Today’s homeowners are busier than ever, which means they have less time to clean their floors. As a result, some of the most popular flooring options are known for their low maintenance levels. Fortunately, these options are also highly affordable, and available in all sorts of styles and designs.
Flooring Options That Are Particularly Easy to Maintain and Clean
- Luxury Vinyl Plank
If easy cleaning is your top priority, luxury vinyl plank flooring is tough to beat. Thanks to its exceptional durability and water resistance, you don’t have to actively maintain luxury vinyl plank flooring to avoid long-term damage. Luxury vinyl plank is made from synthetic materials, making it more resistant to moisture than virtually any other flooring option out there. This explains why you’ve seen it in so many kitchens and bathrooms.
To deep clean vinyl floors, you can either use a homemade solution with apple cider vinegar and water, or head over to your local hardware store to pick up a commercial vinyl floor cleaner.
- Engineered Hardwood
Engineered hardwood gives you the beautiful appearance of wood floors without the high maintenance, or the high price tag.
However, this doesn’t mean that engineered hardwood is made of “fake” wood. It has a top layer of real wood, over sub-layers of other types of wood, usually plywood. This makes engineered hardwood significantly more durable, water-resistant, and easier to maintain than real wood floors.
All you need to clean it is a broom, a vacuum, and a dry microfiber mop to pick up any remaining dust or debris. You should never wet mop or steam clean engineered hardwood, nor should you use any ammonia-based cleaners. Much like vinyl, a simple natural cleaning product like diluted white vinegar will do just fine.
- Ceramic or Porcelain Tile
One of the most durable flooring options on the market, tile floors can withstand decades of heavy traffic while maintaining their appearance. Tile’s hard surface makes it highly resistant to moisture while preventing dirt and debris from building up.
Specifically, ceramic and porcelain tile have the lowest water absorption rate because of their dense composition. Both are also clay-based, and can therefore be cleaned quickly and easily with the same tools.
Just mix a mild detergent with water, and then give your floor a once-over with a microfiber mop. When you’re done, rinse your mop, wipe away any leftover cleaning solution, and your tile floors will look good as new.
Our Run Down of Flooring Maintenance Essentials
Regardless of which option you choose, there are certain fundamentals to preventing scuffs, scratches, or stains on any floor:
- Add floor protectors to the legs of furniture.
- Wipe up spills immediately
- Use rugs or doormats in heavy-traffic areas like doorways
- Sweep and dust regularly to pick up dirt that can get embedded.
If you’re having trouble deciding between these three (all of which are fabulous options), the experts at Flohr would be happy to help. Give us a call and we’ll quickly guide you to the best option for your needs.
