A dishwashing soap like Dawn is the best way to clean vinyl plank flooring because it will cut grime and grease without stripping your floors or damaging the wear layer.
Ordinary soap should suffice if you don't have vinyl wrap soap on hand. Since most soaps are pH neutral, they should be safe to use. You can also use diluted, mild dishwashing liquid as car soap.
Jomax + bleach is the best combo you can use on vinyl. You can buy the Jomax at walmart, home depot, lowes, etc. No pressure washer needed. Spray from bottom to top to avoid streaking, let sit a few minutes and rinse off.
Abrasive scrubbers: Steel wool, hard-bristle brushes, and other abrasive scrubbers can scratch vinyl records.
Vinyl is incredibly inert so neither water or soap will harm it. Rinse in clean water and dry off with a flat folded absorbent kitchen towel along the grooves and wipe with soft cloth and iso to force out any remaining liquid and remove any chance of carbonate build up in the groove.
A dishwashing soap like Dawn is the best way to clean vinyl plank flooring because it will cut grime and grease without stripping your floors or damaging the wear layer. Mix about an ounce of Dawn dish detergent with a gallon of warm (not hot) water for the best results in loosening filth from your floors.
Isopropyl alcohol, however, is a popular ingredient in many DIY record-cleaning fluids. Mixing 1/4 of isopropyl alcohol, 3/4 of distilled water and a few drops of Rinse Aid is a safer solution with few drawbacks.
Easily the best way to deep clean a vinyl record is to use a special record cleaner. These vacuum-powered devices are made especially for cleaning vinyl old and new. They work by sucking up the dirt and dust that have settled in the grooves while maintaining a low pressure to protect your prized hits.
Apple cider or even white vinegar are great natural cleaners for vinyl flooring. To create your cleaning solution, mix one cup of vinegar with a gallon of very warm water. Use this for mopping in place of a commercial cleaning solution. To clean up stains, consider creating a baking soda paste.
Cleaning Vinyl Records the Wrong Way
Don't use harsh chemicals like bleach, Windex, or rubbing alcohol. While some people suggest alcohol as a drying agent, it's risky because it can strip away the protective coating on your records, causing irreversible damage.
Pine-Sol is also safe for luxury vinyl wood plank flooring and vinyl tile flooring, so long as used with a dry mop and you do not saturate the floors.
Squeaky Cleaner, COREtec Clean Spray, and Bona Pro are great for the kitchen, bathroom, hallway, and any other room in your home. They're ideal for vinyl floors and work on a variety of hard surfaces. You can order a single 32 oz. bottle or gallon of concentrate.
Well, Murphy Oil Soap does well with vinyl siding because, though mild, it is strong enough to clean dirt or grime yet very safe for the surface. Combine 1/4 cup of Murphy Oil Soap per gallon of water to make a cleaning solution.
Dish soap or laundry soap mixed with warm water are efficient at cleaning your siding. Oxygenated non-chlorine bleach like Oxy-Clean or a natural cleaning solution like Simple Green are both environmentally kind choices. And plain old white vinegar is great for stubborn mold spots.
Using harsh or abrasive cleaning methods on vinyl records can cause irreparable damage. Methods such as scrubbing with rough brushes, abrasive cleaning pads, or using harsh chemicals can scratch or gouge the record's playing surface.
Only hold the vinyl record at its outer edges, thereby avoiding the possibility of your body oils transferring onto the vinyl's surface. If you touch the record's surface, you increase the risk of getting dirt on the record and damaging it unnecessarily.
Best Practices for Cleaning Records
Dish soap or baby shampoo are commonly recommended. Distilled water: Use distilled water to avoid minerals present in tap water, which could leave deposits on the record. Soft brush or cloth: Apply the soap and water mixture with a soft brush or lint-free cloth.
Wipe gently.
Remove all dust and static using a microfiber cloth, using very little pressure to avoid driving any particles further into the grooves in the vinyl. Your goal is to pick up larger dust and dirt particles on the record without damaging the surface.
DO NOT use All-Purpose or Multi-Purpose cleaners, detergents, abrasive cleaners or “mop and shine” type products (such as Bleach, Pine-Sol, Clorox Soft Scrub, Fabuloso, Rejuvenate, Mop & Glo, Mr. Clean, Murphy's Oil Soap and similar, unapproved cleaners), as they will dull the finish and sheen of the flooring material.
Well diluted Isopropyl alcohol has been used for decades for professional cleaning of vinyl. Alcohol is an effective cleaner used by tens of thousands of vinyl lovers.
To clean your vinyl records, grab a microfiber cleaning cloth to remove the dust and static from the record. Next, dampen a clean microfiber cloth (preferably with distilled water) and lightly wipe the record surface in a circular motion — but steer clear of the middle of the record.