping your vinyl flooring clean, the process is no more involved than any other type of floor. As a home or business owner, the best thing you can do for yourself is to make a regular cleaning schedule so that any imperfections don’t have time to set. If you happen to have a few problem areas, just be patient and gently scrub your floors. Before you know it they will look brand new again!
