Cleaning Armstrong Alterna Floor

14 years ago

We had an Alterna floor installed two weeks ago in our kitchen and family room which is being remodeled. It's a beautiful floor. Although Armstrong's installation instructions and website discuss many "don'ts" for cleaning Alterna, there's no mention of steam mops at all. The steam mop is helpful in our situation because of family allergies to many cleaning products.

I just talked with Emily at Armstrong who said they "discourage" the use of a steam mop because "over time" the heat can break down the finish. There were a lot of hesitations in her answer. They only recommend their own products (of course), which is really no solution. . Good for Armstrong on designing a beautiful product, bad on them for not suggesting an "alterna" to their own products.

Can anyone share their cleaning experiences or recommendations with this product?

Featured Answer

jaxon898

8 years ago

I am in sales at a flooring store and always provide the following information to my customers:

Please don't use vinegar! It can take the finish off of your floor in time, as it is an acidic product. Bleach is also not good for residential floors. And both of these products can discolor the grout. Mr. Clean, dish soap, and such like are not a good idea either, (although they smell good:) They create a buildup after a while, which can make your floor feel somewhat sticky and it may seem like your flooring isn't cleaning as well. Armstrong has a no-rinse cleaner called Once 'n' Done which is a concentrate that you add to your bucket of water. They also have a product called New Beginning which you can use to strip your floor of any buildup it may have on it. If you like a bit of a sheen, or want your floor really shiny, they also have products for both. For a textured floor, try using a Vileda mop like the attached photo. They are a bit thicker, so it's easier to get into the grooves/pits of your floor. In regards to steam mops, you will likely void your flooring warranty in using them. If you need to use the steam mop, a cold steam would be better than hot. We have heard/seen of floors where the floor surface separated from the bottom or the floor changed color with using a hot steam mop. There is nothing wrong with washing your floor with just plain water either!

Good Luck!

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Comments (9)

Rosalie Wiechec
11 years ago
I too am looking for a product to use on my new alterna armstrong floor. Can you please help me?
S M
11 years ago
I read an article where Bob Vila said it was okay to use vinegar water to clean these tiles. I alternate plain water and vinegar water for my Alterna kitchen floor tiles which are over two years old. Here is a picture of a brand new tile and my floor tiles. The tile on the left is the new tile. Two angles for you to see. Good luck.
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cullenwr
10 years ago
We are having Armstrong's Alterna flooring being installed now and the guy putting it down said his family uses Heinz cleaning vinegar mixed with hot water. He said you don't want to saturate the floors with it; wring the mop out well before mopping.
Brenda G
8 years ago
How do you like your floor? Is it holding up and has cleaning it with vinegar worked?
Nancy Shehata
8 years ago
I love its look but hate cleaning it. There are little pits that add to the appearance, but get dirt stuck in them. It take a scrub brush to remove!
David Fransko
5 years ago
I will add to this. I’ve used Once and Done in the spray bottle for about a year. Do NOT do this either! Their own product will build up on the flooring and actually trap dirt underneath it. Will also make the floor sticky. I was advised to only use Once and Done concentrate missed with warm water.
Celine Cook
2 years ago
Loved this floor until the first time I had to mop it. The Once and Done is a joke and does feel sticky. And it is INCREDIBLY HARD to get the grout clean!! The rep said to use vinegar and we do it on our hands and knees with a toothbrush for hours. It will look good for a couple hours and then its gone. Wish I had never heard of this flooring!
Celine Cook
2 years ago
Loved this floor until the first time I had to mop it. The Once and Done is a joke and does feel sticky. And it is INCREDIBLY HARD to get the grout clean!! The rep said to use vinegar and we do it on our hands and knees with a toothbrush for hours. It will look good for a couple hours and then its gone. Wish I had never heard of this flooring!