The phrase “no-wax floor” describes vinyl surfaces to which a clear, tough acrylic or urethane finish has been applied by the manufacturer. Such floors can be installed as sheets or tiles. They can remain true no-wax surfaces for many years, but only under the best of conditions – no shoes, no kids, no big dogs, and little foot traffic. That’s not likely in the kitchen, where many no-wax floors have been installed because of their durability.

 

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The sealer will become scratched and dull after a few years of typical foot traffic. Applying a floor polish will restore a uniform shine, but only after the vinyl floor has been thoroughly cleaned and rinsed. Otherwise, you’ll just seal in stubborn dirt and/or cleaner residue under the floor finish.

 

Start by sweeping, dust mopping or vacuuming the floor to remove dust and debris.

 

Then damp-mop to remove soil as well as the residue of past cleaning and polishing. Choose a no-rinse floor cleaner, mop the product onto the floor (following label instructions), and rinse clean, picking up the rinse water with a clean mop. You may want to clean up dirt and residue along edges and in corners by hand. Inspect the floor closely; run a damp white cloth or paper towel across the surface to ensure it's really clean. Repeat the cleaning process until the floor is clean.

 

Now, you can apply a floor polish to add a protective sealant to the floor’s surface that will keep dirt off the floor surface and speed future cleanings. Choose a product suitable for the type of floor you have, and follow label directions when applying the finish. Old-style floor waxes that require buffing are a lot of work, particularly on large floors. For ease of application, choose a non-buffable wax such as Top Gloss, or a clear acrylic floor polish such as Duraplus, Enhance, Future, Glaze N Seal, and other brand names.

 

Reference:

 

Don Aslett in The Cleaning Encyclopedia: Your A to Z Illustrated Guide to Cleaning Like the Pro.