Last updated on February 19th, 2023
While more and more people are using hardwood floors at their home, some people do prefer the laminated floors because it’s truly beautiful.
Even though laminate flooring is less expensive and more durable than traditional hardwood flooring, it does require preventative maintenance to help retain its luster and beauty.
This article will let you know the maintenance and cleaning tips for laminate floors.
Laminate Floors Cleaning Tips
See the best vacuums for laminate floors on Amazon.com
Often you feel proud and happy to show off your well-polished hardwood floor, every time the guests visit your living room. But, as soon as they leave, you start messing up the floor by spreading food and drink over the floor unknowingly.
No doubt, hardwood floors are a beauty, but it demands proper care. To do that, follow the great tips here.
- Sweep and Mop the Floors
The best way to achieve this is to sweep your floors daily and mop them weekly as a precursor to any deep-down cleaning or waxing. Unless your floor manufacturer specifically requires a certain method or cleanser to be used to clean your floors then a simple solution is readily available to the average homemaker.
As stated above, daily sweeping not only helps to make the chore of cleaning your laminate flooring less stressful, it also helps to prevent unnecessary damage caused to your laminate floor from the wear from dirt and debris.
Dirt left on the floor can cause minute scratches and wear to develop in high traffic areas, as well as allowing this dirt to be spread from one area of your house to another. You should also use a suitable vacuum at least once a week to help remove any dirt or debris that might have accumulated between the cracks or joints in the flooring.
Also read: How to Clean Engineered Hardwood Floors Elegantly?
- Run a Damp Mop
Another preventative measure is to run a damp mop across your flooring as much as possible, trying to do this at least once a week to remove any dust that may have been brought in from the outside.
Try to avoid using dish soap or any commercial cleaner on your laminate flooring as this may strip and dull the finish on your floors and may also lead to damage on the upper layering as well.
When you are going to mop your laminate flooring, use a damp mop, not one that is soaking wet. Excess water will damage your flooring by seeping through the cracks in the laminate pieces and can potentially damage the underlying fiberboard causing your laminate floor to warp.
If this occurs, then the individual planks will spread necessitating the damaged planks to be removed and replaced, which is not a very easy job to accomplish on a finished floor that is occupied with furniture or other household items.
- Dry the Laminate Floors
After mopping your laminate floor with the damp mop, dry it with a dry towel, dust cloth, or another mop to remove any excess moisture that may have been left behind. Make sure you have dried up any residual water that might have accumulated in corners, under bookcases or plant stands, between individual planks, or even under counters.
Unlike tile or vinyl linoleum flooring, laminate floors cannot be left to dry on their own as the water can penetrate into and ruin the flooring. So, always dry it as soon as possible.
Watch the following video on laminate floor cleaning and caring tips by Clean My Space:
- Use Soft Soaps to Clean the Floor
You can use a variety of soft soaps to clean your floor with, but a holistic and environmentally friendly approach is to use a vinegar and water mixture to clean and sanitize your laminate flooring.
To use this method, take your mopping bucket and mix the water and vinegar in a one to one-quarter ratio.
If you need a gallon of water to clean your floor then add three quarts of water to one quart of vinegar in your bucket and mop as you would normally. If you do not like the smell of vinegar, then lemon juice will do the job as well.
- Avoid using too much Liquid or Chemicals
Another approach to avoid using too much liquid on your floor is to use an ordinary spray bottle to apply your cleaner to your laminate floor. Pour your cleaning mixture into the spray bottle and lightly a small area of the floor.
Mop the applied area, then repeat over to the next spot. This will help you avoid having to ring out your mop in between rinses, and will assure that you are not using too much water and potentially causing damage to your laminate flooring.
After cleaning your floors with this method, the remaining mixture can be used on a variety of household items. It works excellent for cleaning windows and countertops and is also a good spot cleaner for coffee and end tables. Any remaining cleaner leftover can be stored with your cleaning supplies to be used in case of future spills
For high traffic flooring or laminate flooring in your kitchen, then there are additional steps you can take to ease your cleaning chores and to help prevent damage to your flooring as well.
- Clean up Any Spilled Food Fast
The best preventative measure you can do is to clean up any spilled food or dirt as soon as it has occurred, this will help to prevent it from drying and possibly staining your floor. Many uncommon items such as chopped lettuce, chicken, or even pumpkin seeds will stick to the floor when they dry out, so cleaning them up promptly will prevent this from happening.
If items do get stuck to your laminate floor then break out a mild spray cleaner, or the vinegar and water mixture you made for previous cleanings, and spray a small amount on the split item. Let wait for a moment to re-hydrate the item, then remove it with a cloth or mop.
If the spilled item is stubborn to remove, then use a rubber spatula or other soft item to gently scrape the item from the flooring.
More of the best vacuums for laminate floors on Amazon.com
Conclusion
Using preventative measures to maintain your floor will go a long way to help you avoid the time-consuming chore of cleaning and the potential damage that spills can do to your laminate floors.
The main thing to remember when cleaning your laminate flooring is to avoid using too much liquid and to clean up any items that have been dropped or spilled upon it. By using these measures, your laminate floor will last you for years and look as good as the day they were installed.
