Tips to protect your Karndean vinyl floor
Caring for your floor is vital to ensure its longevity and maintain its visual appeal. Follow these luxury vinyl flooring protection tips and advice to safeguard your investment.
If your floor is installed in an area with direct or strong sunlight, take measures to prevent fading or discolouration. Ensure windows have appropriate shading, such as window tinting, curtains, blinds, awnings, or external eaves. These measures help to shield your floor from excessive UV exposure
Shield your floor from external factors that can cause damage, including exposure to the sun, extreme temperatures, water, and hydrostatic pressure. Use window treatments and shading to minimise sun exposure, and placemats at entrances to trap dirt and moisture. Avoid extreme temperature fluctuations and excess water.
Fluctuations in temperature and humidity can affect your floor’s stability. Keep your indoor environment consistent to prevent warping, swelling, or contraction of the floorboards.
Regular cleaning and maintenance are crucial. Follow the manufacturer’s recommendations for cleaning agents and methods. Use suitable products to avoid damaging the floor’s finish.
Place protective pads under furniture legs to prevent scratches and marks when moving or rearranging items. This simple step can significantly reduce wear and tear.
Strategically place mats and rugs (non-staining variety inclusive of latex/rubber backing) in high-traffic areas to reduce the impact of foot traffic and trap dirt and moisture. This helps preserve the floor’s surface.
Accidental spills should be cleaned up promptly to prevent staining or damage. Use recommended cleaning products and methods to avoid harming the floor.
When moving heavy furniture or objects, lift them rather than drag them across the floor. Dragging can cause scratches and damage.
Regularly inspect your floor for signs of wear, damage, or any issues. Address any concerns promptly to prevent further deterioration.
Always adhere to our After-Care guidelines and recommendations for care, cleaning, and maintenance. Their instructions are tailored to the specific characteristics of your flooring material.
By following these LVT Floor Protection Tips and advice, you can enjoy its beauty and durability for years to come. Remember, proper care enhances the lifespan and preserves the appeal of your investment, access warranty information here.
Proper floor care
All hard floors can be slippery when wet. Take extra care when cleaning and ensure the floor area is allowed to dry completely before use. During periods of wet weather, it may be necessary to put down extra matting to prevent water from being brought in from outside.
Use entrance matting approximately two paces wide to prevent grit and other substances from scratching the floor. Ensure they are cleaned regularly to maintain their effectiveness.
Mop up spillages straight away to avoid slips and staining.
Avoid using aerosol sprays or silicone-based products, as these can make the floor slippery.
We recommend using Karndean cleaning products, as other products may contain agents that can damage resilient floor surfaces.
Steam mops are not recommended for use on vinyl flooring.
Sliding or dragging furniture or other objects across the floor can scratch your floor. Use load-bearing castors to prevent indentation from heavy furniture or appliances.
Rubber can permanently stain vinyl floor coverings. Avoid using rubber-backed mats, rubber furniture feet, or rubber-wheeled castors. Also, ensure mats and rugs are of a non-staining variety (inclusive of latex/rubber backing) to prevent discoloration of the floor.
Take care when using vacuum cleaners, as some may not be suitable for working with vinyl floors. Ensure there are no sharp edges or parts where grit can become embedded, as these may scratch the floor.
If surface scratching does appear, it is important to locate and address the cause of the problem. The appearance of scratching can be improved by following stages 2 and 3 using Karndean Remove and Karndean Refresh.
Accidental damage can occur, and while using Karndean Remove and Karndean Refresh may improve the look of the floor, replacing a tile or plank may be preferable.
Troubleshooting
Sometimes, despite our best efforts to apply the LVT protection tips, floors encounter minor hitches. Here are some common issues and their simple solutions to ensure your Karndean floor remains in impeccable condition.
Cause: Friction from foot traffic across the floor surface. Solution: The floor should be thoroughly cleaned using Karndean Remove, and Karndean Refresh reapplied if appropriate. This process should be repeated every six months or as the volume of traffic dictates.
Cause: Greasy residue on the floor/detergent residue/overspray from silicone-based products –use of unsuitable or over-concentrated maintenance products.
Solution: Remove residue with absorbent paper then thoroughly clean the floor with diluted Karndean Clean, repeat if necessary.
Cause: Excessive grit or dirt on the floor.
Solution: Ensure appropriate entrance matting is used. Karndean recommends a depth of at least two paces from the entrance. Sweep the floor frequently and ensure that the floor is dressed with Karndean Refresh to provide additional protection for the floor.
Cause: Karndean Remove has not been washed away properly/irregular drying of Karndean Refresh due to underfloor heating, strong sunlight, or draughts.
Solution: If used, wash away the Karndean Refresh with Karndean Remove, then thoroughly rinse the floor making sure all remains of Karndean Remove are no longer present.
Cause: Incorrect cleaning products used/Use of dirty maintenance equipment/Karndean Refresh applied to a dirty surface.
Solution: Use only recommended cleaning products. Use Karndean Remove to restore the floor to its original appearance and reapply Karndean Refresh if required.
Scratch repairs on your luxury vinyl flooring
Karndean vinyl flooring designs provide a hygienic surface that authentically mimics the appearance of wood and stone, all while eliminating the practical drawbacks associated with natural materials. Utilising cutting-edge technology, all our flooring products promote healthier living spaces.
In contrast to alternative surfaces like textiles and laminate flooring, Karndean Designflooring does not trap dust, allergens, or microorganisms. Furthermore, it remains unaffected by splashes and spills, as it will not warp. Crafted with our advanced K-Guard+® protective surface treatment, a Karndean floor delivers a robust and hygienic surface, resisting stains and requiring minimal maintenance.
Next Steps
Three easy steps to buying your new floor
