Discover the everyday activities that can damage your floors

What Really Damages Your Floors? Everyday Habits That Can Ruin Wood, Laminate and Vinyl

Google ‘how to clean your floor’ – or actually don’t, because you’ll be confronted with a confusing array of contradictory advice, cleaning products and old wive’s tales. Each flooring type is different; vulnerable to different wear and tear, and should be cleaned, maintained and cared for in different ways. This blog is your myth-busting guide. As flooring experts, let Luvanto lead you through the proven best ways to prevent damage and care for every type of floor. 

The Hidden Causes of Floor Damage

Like everything in your home, floors are susceptible to the wear and tear that everyday life brings. Regular activities that people don’t think twice about. In the following paragraphs, you’ll discover how to prevent the most common types of damage to your flooring.

Can Furniture and Chairs Damage Your Floors?

In short, yes. Heavy furniture is a major cause of wear in localised areas and, unless you go without furniture, one that’s hard to avoid. Some pieces cause more damage to flooring than others, so we recommend choosing static chairs to help preserve your flooring. Rolling furniture, such as rocking or desk chairs, creates friction and pressure across a larger surface area, inflicting more harm.

• Do Office Chairs Damage Laminate Floors?

Office chairs wreak damage to every sort of floor due to the reasons listed above, and over time these chairs will mark or erode laminate. Standard office chair wheels scratch and scuff the laminate by grinding debris into it, so mitigate this by choosing soft-tread wheels instead of standard hard plastic or nylon casters.

Do Shoes Really Ruin Your Floors?

Shoes are an underestimated cause of damage to floors, especially shoes designed for impact or pressure like high heels or tap shoes. Let’s examine the main footwear culprits in more detail below.

• Do High Heels Damage Laminate Flooring?

With all of the wearer’s body weight concentrated on a tiny surface area, high heels, particularly stiletto heels, create extreme pressure. This can be up to 2,000 pounds per square inch – more pressure than an elephant! – and easily enough pressure to dent your laminate flooring. If heels are worn down to expose metal inserts, this causes even more destruction. Reduce the damage by wearing protective heel caps, block heels or placing rugs over your laminate in high traffic areas.

• Do Roller Skates Damage Wood Floors?

Modern roller skates distribute weight reasonably well, and clean, non-marking wheels will exert minimal damage to wooden floors – although rolling friction can wear away the varnish or wood finish over time. More damage occurs when wheels are covered in grit and scratch the flooring. It’s therefore best to mop/wipe the floors and ensure that roller wheels are clean before skating on wood.

• Do Tap Shoes Damage Wood Floors? 

The metal taps on tap dance shoes cause significant damage to wooden flooring, scratching and gouging the surface, particularly when the taps are worn out. Protection is better than cure here and we recommend bringing out a protective floor covering like a specialised mat or plywood to tap upon.

Can Cleaning Products Damage Your Floors?

Many well-intentioned cleaning habits cause long-term damage and using the wrong products is a potential hazard. In the next section, we’ll examine which agents enhance and/or harm flooring to reassure you that you’re caring for your floors correctly. 

• Does Bleach Damage Laminate Flooring? 

Bleach can severely and permanently damage your laminate by stripping its protective wear layer and causing colour fade or white stains. Laminate is porous under the top coat, meaning bleach can penetrate it and ruin the finish. For really stubborn stains on laminate, forget bleach and use gentler cleaning agents like diluted vinegar or a pH-neutral, laminate floor cleaner. 

• Does Bleach Damage Vinyl Flooring? 

Bleach can be used to clean vinyl flooring but when applied frequently or undiluted it risks eroding the protective layer of the vinyl, leading to permanent fading or discolouration. It’s far better to use a pH neutral-cleaner or a mixture of water and apple cider vinegar to clean your vinyl surface.  

• Does Acetone Damage Laminate Flooring? 

Acetone, a solvent found in nail polish remover and paint thinners, is used in certain cleaning fluids but it’s highly abrasive and shouldn’t be used on laminate flooring. If it melts or dissolves the surface’s protective layer it can cause permanent damage and white cloudy stains. Steer clear of acetone and instead use specialist laminate cleaning products to keep your flooring fresh.  

• Does Rubbing Alcohol Damage Vinyl Flooring?

Alcohol isn’t recommended as a means of cleaning vinyl. There’s a risk that when rubbed directly onto the vinyl it will strip the protective surface, making it brittle and prone to cracking. However, alcohol can be used effectively and safely on vinyl for removing small, isolated stains like make-up or marker pen. 

• Does Vinegar Damage Laminate Floors?

While it’s often cited as a safe means of freshening up laminate, there are minor dangers to cleaning with vinegar because of its acidity. It should never be used undiluted as it risks stripping away the laminate’s protective layer and creating long-term dulling. To protect your flooring, use vinegar only for the occasional deep clean and always water it down: 1 cup of white distilled vinegar per gallon of water. Never use vinegar on high-gloss, waxed or oil-treated laminate. 

Pet Accident, Spills and Moisture Damage

Animal accidents, water spills and prolonged moisture exposure affect wood, laminate and vinyl differently. Being 100% waterproof, vinyl is the most resilient to these and very popular for rooms with high moisture content like kitchens and bathrooms. Laminates and wood flooring may start to swell if spills are left for prolonged periods so we recommend cleaning up mess immediately. 

How to Prevent Everyday Floor Damage

Wear and tear is a part of daily life and floor damage will inevitably occur with time. If you’re serious about reducing damage to your flooring, follow these steps to ensure that anything incurred is unavoidable or minor: 

• Apply pads to the base of furniture legs to guard against scratches, scuffs and more pointed dents.
• Use coverings like mats and rugs to protect the flooring underneath, which can also act as a stylish addition to your interior colour scheme.
• Always choose the right cleaning methods and products for your flooring surface – treat it with care.
• High heels, tap shoes and roller skates will harm your floor. See our guides above on how small changes to the ways you wear these can help to minimise the damage. 

Why Luvanto Flooring is Designed for Real Life

Luvanto offers durable, low-maintenance yet stylish flooring solutions that withstand many of the issues above. Our timeless flooring is scratch-resistant, easy to clean, moisture resistant and suitable for busy, modern homes. It’s designed for life. 

Protect Your Floor for the Long Term

Floor damage is unavoidable so when picking out flooring for your space, make sure that you choose the type that best fits your lifestyle to resist the damage factors in your home. Explore our many elegant flooring solutions designed to handle real-world ups and downs and you’re bound to find the perfect flooring for you.