Installing laminate floors will add beauty to any home. These are very durable and relatively low maintenance, but there are a few tips in mind when caring for and cleaning your laminate floor.
Although they are durable, laminate floors are not indestructible. If it is ignored and allowed to build up, dirt and tiny pebbles tracked onto your floors can result in small scratches. These scratches, tiny as they may be, are the reason that a laminate floor will become dull. Welcome mats and foot brushes placed near doorways can help prevent the majority of this dirt.
Since dirt on a floor is pretty much a given in any home, regardless of prevention measures, sweeping or dust mopping should be done regularly. This will remove the dirt that has managed to find its way onto your floors.
Moisture, like dirt, can also damage a laminate floor. Any liquid allowed to pool on the floor can cause the laminate floor to expand or warp. It is important to mop up any spills immediately, and never drench a mop when cleaning your floors.
What to Use
- Many companies that manufacture or install laminate floors will have a specific product to clean their floors. These are the recommended since using the wrong chemical on a laminate floor can damage it.
- Vinegar is one of those household items that has a variety of different uses. Chances are, if you have a household cleaning problem, it can be fixed with vinegar. Laminate flooring is no exception. Distilled white vinegar can be mixed with water at a ratio of one part vinegar and four parts water. This can be stored in a clean, empty spray bottle.
- Although its primary purpose is cleaning windows to a “streak free shine”, Windex (or any other window cleaner, for that matter) isn’t just a window cleaner. Some people swear by Windex when it comes to cleaning their laminate floor.
- When it comes to cleaning floors, the mop that is used can make or break the end results. In the case of laminate flooring, many people seem to agree that microfiber mops or mop pads are the best, by far. Sometimes its worth paying a little extra for flawless results.
How to Clean a Laminate Floor
When it comes right down to it, even with all of the warnings you may have heard, cleaning your laminate flooring is relatively easy. There are just a few simple steps.
- First, sweep the floor thoroughly to remove any dust, dirt, and loose particles on the surface of your floor.
- Clean small sections of the floor at a time to make it easier and to prevent the cleaner from drying on the floor. Mist the floor with the cleaner.
- Wipe the cleaner up with a damp mop.
- If desired, dry the floor with a towel or a dry mop.
Getting Out Tough Stains
There will be some tough stains on your laminate floor that may worry you. Never fear, though, as these are – most of the time – very easily gotten out by a simple method.
- Chewing Gum and Candle Wax
Harden these substances with ice, and remove as much as you can. Apply a small amount of nail polish remover or mineral spirits to any that’s left. Rub to remove, and spot clean the area afterwards.
- Heel and Scuff Marks
When you have any type of hard floor, those ugly black scuff marks are a given. Removing them, though, is quite easy. Usually, rubbing the area with your fingers or sock works. On the tougher scuff marks, try rubbing it with a pencil eraser.
- Crayon Marks
If you have little ones at home, knowing how to remove crayon marks from anything is a must! To clean crayon from a laminate floor, first, remove as much as you can with a dry cloth. If that doesn’t remove it all, rub with a soft, light-colored cloth dampened with nail polish remover. Spot clean the area afterwards.
- Ink and Paint
Blot up as much excess liquid as possible before trying to clean these stains. Using a soft, light-colored cloth with a little mineral spirits on it should take care of any other stain left behind. Spot clean the area afterwards.
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