Can You Use Pine Solution for Vinyl Flooring? (Answered!)
Vinyl plank flooring is renowned globally as one of the most durable and water-resistant floors you can install in your home. Although vinyl plank flooring is water-resistant and durable, it must be well maintained to last longer.
Taking care of your vinyl plank flooring involves cleaning it with the correct detergent. Using the wrong detergent may ruin the waxy, shiny surface of your vinyl plank flooring and make it discolored, making it awkward.
Vinyl plank flooring has a waxy, shiny surface that makes it beautiful. However, vinyl plank flooring is quite sensitive, and the solution you use in cleaning it may affect its beauty and lifetime. Because of this, most people with vinyl plank flooring constantly question if they can use pine solutions for vinyl flooring.
The answer to this question is that you can safely apply pine solutions to your vinyl plank flooring. Pine solutions are one of the most effective items you can use to clean your vinyl plank flooring. Also, it has unique properties that can simultaneously eliminate stubborn dirt and germs from various surfaces, including vinyl plank flooring.
When using pine solution, there is a certain way to apply it, otherwise, it might damage your luxury vinyl floor. Before I describe how to apply pine solution to floors, I want to tell you what ingredients are used in pine solution. Â
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Table of Contents
How is the Pine Solution Formulated?
Pine solution formulation can safely be used on vinyl plank flooring as a cleaner or disinfectant. The formulation or key ingredient in pile solutions that make it an excellent cleaner and detergent for your vinyl flooring include the following: –
- Propylheptyl ethers and Alcohol ethoxylated: You may have stubborn oil and grease-based dirt on your vinyl plank flooring. This ingredient helps cut through the stubborn oil and grease-based dirt on your vinyl plank flooring, making it easy to clean.
- Glycolic acid: You may have faded spots, mineral scale residue, and soap scum on your vinyl plank flooring surface. This ingredient in pine solution is an anti-microbial agent that will help get rid of faded spots, soap scum, and mineral scale residue, plus many more, leaving your vinyl plank flooring safe and with a remarkable appearance.
When using pine solution on your vinyl plank flooring, you shouldn’t mix it with bleach-based cleaners or other commercial cleaners because it may emit hazardous gases in the process due to the reaction between pine solution ingredients and the secondary cleaners (commercial cleaners or bleach-based cleaners).
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How to Apply Pine Solution for Vinyl Flooring?

To effectively clean up, disinfect, and deodorize your vinyl plank flooring with pine solution, you’ll need to follow a proper procedure. This will enable you to maintain a healthy and shiny appearance. The procedure is as follows: Â
Wear The Appropriate Protective Gear
Pine solution contains a formulation that might not be safe for your skin. Therefore, when using pine solution on your vinyl plank flooring, you should avoid direct contact with it by putting on the necessary safety gear. When pine solution directly interacts with your skin, you may have mild skin irritation.
Therefore, you will need to wear hand gloves and long-sleeved overalls to avoid direct contact with this fluid when using it on your vinyl plank flooring. Moreover, hazardous gases, especially pine solution and other vinyl floor cleaners, may be emitted to eliminate tough stains and dirt.
On such occasions, you should consider opening all the windows in the room and wearing a respirator mask to minimize inhaling the gases that can cause respiratory complications.
Sweep The Vinyl Floor
It makes sense to remove surface dirt, dust, and debris via sweeping. Doing this will make cleaning your vinyl plank flooring using a pine solution easier.
Additionally, sweeping will help eliminate debris that may scratch the surface of your vinyl plank flooring while cleaning. You can also use a vacuum or dry mop to eliminate debris, dust, and dirt.
Mix The Solution
Take a large bucket and mix a quarter cupful of pine solution with one gallon of water. You should just apply the right amount since your vinyl plank flooring may become sticky if you apply too much pine solution.
However, you can use the pine solution in its concentrated state to eliminate bacteria and viruses from your vinyl plank flooring surfaces. If you use the pine solutions as per the manufacturer’s guidelines, it will be able to kill up to 99.9% of germs, bacteria, and viruses.
Get To Mopping
Take a mop into the large bucket with the solution and start mopping your floor. It will help remove dirt from the waxy, shiny surface of your vinyl plank flooring and restore it to its original state.
Saturating pine solution directly on your vinyl plank floor is not recommended, even though the floor features excellent moisture resistance. The solution may get to the subfloor and trigger moisture damage issues.
Rinse Your Vinyl Plank Floor with Water
After mopping your vinyl plank floor with pine solution, you should immediately rinse it with clean water to prevent any buildup. To prevent moisture from seeping into the cracks on your vinyl plank flooring and reduce the risk of falls, you should immediately dry your floor using a soft towel.
What Chemicals Should You Avoid Using on Your Vinyl Plank Flooring?
Not every cleaning solution is suitable for vinyl plank flooring despite being durable and resistant to water. Here are the cleaning solutions that you should never use on your vinyl plank flooring: –
- Ammonia: Do not use ammonia as it will discolor the surface, etch into the finish, and remove the sheen of the vinyl. Despite its harmless nature, flooring manufacturers advise against using it in earth-friendly cleaning mixtures.
- Abrasives: It is advisable to avoid using bleach or abrasive cleaners on vinyl floors with a shiny finish. Surfaces will likely lose their shine if they are exposed to these substances. Instead, use vinegar or a specialized cleaner to clean vinyl floors.
- Wax: Using wax on vinyl plank flooring may damage it since it already has a coating over each plank that makes it shine and seals against moisture and damage. By applying wax or products containing wax, you will either destroy the vinyl coating or make a huge mess by sliding it around.
- Rubber Pads: Due to their reaction with vinyl, rubber pads will permanently stain your luxury vinyl plank flooring yellow.
To Conclude
You can indeed apply pine solution to your vinyl plank flooring. However, there are a few steps you should follow to get the most effective results. Additionally, it would be wise if you didn’t use pine solution with other chemicals on vinyl plank flooring.
If you have to use them together, you must wear a mask and open the windows to avoid respiratory complications. Further, you need to wear skin-protective gear to prevent pine solutions from getting into direct contact with your skin since it may cause mild skin irritation.
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