The best ways to clean laminate floors are those trusted and safe ways to remove dirt, stains and spills from your laminate floors without damaging the beautiful finish. Laminate floors are designed to look nice and be easy to clean but to achieve that end, there are some rules that must be followed. Check out these tips to keep your laminate floors looking as new as the day they were installed.
If you do nothing else to your laminate floors, remember that excess liquid and laminate floors are arch enemies. Standing water, either from a spill, from wet boots sitting by the door or by using too much liquid during cleaning can quickly and easily ruin laminate flooring and lead to costly repairs. Prevent this damage by using rugs, taking off wet shoes before entering, cleaning up wet spills immediately and using only a tiny amount of moisture during cleaning.
Perhaps the easiest way to clean laminate floors is to use a dust mop. Invest in a Swiffer or similar product and use it regularly to grab dust and dirt tracked in. For tougher dirt, however, you might need a little bit of liquid, such as a vinegar and water mixture in a spray bottle or laminate floor cleaner, along with a soft cloth to wipe and a second dry soft cloth to dry the area, can be your best friend.
Don't forget to protect your floors from anything that could potentially scratch it. Never use abrasive cleaners, scrub brushes or steel wool. Keep pet nails trimmed and use furniture protectors. Scratching your laminate floor can quickly lead to costly disasters just as quickly as improper or too moist cleaning.
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Protect Floors from Damage
Keeping laminate floors looking fabulous is more than just cleaning up spills, it's about preventing dirt and damage in the first place. Use furniture protectors to keep pets from scratching your floor in the first place. Keep pet nails trimmed so they're not scratching floors either. Limit shoes and lay rugs in heavy traffic areas and near exterior doors and be mindful to remove any wet shoes or boots in inclement weather rather than tracking rain or snow inside the house. A little prevention can save a whole bunch of money and stress with your laminate flooring.
Gently Remove Spots and Stains
For tough spills like paint, oil, makeup, gum or ink, gentle cleaning methods for laminate floors just won't do the job. So to remove these stains, there are a few options. Acetone or nail polish remover is great for stains. Wet a cloth with acetone and use it to gently wipe up stains like paint, oil or ink. Ice and a plastic scraper work well for makeup and gum. Freeze the makeup or gum with an ice cube then use a plastic scraper--a credit card works great--to gently and carefully scrape away the debris. Wipe the floor with a damp cloth and dry completely.
Check with The Manufacturer
While most laminate floors are similar, they are not all identical which making cleaning your specific floor the proper way very important. And since the manufacturer of the flooring will know the most about the product, looking to them for cleaning advice is never a bad idea. Dig through your stack of manuals to find the paperwork that came with the flooring or head to the manufacturer's website for cleaning instructions. Don't know the manufacturer? No worries! There are plenty of tips and tricks listed below that will work with nearly any laminate floor.
Laminate Floor Cleaner
Just like you use toothpaste specifically to clean your teeth, one of the best ways to clean laminate floors is with a cleaner specifically designed to do just that. Check your local home improvement or supermarket for a cleaner specific to laminate floors and follow the directions on the product for best results. While these cleaners will help clean floors without leaving streaks or residue, it's important to still use any liquid cleaners in moderation as too much liquid of any kind can be damaging to laminate flooring.
Know the Don'ts
There are a bunch of great ways to clean laminate floors and about a dozen bad ways. Knowing what not to do is just as important as knowing what to do, for best results.
• Don't use excess water or other liquids or allow standing liquids to sit on laminate floors.
• Don't use any abrasive cleaners, steel wool or scouring pads as those can easily and permanently scratch floors. Even stiff brushes, such as those on brooms and brushes, are not recommended for the same reason.
• Don't use any machines like the beater bar portion of a vacuum or buffing machines on laminate floors.
• Don't use harsh chemicals such as those with ammonia or bleach, wax, polish or varnish. They are all great at making other things shine but are not suited for laminate floors.
Damp Mop
For bigger spills or tougher dirt and grime, spot cleaning or the use of a dust mop just won't cut it and while water and laminate floors don't necessarily play nice together, using a lightly damp mop can help clean larger messes. Wet a mop with hot water and wring out as much water as possible. Lightly drag the damp mop across the floor then follow up with a dry mop to pick up any excess water. Be sure to completely dry your floor as soon as possible.
Mild Soap
If other gentler methods of cleaning laminate floors just are not enough for your tough dirt or spill, and you don't want to drop big bucks on specialty cleaners, enter mild soap as your savior. Mix a tablespoon or two of mild dish soap or baby shampoo with a gallon of hot water. Wet and completely wring out a mop, then mop the floor. Work in small sections, starting from one end of the room to the other, and repeat the process of damp moping an area then drying it immediately with a clean, soft cloth.
Vinegar and Water
Laminate floors are designed to be pretty easy to clean and while harsh cleaners and chemicals will only ruin the floor, vinegar is mild enough to provide a good cleaning without damaging the floor. Mix 1/4 cup vinegar with four cups of water in a spray bottle. Spray the mixture on any mud, dirt or grime on your laminate floor then use a soft cloth or paper towel to clean up and dry the area.
Spot Clean
A great way to keep laminate floors looking awesome is to spot clean them as needed when spills arise. Resist the urge to put off cleaning up a small mess until later and just clean it now. Drop some jelly or drip a liquid on the floor? Grab a paper towel or dry cloth and wipe up the spill right then and there. Not only will the overall cleanliness of your floor improve but removing spills and messes immediately will reduce the chances that whatever is spilled will permanently stain the floor.
Dust Mop
For general or routine cleaning, a dry dust mop is your laminate floor's best friend. Gentler than a broom, a dust mop, like a Swiffer, will grab up dirt, pet hair, crumbs and--shocker--dust! Even if you have a bigger cleaning job, starting your laminate floor cleaning process with a dry dust mop is a great start.