Vinyl tile and laminate flooring is attractive, durable, and long-lasting, even under a home’s highest-traffic conditions, but the product is certainly not indestructible. Fortunately, cleaning vinyl flooring is a fairly straightforward and inexpensive process, and with proper care, it’s easy to maintain the material’s eye-catching appearance. The first step is to try minimizing dirt, stains, and abrasions before they occur. Over time, dirt and dust can wear down and degrade the finish on any type of flooring, including vinyl tile or laminate; therefore it is always a good idea to situate a good-quality doormat or area rug in front of doorways so that grit and grime don’t migrate into the house. Another helpful hint is to use a sheet of plywood or paneling any time you need to move furniture across the floor; this will help prevent scuff marks or tears in the vinyl. You also may want to use vinyl coasters under the feet and legs of your furniture to safeguard against permanent indentations.

Related: Green Clean: Eco-Friendly Cleaning Products for Your Home When it comes to cleaning vinyl flooring, you can’t go wrong with plain water and a sponge mop! Always wipe up spills as soon as possible, and mop frequently with plain water. For more intensive cleaning, here are a few tips and techniques: • Always vacuum or dry mop the floor to remove surface dirt, dust, and hair before moving on to wet cleaning; best leather cleaner for reclinermake sure you get under furniture, in corners, and along baseboards.car vacuum cleaner usage • One of the best cleansers for vinyl flooring is apple cider vinegar. duct cleaning equipment for sale ukThe acidity in the vinegar helps remove dirt and grime without leaving a buildup of soap or wax.

Simply mix one cup of cider vinegar with a gallon of hot water and use a damp mop to clean, rinsing the mop frequently with hot water. Substitute white vinegar for cider vinegar if you want to disinfect as you clean. If your floor is especially dirty, try adding a few drops of liquid dishwashing soap to the mixture before mopping once with the soap mixture, a second time with vinegar and water. To add shine to your vinyl floor, add a few drops of baby oil to the vinegar and water solution. • For stubborn scuffs, try putting some WD-40 lubricant or jojoba oil on a towel and rub the area until the scuffs disappear. Clean thoroughly with the vinegar and water solution to remove any traces of lubrication. • For food stains from grape juice, mustard, ketchup, tomato sauce and the like, make a paste of baking soda and water and gently rub the stain until it disappears. Clean thoroughly to remove any traces of baking soda. • A soft, nylon-bristle brush can help remove many types of stains, especially when used with common household solvents.

Rubbing alcohol can be used to remove lipstick, hair dye, and ink stains. Use mineral spirits to remove crayon, paint, and marker stains. Use a nail polish remover that contains acetone to remove nail polish stains. There are a few areas of caution and products to avoid when it comes to cleaning vinyl flooring: • When vacuuming vinyl, do not use a “beater bar” attachment; this can damage the flooring surface. • Never use highly-abrasive scrubbers or steel wool. • Do not use detergents, abrasive cleaners, or “mop and shine” products, because these can leave a dull film on the floor. • Do not use paste wax or solvent-based polishes. • Do not use ammonia or ammonia-based cleaning solutions on vinyl flooring; these can break down the material and cause cracks in the flooring. Some commercial cleaners are specially designed for vinyl floors. These include Pine-Sol Multi-Surface Cleaner; Pledge Tile & Vinyl Floor Cleaner and Pledge Tile & Vinyl Floor Finish with Future Shine;

and Armstrong’s Once ‘n Done Resilient and Ceramic No-Rinse Floor Cleaner and Armstrong Shinekeeper Polish. With just a little time and elbow grease, vinyl flooring will take years of use and abuse and still look lovely. For more on cleaning, consider: How To: Clean Slate How To: Clean Concrete How To: Clean Painted WallsA steam cleaner or steam mop is a useful tool to have around the home, particularly if you have lots of hard floors to keep clean. Here is our pick of the best steam cleaners on the market right now.Every steam cleaner we featured has been comprehensively tested by us – we never include a product we haven’t put through its paces. Whether you want the best steam cleaner for tiled floors, a steam mop for laminate floors or even a steam cleaner for de-mucking grout, one of our selection of the best steam mops will get the job done.Hit the 'Next' arrow or select from the list below for more info on each model.Watch: First look at Dyson's new robot vacuum cleaner, the 360 Eye – A steam mop that lets you vacuum and steam simultaneously, and comes with built-in fragrance discs and an anti-calc filterVax Steam Fresh Combi S86-SF-C – A steam mop and handheld with 10 tools and a separate detergent tank that's good enough to clean a range of surfacesPolti Vaporetto GO – A compact

, cylinder-style steam cleaner that's portable and cheap, yet powerful enough to easily lift dirt from floorsKärcher SC1 Steam Stick – A lightweight, versatile and practical steam cleaner, which can be used either as a steam mop or a handheldPolti Vaporetto Airplus – A compact, cylinder-style steam cleaner that comes with eight inbuilt tools and a deodorant tank, and won't leave your floors drenchedVax S6S Home Pro Compact – A cylinder-style steam cleaner that's powerful and ideal for cleaning any surface, as well as hard-to-reach cornersVax Steam Fresh Combi S86-SF-C at Amazon.co.uk | Now £74Related: Best Vacuum Cleaners Round-upThis is the first decision you need to make, and it will largely depend on what you want to use your steam cleaner for.Buy a steam mop if you just want to clean floorsThey’re best for hard floors, but some are useful for freshening up carpets and lifting stains from carpets, too. They’re generally cheaper than 2-in-1 steam mops, which can switch into a handheld mode for other tasks.