How to remove scratches from LVT flooring

LVT flooring is made in such a way, with hard wearing layers, that it’s classed as scratch resistant and low maintenance; that’s why it’s such a great choice when it comes to choosing new flooring for your home or business. While light scratching won’t usually be noticeable, as with any flooring, accidents or insufficient maintenance, or just plain bad luck, all have the potential to cause deeper, more noticeable scratches which you will want to fix.

Depending on the depth of the scratches on the surface of your LVT floor, the method of repairing vinyl flooring is different.

Very fine scratches will usually be barely noticeable and can be caused by everyday things like soiled shoes or pets bringing fine grit or sand onto the floor. These fine scratches can be straightforward to remove from LVT flooring, especially if dealt with quickly and the possible causes identified.

The best way to treat these fine scratches is to clean the floor and coat it with the Protect solution in the Harvey Maria FloorSpa kit. The solution not only prevents fine scratching but also helps fill the finest scratch making them miraculously disappear.

To remove any deeper, more noticeable scratching from your luxury vinyl flooring then it’s worth considering a vinyl tile scratch repair kit; there are many available including the Dr Schutz ScratchFix repair set which has been tested for use on LVT floors. As with any repair work, we recommend testing on a small area first and reading the instructions carefully to make sure you’re following the steps correctly.

We always recommend giving your floor a clean to remove debris or dirt before making a start on scratch removal; this will make any scratch marks easier to see.

Whilst luxury vinyl flooring is durable and robust, deep scuffs and gouges that show up on your LVT may be harder to repair. While most scuffing will be superficial and easily removed by using the Scrub solution in the FloorSpa care kit, more significant damage from deeper gouges can be caused by dragging heavy furniture across the floor or dropping something that’s particularly heavy onto your tiles, and can be harder to resolve.

Deep gouges may be treatable with a scratch repair kit, but if they are harder to repair then it can sometimes be simpler to replace the damaged tile.

These are some of the most common causes of scratches on LVT flooring:

• Heavy furniture being dragged or improperly placed
• Dirt and debris from the outside, especially sharp stones and gravel
• Sharp objects such as toys or untrimmed pets nails
• Damaged or unsuitable vacuum cleaners

Although LVT flooring is generally scratch resistant and incredibly durable, extra steps can be taken to reduce the risk of scratches on your vinyl flooring. Here are top tips on how to prevent scratches on your luxury vinyl tiles:

• Sweep your vinyl flooring regularly – ensuring the floor is kept clean and maintained well will lessen the chances of any long-term scratching taking place. The Protect solution will also give your flooring that extra bit of protection against light scratching and scuff marks. Read more on how to clean and protect your vinyl flooring here.
• Using mats both inside and outside – positioning good quality doormats at entrance ways will prevent most dirt and debris coming into contact with your LVT floor. Outdoor mats will trap most of the serious debris and should be regularly bashed or brushed clean, and indoor mats will capture smaller items – choosing machine washable indoor mats, such as Turtlemats, is always a sensible idea.
• Use furniture pads – using furniture protectors or furniture sliders will mean there’s less chance for heavy objects to scratch or gouge to your LVT flooring. A selection of furniture pads are included in the Harvey Maria FloorSpa kit available here.
• For busy areas, high traffic commercial spaces, where a cleaning regime is harder to maintain or any areas particularly susceptible to damage from scratching, then it is advisable to protect the floor from day one with a permanent LVT floor hard sealer such as Dr Schutz PU Anitcolor.

LVT flooring is a fabulous choice if you’re looking for a stunning floor that’s also low maintenance, easy to clean and durable. Whilst the tough surface of luxury vinyl tiles means they’re resistant to scratching, there will be occasions when scratching may occur and so we hope this guide helps when it comes to how to repair your vinyl flooring. You can read more about our range of LVT floors here.