What is floor wax? Is floor wax for vinyl plank flooring? How can I strip and possibly wax vinyl plank flooring? These are some of the numerous questions that run through the mind of several individuals. If you seek a professional answer, then you’ve come to the right place.
Floor wax refers to a liquid chemical used in making extra layers of coating on the floor. With it, the floor can be provided with glaze, shine, and additional hardness, and at the same time making it slip and scuff resistant. Besides, waxing a floor will protect it from all potential damage that could be caused by liquid.
In the 40s, floor waxing was a popular process. Several homeowners used it on their floors tremendously to get the full taste of classy and luxury-looking interiors and offer additional strength to the floor. However, there are floors that don’t support waxing– forcing it on them can terribly affect their longevity. Some of these floors include laminate flooring, vinyl plank flooring, and vinyl flooring.
So, the short answer to the question,” can you wax vinyl plank flooring?” is no. You can’t wax vinyl flooring because the material (such as synthetic material or the print on the planks) it’s designed with is not suitable for the wax chemicals. If vinyl plank flooring is waxed, it could result in serious damage.
Reasons Why Waxing Is Not for Vinyl Plank Flooring
During renovation or when you’re thinking of adding value to your home, floor waxing stands to be an easy and profitable process. Nevertheless, it is not suitable for use if your flooring system is vinyl plank flooring.
The best way to understand why waxing is not for vinyl plank flooring is to study the kind of material the manufacturer designed vinyl plank flooring with.
The vinyl plank flooring is designed with synthetic material, made by combining calcium carbonate, UV stabilizers, white pigments, fungicide, plasticizers, and polyvinyl chloride resins. These elements are heated together and pressured to form a synthetic structure.
Based on how the planks are structured, it’d be unprofessional to attempt waxing them. Typically, this can be associated with the fact that:
- The planks feature a subtle factory finish, which explains why they are not in need of extra layers to be perfect.
- The materials used to make vinyl plank flooring contain a liquid impermeable finish. With this, the liquid wax will be absorbed if used, leading to unevenness.
- The relativity of the wax chemicals to the synthetic element of the planks can sometimes affect (spoil) the print on the material, making it look dull.
Steps to Stripping and Waxing Vinyl Floors?
After using your floor for years, it is necessary that you consider stripping it, particularly when you can see debris, dust, soil, or old wax on it.
Before waxing a floor, the initial process is stripping then putting layers on the floors. However, since wax cannot be used on the vinyl floors, you will have to use a better harmless alternative (such as the liquid acrylic floor polishes or thin liquid kinds of waxes) to your vinyl flooring.
You may need professional help (from cleaning agents) to strip your vinyl floor. This is because removing old polish or wax can be difficult. It’s important that the chemicals used during stripping are rightly proportioned. So, cleaning agents will be of great assistance.
So, what are the steps to take to strip and wax vinyl floors?
- Step One–Prepare the room: Start by clearing out the room. Ensure you remove the furniture and anything that could obstruct the process.
- Step Two–Mop the room: Use an ammonia-free light cleaner to mop the room smoothly until you see the old wax or any other element coming out.
- Step Three–Wipe off the extra liquid: Ensure you wipe off any extra liquid on the floor smoothly using stripping pads.
- Step Four–Scrub the floor: You need to scrub the floor perfectly and gently using a stripping machine or an auto-scrubber at low speed.
- Step Five–Work on the stubborn sections: Some areas may be stubborn. You can use a doodlebug or a razor scraper with a dominator pad on them.
- Step Six–Repeat the process: If necessary, you should apply the stripper again and repeat mopping.
- Step Seven–Pick up the liquid: Through the use of a vacuum motor, ensure you pick all the liquid up (the auto-scrubber should be of great help). Then leave the floor to dry completely.
- Step Eight–Apply wax better alternative: Ensure you apply a liquid acrylic polish or thin coat of wax using a microfiber finish application pad to avoid leaving any area coated
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Check below some of the frequently asked questions about vinyl flooring systems. Please, review them with their answers for further knowledge.
How can I shine vinyl floor without waxing?
Since waxing vinyl floors is unprofessional, there is another way to shine your floor. You can do this by using oil. Follow the steps below to shine your vinyl floor without waxing:
- Mix a few drops of dishwashing soap with water in a bucket (half-filled)
- Dip a mop into the mixture and wipe off the dirt and dust from the floor.
- Mix a cup full of apple cider vinegar with a gallon of hot water and disinfect the floor
- Put a few drops of baby oil in the vinegar-water solution to add shine.
- Then use this oil-vinegar-water mixture to wipe the floor twice or three times every week regularly.
Why do my vinyl plank floors look dull?
If there is a build-up of soap scum on your vinyl plank flooring, it can make it look dull.
Can Vinyl Flooring Be Coated?
It’s not necessary that vinyl flooring should be coated. However, you can still do it with urethane, thin acrylic polish, or polyurethane. With this, you can seal off any holes or pores on the vinyl rug.
Conclusion
By now, you should know that waxing vinyl plank flooring is a no-go area for those that don’t want to damage it. This is because the material it’s designed with cannot go well with the wax chemicals. So, to get the job done another way, you can strip the floor and use a better harmless alternative such as the liquid acrylic floor polishes or thin liquid kinds of waxes.