Photo by Todd Trapani

Vinyl sports flooring is a perfect choice for gymnasium, volleyball, basketball and many more sports activities. The uniformity, shock absorption, and comfort that it offers to the athletes are unmatchable.

But sometimes due to dirt, sweat, and regular ups and downs it can damage the floor’s finishing and ultimately could affect athletes’ performance. That is why in order to keep the vinyl sports flooring of the arena unspoiled it is very important to keep a regular check on it.

Regular cleaning and maintenance are very important for durability and also for the attractive appearance of the flooring. Moreover, it not only helps the athlete to perform to their optimum level but also gives very appealing gameplay to the audience.

So, in an attempt to help you maintain or clean the vinyl sports flooring we have brought you this that will come in aid once you have learned the following ten cleaning tricks. Now, let us quickly dive into the main deal, shall we?

1: Preventive measures

The number one trick to clean the vinyl sports flooring is to prevent it from getting dirty in the first place. Most of the dirt, moisture and grit need to be cleaned from the surface that comes from streets.

The majority of the dirt can be kept out from the arena by installing an efficient dirt barrier of proper size. The audiences are not fully aware of what they can bring along with them that could damage the flooring. So, it is the duty of the cleaning staff to stop most of the unwanted particles at the front door!

Another thing that you want to make sure is that if there are cleaning carts for cleaning the floor, the wheels must be colorless and of high-quality rubber. This will protect the floor from scratches and discoloration.

A fresh installed vinyl sports flooring will need very basic cleaning like a vacuum, sweeping and removing debris from the surface. This brings us to the second point.

2: Cleaning the floor regularly

This is by far the most important trick that could save the quality of the floor and perform its best. Vinyl sports flooring can be easily maintained by often sweeping the surface even when it is kept idle.

Like mentioned before, small dust and dirt particles can scratch and damage the flooring that is why a soft and smooth bristle broom for sweeping is a perfect choice to clean and keep the floor away from any sort of damage.

3: Mop the floor once a week

Moping the vinyl sports flooring can be done on a weekly basis or if the floor has become really dirty. But, after an intense game, the floor may demand moping which should not be ignored. It keeps the scratches away, sanitizes the floor and makes the floor look their best.

There are many vinyl cleaning solutions out in the market, but not all of those solutions will give you the results you want. In order to mop the floor properly, you need the right solutions.

4: Choosing the right cleaning solution

The best cleaning solution for vinyl sports flooring is apple cider vinegar which you can easily find in the market. It is a perfect choice because the acidity in vinegar does not leave any buildup of soap or wax and very smoothly cleans the surface removing all the grime and dirt.

5: Choosing the right vacuum

Vinyl sports flooring looks shiny and is very functional, but it needs proper care in order to last for a longer period of time. The vacuum can come on aid to make it look shiny by picking up debris from the surface.

However, choosing the right vacuum is the key here, vacuum with beater bars are not meant for vinyl floor. If you are using a vacuum cleaner make sure to turn the beater bar off to avoid scratches.

6: Removing the stains gently

Stains in the sports flooring are common because of harsh traffic, sweat and blood stains (sometimes) but fortunately they can be removed from the surface. The point however, is that it must be removed with a proper cleaning agent like baking soda and alcohol.

These cleaning agents are very effective on the stains, just apply it over the stain and rub it gently with the help of soft cloth until it is removed. Avoid metal scrubber no matter how stubborn the stains are, sooner or later they will be removed but using a harsh scrubber can scratch and spoil the floor.

7: Do NOT use wax

Using wax products on the vinyl sports flooring can have a very negative impact over years. It can discolor the floor by causing stains and also it can trap extra dirt.

NOTE: If you ever find that your floor is getting discolored or losing its shine, make sure that soap buildup is not occurring. You can prevent further damages by rinsing and cleaning the floor properly.

8: Rinse

Mopping is the stage that should come after properly cleaning the floor with soap or other cleaning products. After this stage you can rinse the surface with the help of freshwater.

Yes, mopping can be a good trick to clean but to avoid soap buildup, rinsing the surface will come in great help.

9: Avoid the use of steam

Using steam mops can be very beneficial for other flooring but using it on vinyl sports flooring can potentially damage the flooring.

The heat coming out from the steam machine can wrap the insides of the flooring and damage its overall look and functionality.

10: Do not drench your vinyl sports flooring

Even a 100% waterproof vinyl flooring can be damaged due to drenching. When water is excessively used to clean the vinyl flooring, the glue bond that holds the material gets weaker which causes cracks and damages the flooring.
That is why it is advisable to avoid drenching the vinyl sports flooring.

Summary

Vinyl flooring is very difficult to be repaired once damaged, that is why to prevent the damages in the first place you need to properly take care of the flooring.

You can do it by following these ten tricks that we have mentioned for you in this article. Go through each of these points to clean your vinyl sports flooring. Good Luck!