There are many laminate cleaners out there and looking at the reviews, you get confused about which one to pick, not to mention the homemade solution made up with vinegar and water but it did not work for me.. so to try to treat this cloudy wear on the finish I see laminate cleaners like Zep, Black Diamond, ProCare, Quick Shine, Bruce, Bona and Rejuvenate among others.. and I don't know which one to pick.. they all have good and bad reviews... some flooring professionals recommend laminate (neutral) cleaners... Any recommendations?

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Please try the Citrus Cleaner. Read the previous posts. You can find the product on Amazon and read the reviews. That’s the only cleaner I can use.

What makes Citrus Cleaner better and special than the others, since all you talk about in this thread is your infamous citrus cleaner?

The reason I write about it is because it really works, and it hurts me to think that there are people out there who are struggling with their floors and are desperate. I want to help that’s all and that’s why I write about it. Since it bothers you, I won’t write about the Citrus Cleaner anymore on this post. You can read about it yourself on Amazon. It is the only product I can use on my floor. The reason it is different is that it doesn’t leave smudges or streaks. It dries quickly and you can walk on it and it doesn’t leave footprints or paw prints. All I did was recommend the product. You can order it and try it for yourself. If it works for you, that’s great. If not, you might have too much residue on your floor or your LVP may have some damage or other issues.

Natalie, i’m curious how often do you end up mopping your floor with the cleaner? do you use it for spot cleans only or deep cleaning as well?

Hi Natalie, tried the citrus cleaner, but even after multiple mop downs, it only removed some smudges on my Cortex LVP (with a textured matte surface). I did some more research, and discovered that people used ammonia free Windex to remove the residue left behind by the Bona solution that I had been using. Tried it and was shocked by the disgusting black filth that came off on the white cloth that I was using with the ammonia free Windex, followed by a plain water rinse wipe down. I ended up using multiple white cloths (old tees) to continue removing the terrible dirty Bona residue, because they all got so filthy. The smudges are all gone, and have not returned after a week. My floor finally looks clean again! I will follow up using the citrus cleaner for regular mopping and see how that works out.

I am so very frustrated with my new flooring. $8000.00 and can't get a spot off. We stopped laying down after 2/3rd's of my kitchen and complained to where we purchased it. My husband actually brought back to show him a tile with his foot print on it after taking a shower and with his sock on. They sent this tile back to Cortec and made a decision to allow us to pick out another Cortec product. The dog licks the floor and I can't get it off. Any water spills, marks etc. when washed only accentuate and shine. I am so disgusted with Cortec by Shaw. I called the company in Georgia and coincidentally my colour has been discontinued until January. Is that because there is no finish on it and it needs to be redesigned. Thank god my husband found this thread because I keep being told by our flooring company that they've never heard of anyone having this problem before. Wow, according to this thread they are full of crap. I am not looking for any ideas on how to keep this floor clean. I am done with it before we finish laying it down. What I would like to know is has anyone found any success, or can offer any suggestions on how to have the manufacturer or Shaw replace these floors. They have offered us to pick out another Cortec product. Ya right, I am not purchasing anymore of their "high end" flooring. Any suggestions as well for a flooring that doesn't have these problems. I did not do a giant kitchen reno after waiting 30 years to put a flooring in that can not be kept clean. Glad to know it is not just as as our supplier told us. HELP!!

I’m very sorry that you are having this problem with flooring. I do like my floor a lot. It is Tarkett Pro Gen luxury vinyl. It comes in many colors. So far, I haven’t had any problems with it. When I first got it, I used Bona and realized it was leaving streaks. I used plain water to remove the construction dust. I then ordered the Citrus Cleaner and everything has been fine ever since. Sometimes after my dog pees, he may have a tiny dribble fall off onto the floor. I might not see it until several days later. I wipe it off with the cleaner, and it’s gone.

Sandra Hanna, Hi. I use the cleaner once a week for all the flooring and it cleans very well. I use it for small spot cleans and or all over clean. I use a large fiber mop and my floors look very good.

My biggest complaint regarding my LVP is water spotting especially in the kitchen and the fact that if I move furniture across it when wet.....then there are marks. Footprints are not an issue. As many of you have mentioned these spots and marks seem to be here to stay. I have used only Rejuvenate since we had it laid two years ago. Like all of you I'm frustrated and have no idea which suggestion to try going forward. I like my floors clean and plain water doesn't appeal to me. The flooring is dark brown and the water spots really show up. So annoying considering the cost of the flooring and the fact that it should be easy care. I'd love to get rid of the spots and marks ad start over. I'm ready to haul out the Murphy's Oil Soap!

Do NOT use Murphy's. It will leave a film that will take forever to get off. And you will really have footprints.

No Murphys oil, or you will have even more problems. I wouldnt use rejuvenate either. You are building up film on the floor. Mix a few drops of dawn in a water bottle, and spray it on, when you mop the floor. It will take several washings, to remove all the stuff you have already put on there. Also, you never move furniture etc on a wet floor, regardless of what the floor is made of.

OMGosh. I have finally found some folks driven as crazy by their flooring as me! Our floor was placed in September. I’ve only cleaned it a few times, I’m hesitant to because nothing has worked and I’m disgusted and depressed by it. Now, do vaccuum it. I’m just talking about the mopping. $5,000+. : (

At first, I used diluted Simple Green. Nope. Then, I tried Bruce’s which was recommended to me by the supplier. Nope. Before moving forward, I asked a group of neighbors if they has suggestions. One of them has a sister with a cleaning company and reached out to her for me. The reply I received a week later was a suggestion to try a product called OdoBan. I was pleased initially but then the prints came back. HOWEVER, I just remembered that a lady that cleans for us (once a month) was the last to clean and used her own product! I’ll mop the floors with the OdoBan again and see if I have success again and update you all!

Please let us know how it works.

I just bought a condo and replaced all the flooring with the waterproof vinyl in a light grey color. My last place had dark grey with deep grooves and scratches, and I blamed those for holding on to dirt when I was unable to get my floors clean. I was certain that the brand new, smoother floors would not have that problem, and I felt safe getting a lighter color.

I can sweep, vacuum amd mop 3 times, but the first time I walk on the clean dry floor, my socks are filthy. There are spots that look like they were left by the workmen, but they don't come off. I have to get on my hands and knees too scrub little black spots that won't come off with a mop and a good deal of elbow grease. This is ridiculous! I have had white tile floors that stayed clean, black ceramic tile floors that stayed clean, black carpet which didn't show evidence of my long haired dog and 2 cats, even white carpet that was easier to get clean and keep clean than these floors. I can't change the flooring in my whole place again. I am stuck with these floors. And I am overwhelmed with all the positive and negative reactions to all the suggestions here. Is there any concensus on the right approach? I will try a couple of things, but I feel like I am going to spend the rest of my life cleaning my floors ... for nothing!

The OdoBan works!

I wrote a nice note but HOUZZ said there was an error and it’s gone! Ugh. I’m not doing it again but if you have specific questions for me I’ll try to answer them. good luck, All!

I see several types of odoban. Which one did you use?

I think there’s a concentrate that you can dilute if that is more cost effective. Think I’ll try it next time now that I know it works. Good Luck! 🍀 🙂

OdoBan Ready-to-Use Luxury Vinyl Floor Cleaner, Streak Free and Neutral PH Formula, 1 Gallon, Scentless

Thank you!!

You’re very welcome! Really hope there’s an answer to everyone’s floor smudging, etc. I found mine. feel bad that so many of you have struggled for so long with this. Only 4 months and I was ready to pull my hair out!

Please let me know how it works for you, if you wouldn’t mind. I am curious. I wonder how it will do on a floor that has so many others things on it - if it’ll do it in one mopping or a few. The one thing I did not note on the message that got deleted/errored is that when you work with it it’s kind of like painting, it’s best to keep a wet edge. It’s barely noticeable but you can tell where one section dried before another.

Four years of footprints in a brand new house. I'll try anything!!!

Is your floor dark or light colored?

It is a med reddish oak color. I'm so sick of the footprints.....4 years of this.

I have been following this thread for a while, as I have also been super frustrated by my LVP floors. We replaced all of the flooring on our entire main floor of our home with LVP when we moved in, fall of 2022. It was a big, expensive project and I was feeling so disgusted by the smudges that were constantly showing up and dulling the surface of my floors, which are medium

brown and slightly textured. I was using a spin mop and tried every pH neutral floor cleaner approved for LVP floors. I made complaints to the flooring company, and they sent an inspector out to our home. He couldn’t figure out what the problem was, decided they were defective and I actually have been approved to have my floors replaced for free. But, I have to install the same flooring and so of course I’m worried it will happen again- not to mention the hassle of having them all torn out and replaced again.

I read the posts on here about using ammonia free Windex and the Pro Care Citrus floor cleaner and on a whim, thought I’d give it a try. I’m here to say- IT WORKS!

I spent a Saturday morning scrubbing my floors by hand, being sure to scrub with the grain in my floors so that the dirt doesnt get stuck in the grain. I sprayed with the Pro Care citrus cleaner first, wiped it clean, and then followed with the ammonia free windex diluted in water to be really sure I got off all of the old residue from the previous cleaners I had used. Then, I towel dried my floors. ALL of the smudges came off. It was unreal. I couldnt believe it. Now, for maintenance, once a week I use a microfiber mop that I use to scrub my floors with grain after I spray on the citrus cleaner. I’m so glad I dont have to go through the hassle of having my floors replaced. My floors arent defective, they were just covered with residue from the other floor cleaners.

To whoever suggested the Pro Care- THANK YOU!!

Denise - How‘d it go?

You're back? Ugh.....your insulting comments don't help any of us.

I tried the Odoban cleaner and my floors look very clean. I'll see tomorrow if there are any new footprints!

Yay!

Did you use the Citrus stuff? Which do you think works better?

Tried the citrus cleaner. Liked Odoban better.

Thanks for replying. I think the main issue for me is just that these type of floors show dirt quicker than the old tile I had. They need cleaned more often.

I’m very happy that the citrus cleaner and the Odoban cleaner are helping others. I use the Pro Care citrus cleaner but will also try the Odoban too. It’s always nice to have several options in case one of them gets discontinued.

I have found that Magic Eraser works well for marks on flooring. Just got it a little wet and scrub. The cloudiness is crazy, and I don't understand a flooring company not testing it out before selling.

Two days after using Odoban, the footprints are back. UGH!! Four years of fighting with these floors.

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Ugh. Sorry Denise. I do think these floors show dirt so much faster than my old 12x12 white tile did.

I started having the same problem. My floors were installed in May 2023 and previously used Fabuloso with some vinigar and sometimes alcohol. i also used the steamer once in a while.

i will use your advise and see if it works. I uave luxury Spc flooring

Can you please share what previous cleaners left the residue? Need to know what NOT to use on my SPC floors. I currently just use Fabuloso mixed with water,and a microfiber spin mop. They come clean pretty easily, but they do show footprints and dirt easily. I would like to try Quickshine.

I have decided to see if plain hot water can do the job just as well as any cleaner. It seems to. I was starting to feel that the Odoban by itself maybe wasn’t getting the sticky stuff as well as I wanted. That led me to think I wasn’t getting all the germs. That’s why I thought really hot water might do that. I do want to put some Odoban over it after the water has dried next time to see if it helps with shine. However, my sale sales person did tell me that mine weren’t made to be shiny as wood isn’t necessarily shiny. I’m not sure why but I think these floors, even without the footprint issue, simply show the dirt really fast.

I have the Home Depot Lifeproof LPV being put down now. It is a beautiful chevron design in light color wood grain. We are half way though and I want to rip it out. It looks gorgeous and that is the only good thing. The fake wood grooves hold dust and grit. I vacuumed, swept, swiffered mopped and mopped again and finally on hands and knees washed and dried the floor and if you run a hand over it there is still dust and grit. Also, I kept hearing about the good sound quality in a room compared to other hard floors and that it was not as cold as tile. BS on that too. I gave the installers a day off on a Friday hoping I would feel better about it in a few days. Nope. I feel like a fool. I spent almost $10,000 and even though it is gorgeous, I hate how cold it is and the grit just will not go away. I am in such a quandary. It was very difficult to prep the house for the installation. While it would be financially foolish, it may be better to ditch it now. Very said here in Colorado.

I’m sorry you hate it. It is gorgeous. Maybe once the initial grit and dirt are cleaned it will be easier to maintain??

Gail, the grit does go away. Particularly if they are cutting it in the house, there are particles in the air still settling out. Mine felt gritty at first but after several rounds of cleaning and time, it is fine now.

It is beautiful.

Thanks for the encouragement. I do not believe the grit is still installation grit. This floor has distinct rigids that define the wood design. I know other brands are more smooth. I am still leaning more towards ripping it out before it is done and going back to carpet. I have 8 cats and I thought a hard floor would be easier to keep with the fur and furballs. I wish it was not so beautiful, then it would be easier to say good bye. I did find a product that may help... Never Strip Floor Coatings. Their vinyl care product proports to make it easier to clean. But it won't help with the cold. Of course it is a very cold day here in CO.

If you want it gone, so be it. However my floor has the ridges too. The cut edges feel rough at first, they keep releasing tiny pieces for awhile. Between those things the initial grit is tenacious. However it does go away.

Similar thing happened with my hardwood in another house. However the lack of ridges makes the process quicker there.

I’m having the same problem. I chose my herringbone LVT for its grainy appearance and bevelled edge but all I see in certain lights is dirt and smudges. This was cleaned last night. It’s only half laid and I’m thinking of calling it and starting again with a different product. Anyone know of one that doesn’t do this?

I applied the product I mentioned previously, NeverStrip Vinyl Seal. My floor had a textured matte finish. the NeverStrip added a very nice satin sheen. it did not fill in the texture but it does not seem to hold on to the grit that we walk in daily. i dry mop at least every 2 days and pick up what I collect in a dust pan. It’s not what I would call easy care but much better than it was. I like the sheen much better than the matte look.

Id be going with timber or engineered timber. Ill never use a hybrid floor again

The manufacturer of my LVP floor told me to never use a steam cleaner, because it removes a protective barrier that protects the floor.

I had Progen Tarkett LVP installed. It’s very durable and easy to clean with the citrus cleaner.