What is this on my floor and why won’t it go away?!

[Paynefully]

Were in a new build, I steam mop my floor about once a week (two kids, I don’t have time to do it more than that 😂) but for some reason my kitchen floor has these grey spots all over it. I’ve tried steaming (obviously!) and bleaching them off but neither have worked. I’m so disheartened as no matter how much I mop or clean now the floor always looks dirty!

what is it.. how do I get it off?!

It looks like some sort of chemical that has been dripped accidentally? Is it all over or just there? Was it there as soon as you moved in or just appeared?

@nottaotter its appeared over time and it seems to be getting worse. I don’t really use chemicals on the floor (again two kids who love to roll around on it 😂) - I usually just steam mop but I used to regularly mop with hot soapy water.

It’s about half the kitchen, it’s around the sink area too so could it be to do with water on the floor? It feels like it’s in the biggest ‘splash zone’ of the kitchen 😩

Looks like mould spots coming through.

Oh that's weird! I was thinking the house builders maybe dripped chemical when the floor was laid and its only just seeping through from underneath?

I really don't know but im curious and this would annoy me too!

As pp, looks like mould.

are your floors sealed properly- some stuff like amtico etc has restrictions about how you clean it (I’m pretty sure with us they said steam clean was a no-no, so wondering maybe if it’s not sealed properly and water from the steam mop is getting in causing mould?)

It looks like something that is between the layers of the boards. I think this might be something to take up with the builders depending on how long you’ve lived there. The engineered flooring has compressed layers snd
varnishes. If the varnish / sealant is breaking down in spots then it may need resealing. That said the spots do look very uniform which is odd.

We had similar on the vinyl flooring in the kitchen which was over a join where two rooms had previously been and I think it was a damp coming up from where the two damp proof membranes in the floors met so DH took up the Lino and put some black tarry floor stuff underneath to stop it. Hope yours isn't this as it was a right pita. Ideally the whole floor needed digging up but that would only be a job to do if the whole kitchen was being replaced. What is the floor made of

What type of flooring is it? There are several types that really shouldn't be steam mopped so if water is getting in and mould is developing that's a bigger problem to fix.

If any water has got under the floor it may look like this, maybe from the sink.

I agree, looks like mould spores that have reacted with the heat from steam mopping. Theres an unlikely chance it could even be something that has dripped on the floor because you would remember that happening.

As its a new build I would definitely get some background info from the builders and contact the floor manufacturer. It needs to be properly investigated and if it turns out it wasn't installed properly then the builders should replace it free of charge.

Another thinking mould. I’d have the builders back in and the floor up.

It looks to me like moisture from the steam mopping has got underneath the LVT planks and has potentially created mould.

Looks like mold caused by the steam mop. Have you been too enthusiastic with your weekly steam, Op? It might explain how it popped up and why it’s getting worse.

Didn’t mean you did anything wrong, it may be like pp said, the moisture has gotten under the top layer of the floor somehow. Which is a product/install fail.

I'm wondering if it's the steam cleaning causing it?