Installation & Maintenance
How to Clean Nordikka Flooring
How to Clean Nordikka Flooring: The Complete Aftercare and Maintenance Guide
Nordikka is one of the lowest-maintenance flooring options you can install — no sanding, no oiling, no annual refinishing. A consistent weekly cleaning routine and a few sensible protection habits will keep your floor looking as good in a decade as it does on day one. But “low maintenance” doesn’t mean “no maintenance.” Using the wrong cleaning product or fitting the wrong kind of furniture pad is the fastest way to dull the finish, void your warranty, or cause damage that didn’t need to happen.
This guide applies to every Nordikka range: Nordikka Living, Nordikka Original, Nordikka Select, Nordikka Click SPC, Tromso Herringbone LVT, and Bodo Herringbone SPC. The core aftercare routine is the same for all of them, with a few format-specific notes covered along the way.
Daily and Weekly Cleaning
The single most important thing you can do for a Nordikka floor is to keep grit off it. Fine dirt and sand particles act like sandpaper underfoot — they’re what cause the gradual dulling that most people blame on the floor itself rather than on maintenance. A quick sweep with a soft-bristle broom, or a vacuum pass every day or two, prevents this entirely.
If you’re using a vacuum cleaner, make sure it’s one designed for hard floors — without a rotating beater bar. Beater bars are fine on carpet but can scratch LVT and SPC wear layers over time. A stick vacuum on a hard-floor setting, a canister vacuum with a smooth-floor head, or a manual sweeper all work well.
Once a week, mop the floor with a pH-neutral, fragrance-free cleaner formulated for LVT flooring. We recommend Dr. Schutz products — they’re the cleaner range specifically recommended for Nordikka and they don’t leave the residue that generic household cleaners do. Dilute according to the bottle instructions and use a well-wrung damp mop. The floor should be damp, not wet — standing water on any vinyl floor is a bad idea.
Work in gentle S-shaped strokes rather than scrubbing back and forth. This lifts dirt off the surface rather than pushing it around. That’s the full weekly routine.
What Not to Use on Nordikka Flooring
This is where most people accidentally damage their floor. A lot of cleaning advice online is generic, and some of it is actively wrong for LVT and SPC. Here’s what to avoid.
Steam cleaners and steam mops. Do not use steam on any Nordikka product. The intense heat can warp the wear layer, compromise the adhesive bond on gluedown installations, and cause click joints on SPC formats to lift. Steam cleaning also voids the warranty. This applies even to “low steam” or “dry steam” products — if it produces steam, it’s not suitable.
Abrasive pads and steel wool. Anything designed to scrub will scratch the wear layer. Nordikka’s surface is tough but it’s not invincible. Keep scouring pads, wire wool and gritty cream cleaners away from it.
Wax polishes, oil-based treatments, and floor dressings. Nordikka has a factory-applied wear layer that doesn’t need polish on top. Wax builds up in layers, yellows over time, attracts dirt, and creates a surface that’s impossible to clean properly without stripping back. Using polish on Nordikka makes the floor look worse, not better.
Harsh chemicals. Undiluted bleach, ammonia-based cleaners, solvents, and strong acids will damage the wear layer. For pet accidents or stubborn stains where a disinfectant is genuinely needed, dilute heavily (one part bleach to ten parts water minimum) and rinse thoroughly with clean water immediately afterwards.
Washing-up liquid. It seems harmless, but standard washing-up liquid leaves a sticky residue that attracts dirt. Within a week your floor will look dirtier than before you cleaned it. Use a dedicated floor cleaner instead.
Oversaturation. Never leave standing water, puddles, or a wet mop soaked through. Water can work its way into joints, under skirting boards, and — on gluedown installations — weaken the adhesive bond.
Handling Spills and Stains
Wipe spills up as soon as they happen. The longer a spill sits, the more likely it is to stain, and on gluedown LVT specifically, prolonged standing liquid can weaken the adhesive underneath.
For most everyday spills — drinks, food, muddy shoes — a damp cloth and your usual pH-neutral floor cleaner is all you need. For more stubborn marks, use the specific treatments below.
| Type of Mark | Recommended Treatment |
|---|---|
| Food and drink stains | Clean with a damp cloth and pH-neutral cleaner. If the stain persists, apply a stronger diluted Dr. Schutz product following the bottle instructions. |
| Ink, paint, permanent marker | Gently rub with isopropyl alcohol on a soft cloth. Don’t soak the area — dab and lift. Rinse with clean water afterwards. |
| Grease or oil | Use a mild detergent, rinse thoroughly with clean water, and dry with a soft cloth. |
| Scuff marks and shoe prints | Buff with a damp cloth and mild vinyl floor cleaner. Most shoe scuffs come up with light pressure. |
| Stubborn marks | Use a diluted alcohol-based cleaner and gently rub with a soft sponge. Rinse with clean water to remove any residue. |
If you’re unsure about a specific stain, test your cleaning approach on an offcut or a discreet area (inside a cupboard, under a rug) before committing to a visible patch of floor.
Protecting Your Floor from Damage
Most Nordikka damage isn’t caused by cleaning — it’s caused by furniture, footwear and mats. Prevention is almost always easier than repair.
Lift, don’t drag. Always lift heavy furniture when moving it. Dragging chairs, tables, sofas or appliances across any LVT or SPC floor causes deep scratches and can damage click joints on floating floors. If you have to move something heavy, lift it with a partner or use furniture sliders rated for hard flooring.
Felt pads on every furniture leg. Fit felt pads to chair legs, table legs, bar stools, and anywhere else furniture contacts the floor. Replace them when they wear down — a worn-through felt pad is worse than no pad at all because the exposed screw or nail head will scratch the floor.
Castor cups for heavy items. Sofas, wardrobes, dressers and anything else with concentrated weight points need castor cups under the legs to distribute the load. Without them, heavy furniture can leave permanent compression marks in the wear layer.
Mats at every external entrance. Grit carried in on shoes is what dulls a floor over time. A good mat at each exterior door traps most of it before it reaches the main flooring. Use area rugs or runners in hallways and other high-traffic paths for additional protection.
Never use rubber-backed mats or rugs. This is specific to LVT and SPC. The chemicals in rubber backing can react with the wear layer and cause permanent discolouration or staining where the mat sits. Use non-rubber-backed mats only — natural rubber, latex-backed, and plastic-backed options are all unsuitable. Cotton, jute, felt and breathable synthetic backings are fine.
Environmental Conditions
Nordikka performs best when the room it’s in stays within stable temperature and humidity ranges. Large or rapid swings in either cause planks to expand and contract, which stresses click joints and adhesive bonds over time.
Temperature: Keep the room between 18°C and 27°C, with 20°C to 22°C being ideal. Avoid situations where the temperature can swing dramatically overnight — an unheated conservatory in winter, for example, is a difficult environment for any LVT or SPC floor.
Humidity: Maintain relative humidity between 35% and 65%. If you live somewhere damp or you run heavy heating in winter, a humidifier or dehumidifier helps stabilise the indoor environment.
Direct sunlight: UV exposure over long periods can cause LVT and SPC to fade or expand unevenly where the sun hits the floor. Use blinds, curtains or UV-filtering window films in rooms with large south-facing windows, patio doors or bi-fold doors. This matters especially in the first few weeks after installation, when the planks are still settling into their permanent position.
Pet and Footwear Considerations
Nordikka’s wear layer is genuinely scratch-resistant, but it’s not scratch-proof. A few simple habits keep pets and shoes from doing damage.
Trim pet nails regularly. Dog claws in particular can leave visible scuff marks on LVT if they’re allowed to grow long — a monthly trim keeps this in check. Cats tend to cause less damage on a hard floor because they don’t get the same claw grip as on carpet.
Avoid walking on the floor in high heels, stiletto heels, cleats, or studded shoes. Spike heels concentrate body weight onto a tiny surface area and can leave permanent dents even in SPC. If you wear heels regularly, consider a “no outdoor shoes” rule inside the house, or at least a solid doormat policy.
Encourage soft-soled indoor shoes for everyone. Slippers, trainers and flat soles are fine; metal-tipped dress shoes, steel-studded work boots and anything with external grip ridges will mark the floor over time.
Post-Installation Guidelines: The First Few Weeks
How you treat a Nordikka floor in the first 2–4 weeks after installation affects how it performs for the rest of its life. A few specific rules apply only during this window.
Gluedown installations: Let the adhesive fully cure before mopping or moving heavy furniture back into the room. Cure time varies by adhesive — follow the manufacturer’s guidance, typically 24 to 48 hours. See our Nordikka LVT gluedown installation guide for more on adhesive selection and cure times.
Click SPC and click herringbone: SPC planks are walkable immediately, but give the floor 24 hours of stable conditions before heavy use. See our Nordikka Click SPC installation guide and Bodo herringbone fitting guide for the relevant installation detail.
All formats: Get door mats down immediately after installation. The first few weeks are when the floor is still settling and most vulnerable to grit damage. Mat every entrance from day one.
Protecting Your Warranty
Following this aftercare routine isn’t just about appearance — it protects your Nordikka warranty. To keep warranty coverage intact, the manufacturer expects you to:
Keep a record of your purchase invoice and installation date. If you ever need to make a warranty claim, you’ll need to show when and where the floor was bought and when it was installed.
Retain three spare planks or tiles from your installation batch for potential product testing. If an installation issue arises, the manufacturer may ask to test a spare plank from the same batch. Five spare strips is recommended for Bodo herringbone, as individual strip replacements are harder to source-match later.
Follow the official Nordikka installation guides — including subfloor preparation and acclimation requirements. Improper installation is the single most common reason warranty claims are declined.
Use only recommended cleaning products and methods. Steam cleaning, undiluted harsh chemicals, wax polishes and rubber-backed mats all risk invalidating the warranty.
Shop Nordikka and Order Free Samples
Grosvenor Flooring is one of Nordikka’s approved UK online retailers, stocking the complete Nordikka flooring collection with transparent online pricing and direct checkout. Order up to 5 free samples from the website and we’ll post them to you at no cost. Compare colours, textures and plank formats in your own lighting before you buy.
Our Altrincham showroom displays every Nordikka range at full scale on a 24/7 smart-lock system — visit whenever suits you, including evenings and weekends. No appointment needed.
For more on choosing the right Nordikka range, read our Nordikka ranges explained guide and our Nordikka flooring review. If you’re deciding between Nordikka and premium LVT alternatives, our Nordikka vs Amtico vs Karndean comparison breaks down the key differences. For herringbone-specific advice, see our Nordikka herringbone flooring guide. And to find your nearest Nordikka stockist with transparent online pricing, see where to buy Nordikka flooring.
