Thread: Vinyl Floor turning RED in areas

I found a similar post in the Inspection and Commercial Inspection area, but no one seemed to come up with a cause or cure. I'm posting this in the hopes that someone my have some information.

A patchy redness that resembles a rash has developed on the vinyl flooring in the breakfast area just off the kitchen (see attached photo). The house was built in 1996 and the vinyl replaced in 1997. The red area is several feet from an outside door and in direct sunlight for part of the day. We have tried vinegar, bleach, and Tilex, none of which removed the stain but did lighten it somewhat.

Any thoughts or ideas?

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Was this a full glue down installation?

Not quite certain what you mean by that, but I think the answer is yes.

It's UV damage, and permanent.

From Armstrong, the maker of many vinyl flooring products:

Vinyl flooring is susceptible to damage from UV rays, causing it to discolor. We suggest closing blinds or curtains on windows on extremely sunny days to minimize the effects of UV rays.

My SWAG is that it is moisture under the flooring. It is common for sheet vinyl to show moisture under it by turning all types of colors. It is actually algae and other little nasties growing under it that make it look like it was designed by Walt Disney!

All you can do is to remove the floor, fix the problem and replace the flooring.

Great, thanks for the quote and the reference. It's comforting to know the cause, even if the only cure is replacement.

I have seen something similar in a manufactured home. It was caused by the glue and it was blue in color. This red area looks like a crime scene!

I am going to have to go with Dom. I occasionally find purplish staining on vinyl flooring between a sliding glass door and a curtain/drape. Sunlight damage. When you replace the vinyl, see if any new vinyl has a UV coating or have a UV coating/film applied to the glass in the adjacent window/door.

I'm staying out of it, but here's some pics. One sunburn, two water/algae/soap stains.
Around toilet leaks, the vinyl usually goes black.

I noticed the same red/pinkcolor in my linoleum after using a rubber backed (antislip?) mat in front of a carport door that got no sunshine at all. Mat was washed from time to time but always used in the same spot which did discolor to slight pink tone. I got rid of the mat as it wore out but was never able to find anything to remove the stain. Just covered it with a different kind of mat. sorry

From what I understand from some plumbers...purple PVC cleaner will bleed through a vinyl floor if spilled on the subfloor before the vinyl is installed.

Originally Posted by James Abercrombie

I found a similar post in the Inspection and Commercial Inspection area, but no one seemed to come up with a cause or cure. I'm posting this in the hopes that someone my have some information.

A patchy redness that resembles a rash has developed on the vinyl flooring in the breakfast area just off the kitchen (see attached photo). The house was built in 1996 and the vinyl replaced in 1997. The red area is several feet from an outside door and in direct sunlight for part of the day. We have tried vinegar, bleach, and Tilex, none of which removed the stain but did lighten it somewhat.

Any thoughts or ideas?

I have the exact same pattern on my kitchen floor, under a small table near a window. The really weird thing is, it showed up last spring, then I checked later in the year, it was gone. Now it's back again????

Were you able to determine the cause?

Originally Posted by barrydward@gmail.com

I have the exact same pattern on my kitchen floor, under a small table near a window. The really weird thing is, it showed up last spring, then I checked later in the year, it was gone. Now it's back again???? Were you able to determine the cause?

Have you contacted the flooring manufacturer? Seems to me that would be the place to start.