Laminate flooring is a popular synthetic flooring choice, and for good reason. Durable and cost-effective, it lets you imitate the look of hardwood at a fraction of the cost. While laminate is very durable and low-maintenance, like any material, regular cleaning is necessary to keep it looking its best. Laminate has its own tips, tricks, and techniques that you’ll need to keep it clean and in good condition.
One thing you may have noticed is your laminate floor feels gritty, sticky, or streaky after mopping. This is because laminate and moisture do not mix! Instead, we’ll walk you through the special strategies you’ll need for cleaning your floor.
The best regular cleaning strategy is to vacuum regularly or sweep with a dust mop like a Swiffer. Make sure you don’t use any broom or vacuum attachment that could potentially scratch your flooring! It’s a good idea to do this at least once a week, with more often being better.
Lastly, damp mopping is a great tool for cleaning your floors of more stubborn grime and dirt. You’ll need to use a special dry or microfibre mop with a special laminate flooring cleaning product. This will make your floors clean and shiny – like new!
As a final touch, you can buff your newly cleaned floor with a dry mop or microfibre cloth.
Tools You’ll Need
When dealing with the various maintenance needs of your laminate floor, there are some tools that it pays to keep on hand. Here is a list of some must-haves:
Regular Cleaning: Dust mop, vacuum cleaner, or indoor broom. If using a vacuum cleaner or broom, make sure that anything coming in contact with your floor is soft enough to avoid causing abrasion!
Dry Mop/Microfibre Mop: These mops can either be used dry or with a small amount of special solution for keeping your laminate floor sparkling clean.
Microfibre Cloth: A great choice for buffing your floor and keeping it looking its best!
Spray Bottle: To apply a laminate cleaner lightly to the surface of your floor or onto a mop.
Laminate floor cleaner: There are now many products available for cleaning laminate flooring, including a variety of eco-friendly and hypoallergenic solutions. You can also make your own by diluting distilled vinegar or rubbing alcohol.
Top Tips For Cleaning Laminate Flooring
Here are some top tips for keeping your laminate flooring looking its best:
Avoid water! While laminate is moisture resistant, water won’t do it any favours. Cleaning with water usually leaves your flooring looking sticky or streaky. Additionally, excess water can seep in between the boards of your floor and cause the plywood beneath to swell, damaging your planks.
Clean Regularly: Regular cleaning is best, and daily dry mopping or vacuuming will go a long way toward keeping your floor in tip-top shape. Keeping your floor free of grime will also remove particles that can scratch or abrade the finish of your floor. Clean your floor no less than once weekly.
Sticky Bits: Remove sticky stains such as wax or chewing gum by applying a plastic bag of ice to the offending material. After waiting at least five minutes, scrape the material away using a plastic knife, scraper, or credit card.
Stains: Offending stains such as paint, ink, crayon or food can be removed using a sparing amount of rubbing alcohol on a microfiber cloth.
Maintenance of Laminate Floors
Unlike solid hardwood, your laminate floor can’t be refinished. Here are some steps you can take to prevent permanent damage:
Don’t allow a build-up of dirt or other abrasive materials that can scrape or wear down your floor’s finish.
Don’t use abrasive or acidic cleaners. Check that whatever product you intend to use is safe for laminate flooring, and carefully follow any instructions to avoid mishaps.
Don’t use anything abrasive for cleaning, from scratch brooms to steel wool. They can leave permanent scratches on your floor.
Don’t let heavy furniture rest on your floor directly. Always use felt pads or furniture slides.
Don’t let pets with untrimmed nails or guests with high heels or cleats walk across your floors.
Finally, restoration of your laminate floors is possible in the event that cleaning isn’t returning them to their original condition. However, it will cost around $1 per square foot, so maintenance and prevention are the best solutions!
Summary
We hope this short article helps you to keep your laminate floors clean and shiny. By using the right tools for regular maintenance, and avoiding harsh products, abrasive materials, and damage, your laminate floors will look great for years to come.
Comments