depot-tile.com - Care & Maintenance


The following steps are designed to be used as part of a regular and preventative vinyl tile maintenance program. Follow these steps to keep your vinyl tile looking beautiful. Feel free to print this page for future reference. You may also find answers to your questions in our Frequently Asked Questions or Vinyl Tile First Aid sections.
STEP 1: Food spills should be cleaned up as rapidly as possible with a quality liquid vinyl cleaner. Make sure the cleaner you choose is an all-purpose liquid cleaner that is nonabrasive. We do not recommend powdered cleaners, oil soaps, dishwashing detergents or other dusting products. Try to use a no rinse, biodegradable cleaner that leaves no residue or haze and requires no rinsing after application. If a quality liquid vinyl cleaner is not readily available, then you may obtain one directly from the manufacturer. Do not use a combination cleaner and finish product. This will dull the tile. STEP 2: Shoe marks and scuffs can be easily removed using a spot application of your quality vinyl cleaner and a nonabrasive scrubbing pad. STEP 3: Regular household dirt can be cleaned with a quality vinyl cleaner applied as indicated on the label of the product. Some hand wiping may be required to remove tough spots and spills. Always sweep or vacuum your vinyl floor prior to cleaning so that all loose dirt and particles are removed. Do not use a beater brush vacuum attachment. STEP 4: DO NOT WAX YOUR VINYL TILE. The surface of your floor is very dense and non-porous; this prevents wax from penetrating and thus builds up a bed for yellowing and dirt collection. The same non-porous feature also provides all the protection against wear, and staining that you will need. Use only Hi-Gloss for touching up heavy wear areas that have lost some of their original appearance over time, except on TrafficMaster. On TrafficMaster use a Matte finish. Your vinyl floor is designed to be very easy to maintain, but you may prefer to add an occasional coat of Gloss or Matte Finish to renew your floor. If you cannot locate the Gloss or Matte Finish, then please ask your Home Depot Sales Associate for an equivalent product. STEP 5: Although your floor is manufactured to fit together very tightly, you may wish to seal the entire floor to better protect your wooden sub-floor from any excessive water. Please wait at least 72 hours after your installation is complete before you proceed with sealing the floor. Although this precaution may be valuable to help prevent sub-floor water damage, we cannot guarantee that your sub-floor will stay dry when there is flooding or other excessive water problems on your floor. Use a quality primer to treat any sub-floor that you feel may become exposed to moisture BEFORE you install the vinyl tiles. Be sure to follow the instructions on the primer label. STEP 6: If your floor has been exposed to excessive water due to flooding or accident, please remove the water as quickly as possible with a Wet-Vac or other device and ventilate the room. A dehumidifier should be promptly turned on in the room to reduce moisture levels back to normal. Do not dry the room below the normal moisture level that existed previously or another set of problems could arise. STEP 7: If accidental deep scratches appear on your floor, then it might be necessary to replace some damaged tiles. This is why you should always retain some excess tiles from the same run number as your original purchase. First, mark the tiles that need replacement. Then score the tiles diagonally with a sharp utility knife, but make sure you do not damage the adjoining tiles. Point a warm hairdryer about 4 inches from the center of the tile surface for about 45 seconds and then pry up the tile starting from the center. If the tile continues to be difficult to remove, then apply more heat until the adhesive releases and tile is totally pliable. If the sub-floor surface is smooth, then simply apply a new tile. If however the sub-floor became damaged, then smooth it out with a universal underlayment by skim-coating the surface. STEP 8: If the scratches are fine, and the result of normal household use, then it is recommended only to fill them with one or two coats of Gloss or Matte Finish depending on your product purchase. STEP 9: If any edge of an individual tile should release from the sub-floor, it can usually be corrected by applying warm air from a hair dryer for 5 to 10 seconds from a distance of about 8 inches. Then step on the edges and maintain pressure until the re-adhesion is effected. If this procedure is not successful, then the problem may be the result of some foreign particles on the sub-floor which need to be removed as outlined in Step #7 above. If the problem still continues, please contact your Home Depot Sales Associate or call us toll free at 1-866-843-8453. STEP 10: If you find that there has been sub-floor damage or you simply would like to apply more adhesive, you may use a special clear set adhesive available from Home Depot. If one is not available for any reason please contact us toll free at 1-866-843-8453. DO NOT USE AN ALL PURPOSE FLOORING ADHESIVE as such adhesives are not effective and will often cause bad reactions with the self-stick adhesive remaining on the back of your vinyl tile.

The following steps are designed to be used as part of a preventative vinyl tile maintenance program. Follow these steps to keep your vinyl tile looking beautiful.
STEP 1: Use NON-RUBBER protective floor mats in front of any doors leading to the outside. This helps keep sand and grit from getting to your floors. Gritty sand is any floor covering’s worst enemy. If you installed the tile in your kitchen please place a throw rug in front of the sink area to catch spills and splashes. Do not use a rubber backed mat as it will cause staining. STEP 2: Install proper floor protectors on all furniture legs used on vinyl flooring. Protectors will allow chairs to move easily over the floor without scuffing or scratching. Clean protectors on a regular basis to remove any grit that may have become embedded. Felt floor protectors are recommended. Avoid using rubber floor protectors. STEP 3: To keep your floor looking its best, dust or mop your floor at least twice a week. Do it more often on floors with heavy traffic. Do not use a household dust treatment chemical of any kind as this may cause the floor to become slick or damage the finish. Simply sweep the floor as often as needed. STEP 4: Do not pour pails of water on your floor to clean it. Excessive water can cause damage to your sub-floor and your floor is only as good as the sub-floor. If excessive water gets into wooden sub-floor, then buckling, heaving and warping could result. These vinyl tiles are highly water resistant, but you must be aware of the total flooring installation, including your sub-floor. STEP 5: Do not allow pets with unclipped nails to walk on your vinyl floor. It may result in severe scratching to the surface. The same is true for any high-heeled shoes that do not have proper rubber tips on the heels. STEP 6: Avoid exposure to direct sunlight for prolonged periods of time. During peak sunlight hours, use drapes or blinds to minimize the direct sunlight hitting the floor. All vinyl flooring can be effected by continuous strong sunlight. To avoid an uneven appearance, please consider relocating any area rugs from time-to-time. In addition, excessive temperatures are not good for vinyl floors, some natural ventilation or intermittent air conditioning in vacant vacation homes should be considered. STEP 7: Very cold climates: Some intermittent heating is recommended. Do not use Home Depot self-stick vinyl tile in homes where room temperature drops below 20 degrees F for extended periods of time. Hot temperatures: Temperatures over 100 degrees F can cause vinyl tile to expand. The adhesive holding the tile in place can also loosen. A good "rule of thumb" to remember is that heat is more dangerous to tile than cold.

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