Luxury vinyl tile (LVT) and sheet vinyl flooring are incredibly durable and long-lasting options for busy homes, offering both warmth and comfort underfoot while being exceptionally easy to maintain.
However, even the most scratch-resistant and durable vinyl floors can suffer the occasional scuff and mark over time. As homeowners go about their everyday lives, minor scratches on the floor are expected; they can happen in almost any routine task such as playing with pets or moving furniture. While small marks are common, larger gouges and indentations can be more noticeable and detract from your floor’s appearance.
The good news is that most scratches on vinyl floor tiles and panels can be easily removed or concealed with some simple maintenance steps. At Homecall Carpets, we want to help you keep your vinyl floors looking their absolute best for years to come, which is why we only use the best-in-class materials from leading manufacturers, expertly fitted by our in-house flooring specialists.
Whether you’ve got vinyl plank floors or peel-and-stick panels, most scratches are repairable. Follow these top tips to remove prominent scratches from your home’s vinyl flooring to keep it looking and performing at its best.
What You’ll Need
- Scouring pad(s)
- Towels and cloths
- Kitchen roll
- Cleaning agents (all-purpose and floor)
- Water
- Paste wax
- Scratch-repair pen (optional)
Steps to Remove Scratches from Your Floor
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Clean and Dry the Floor Thoroughly
The first step is to get your vinyl flooring as clean as possible, removing all spills, dust, debris, grime, and oils that have gathered on the surface, especially around the affected areas. Using all-purpose cleaning agents or professional floor cleaning solutions will do the trick. Once done, either let the floor air-dry or clean it with a dry towel.
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Buff Scratches With a Scouring Pad
The next step is to apply a scouring pad to buff the indentations in the floor. Using a scouring pad smooths the roughened edges and removes any excess vinyl fibres that are hanging onto the surrounding floor. If you don’t have a scouring pad, a coin can also smooth out any blemishes.
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Apply Vinyl Floor Paste Wax
Using a clean cloth or kitchen roll, you can apply an approved vinyl floor wax to the scratch to treat and mask the scuffs. The wax works to fill in the scratches and create a more even, uniform surface. Once applied, remove any excess wax residue from the area and buff the scratches some more using a clean cloth.
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Apply a Stain Pen (Only if Needed)
One layer of vinyl floor wax is usually sufficient, but deeper scratches may benefit from a second application layer. In some (very rare) cases where deep scratches may leave some discolouration post-wax, it can be handy to use a vinyl stain pen bearing a close resemblance to the vinyl flooring colour. Apply the pen following the manufacturer’s recommendations ensuring the pigment reaches the full depth after the wax has dried.
Preventing Future Scratches in Vinyl Flooring
Vinyl floor scratches are annoying to deal with. Therefore, to minimise them from occurring, consider the following:
- Use furniture sliders to help drag heavy appliances or sofas and prevent them from marking the floor.
- Trim pet nails regularly to prevent them from indenting the floor.
- Place rugs and mats throughout the home to catch excess dirt and debris.
- Consider a professional vinyl polishing service periodically to keep its protective top coat looking shiny all year round.
Professional Flooring Assistance
Homecall Carpets provides best-in-class floor cleaning kits and products to keep your floors looking spotless. Tried and tested by ourselves, these products are available to buy in our showroom in Ditchling, West Sussex.
With just a few household materials and the right techniques, you can easily treat minor scuffs and scratches to keep your luxury vinyl flooring looking new.
Have you tried the above and still found no luck? The flooring experts at Homecall Carpets are happy to offer advice and recommendations to repair your vinyl floor. Weighing the costs of repairing versus replacing floorboards is worth discussing with a professional, which is why our team would be more than happy to assist and offer guidance. Contact us today to see how we can help.