How to Remove Scratches From Vinyl Flooring

Vinyl is a popular flooring alternative in American homes. Almost 85 million square yards were installed in new homes in 1994 alone, according to the Resilient Floor Covering Institute (see link in Resources). That statistic doesn't include vinyl flooring that was laid in existing homes. Vinyl flooring is durable and easy to care for, but it does scratch. You can easily remove remove light and deeper scratches from vinyl flooring.

Things You'll Need

• Broom or vacuum
• Mop and bucket
• Vinyl floor cleaner
• Vinyl floor finish
• Fingernail polish
• Touch-up paint
• Lacquer thinner
• Soft, clean cloth
• Clear liquid seam sealer

Instructions

1. Sweep or vacuum the floor to remove loose dirt and dust. Wash with a vinyl floor cleaner. Follow the manufacturer's directions to achieve the best results. Rinse the floor with clean water. Allow the floor to air dry. Then, apply a heavy coat of vinyl floor finish to remove light scratches.

2. Cover medium scratches in vinyl flooring with fingernail polish or touch-up paint. Black, gray, brown and other dark colors are the easiest to match. Carefully dab the color into the scratch until it matches the surrounding area. Allow it to dry undisturbed.

3. Clean a deep scratch in vinyl flooring and the area directly around it with a soft, clean cloth and a bit of lacquer thinner. Then, fill the scratch with a liquid seam sealer. Allow the sealer to dry undisturbed. Once dry, the deep scratch will be nearly invisible to the eye.

Tips & Warnings

• Always rinse a vinyl floor after you wash it to remove any sticky or oily residue that can attract dirt. To remove dirt particles that can scratch vinyl flooring, sweep or vacuum on a regular basis. Placing mats at all entryways into a room will help trap dirt that can scratch the floor.

• Never use abrasive pads to clean vinyl flooring as they can dull and scratch the surface.

Resources

• Resilient Floor Covering Institute