How To Put The Shine Back On A Vinyl Floor

Routinely wiping up spills, vacuuming and mopping is recommended for all vinyl floors, and this regular maintenance can keep a vinyl floor shiny. If the flooring loses its luster and cleaning it doesn't bring back the sparkle, then you may have to remove wax that's accumulated, especially from some cleaning products. Removing built-up wax is a time-consuming, physically demanding task, but it may be your only choice to returning the shine to vinyl flooring.

Step 1

Pour club soda on a dull floor. Scrub it in and then let it sit for a few minutes. Wipe it dry. If this method doesn't work, move on to step 2.

Step 2

Combine half a cup of white vinegar to half a gallon of water. Mop this solution onto the vinyl floor, and then rinse with clean water. If this method doesn't return the flooring to its original shiny glory, move on to step 3.

Step 3

Make a wax remover by combining half a cup of ammonia, one cup of liquid laundry detergent and one gallon of warm water.

Step 4

Test the solution you made in step 3 on an inconspicuous spot of the vinyl floor. Apply a small amount of the solution to the test spot, and then wait several minutes to see if the wax starts to soften. If the wax doesn't soften, add another quarter of a cup of ammonia to the solution.

Step 5

Work on one section of the vinyl floor at a time. Apply the solution with a mop, wait for the wax to soften and then use a stiff brush to remove the wax. Continue until you've cleaned and scrubbed the entire floor.

Step 6

Rinse the floor thoroughly with clean, cool water and then let it dry.

Step 7

Apply a new coat of wax suitable for your type of vinyl floor. Follow the manufacturer's instructions.