Simple Method to Clean Laminate Floors
If you are looking for a good looking flooring material for your home, laminate flooring is a great option to consider. However, there are few things you need to keep in mind when getting laminate flooring. For example, you will not be able to refinish laminate flooring. As a result, you will need to clean it regularly to retain the good looks.
What’s the best approach to clean laminate flooring? Continue to read these tips to learn how to clean your laminate flooring. By adhering to these tips, you can easily retain the good looks of your laminate floors.
Getting Ready for Laminate Floor Cleaning
Learning about the risks of using the wrong cleaning techniques is the first and most crucial step in properly cleaning laminate flooring. Laminate flooring is resilient, similar to how hardwood floors clean, yet it responds badly to certain cleaning solutions and instruments. Steel wool and scouring pads, for example, are extremely rough and scratchy to use on flooring and should be avoided.
Furthermore, stay away from using strong cleansers since the active chemicals might remove the laminate’s protective layer. Even steam mop and stiff-bristled brooms have to be avoided. Remain with soft instruments, including mop heads with microfiber content, and mild cleaning solutions designed for laminate floors.
It typically costs $870 to repair laminate flooring, so you’ll want to take precautions to maintain the excellent appearance of your floors. For further cleaning and care guidelines, you may also refer to the flooring’s accompanying instructions.
Clear Out Debris from Crannies and Nooks
The majority of laminate designs include a lot of awkward areas around corners and in between pieces where pet hair, food scraps, and other gross stuff collect. To prevent damaging the laminate’s top layer, the first task in your cleaning mission is to eliminate this dirt using mild cleaning techniques.
Take out a canister vacuum and clear up whatever debris is concealed in these nooks. This tool may also be used to collect pet dander and dust from other areas of the floor. Next, use a mop or broom with a microfiber head to remove any remaining surface dirt from your floor, such as supper crumbs from the previous evening. If you don’t have any of these tools, dust your floors by hand using a regular microfiber cloth.
Select a Cleaning Agent
It’s time to concentrate on making your flooring seem glossy now. Make a mild cleanser that will yet provide great outcomes. In a medium-sized bucket, combine one cup of vinegar with one gallon of hot tap water. Add a few drops of dish soap to finish it up and stir. Here, you should use less dish soap to prevent making the flooring seem duller.
You provide a wide range of do-it-yourself laminate floor cleaner cleaning options. Other cleansers that work well on laminates are:
- One gallon of water mixed with one teaspoon of baby shampoo
- One gallon of water, one teaspoon of isopropyl alcohol, and one tablespoon of dish soap
- A commercial cleaner that is especially recommended for laminate flooring
- One gallon of water, one tsp dish soap, and a lemon squeeze
Avoid using abrasive cleaning materials or strong chemicals since they might cause scratches on the floor, as we previously discussed. Furthermore, certain professional cleaners designed for cleaning and waxing genuine hardwood may leave laminate with a slick residue. In general, avoid overfilling your bucket with soap since this may cause soap residue on the laminate.
Disperse Baking Soda throughout the Flooring
After you have completed preparing the solution, begin cleaning the floor by lightly dusting it with baking soda. Why do this action? You want some minor abrasion for the greatest results so the cleaning solution can effectively take up accumulated dirt and grime. Because the top layer of laminate is prone to scratches and scuffs, as mentioned before, using baking soda as an irritant completes the task without endangering your floor.
Mop Gently and Gradually
Seeing a pattern here? When it comes to laminate flooring, gentleness is key. To prevent leaving puddles on the floor, carefully dip a mop with a microfiber head into the cleaning solution. While the bottom layers of laminate are not resistant to moisture, the top layer is.
Wipe with caution and gently, wringing the mop into the bucket as needed. Starting at the rear and working your way towards the front of the room can help you avoid mopping yourself into a corner. To get rid of any remaining baking soda and cleaning solution, give the mop one more wring and then use the dry mop on the floor.
Deal with Any Scratches and Stains
Are you seeing any stains, scuffs, or markings that just won’t go away even after using a mop and cleaning solution? Here are some cleaning tips for stubborn residue, suspicious areas, and sticky flooring.
Large paint, tar, or grease stains may be gently scraped away using a plastic putty knife. Scuff marks may be removed using a basic tennis ball. To remove scuffs even more effectively, cut an X in one side to make a hole, then attach the tennis ball to the handle of a mop or broom. To get rid of the markings, gently scrub.
Coffee, wine, and juice stains may be removed right away by using a microfiber cloth to wipe the area off after sprinkling it with a solution of water and vinegar (1 cup vinegar to every gallon of water).
Dry your Floor Quickly
Dry the floor as soon as you’re done cleaning it to prevent any moisture from penetrating to the laminate’s bottom layers. To finish the task, use some microfiber dish rags, a microfiber towel, or another dry mop head. In a pinch, paper towels are also helpful. Check your work again, and if there’s still damp on the floor, go over it again. Never, ever allow standing water to build up on laminate flooring.
How to Maintain Clean Laminate Flooring
perform you want to reduce the amount of cleaning you perform every week? A few more adjustments to your weekly routine are necessary to maintain the cleanliness of your laminate flooring. For instance:
- Every two days, sweep your laminate flooring to get rid of dust, pet hair, and general grime.
- Hold the handheld hoover near you to collect stray dust particles.
- Promote shoe-free living by placing doormats at each entry or both.
- When cleaning, stay out of standing water or moisture by not sitting for extended periods of time.
- To prevent your pet from scratching the flooring, check their claws.
- Keep your area rugs tidy to prevent grit and dust from getting on the flooring.
- As soon as you can, take care of stains and sticky areas.
How to Clean Laminate Floors: Do It Yourself or Hire a Pro
Because it’s so easy to do yourself, you should include this procedure into your normal home cleaning schedule. In more severe cases, such if you discover damaged flooring when cleaning, you should use professionals.
But the professionals have access to cleaners that work better, which is helpful if there are stains or scuffs that don’t go away. Additionally, hiring a local laminate floor cleaning expert might be a time- and money-saving option if cleaning your laminate flooring is just one of several cleaning duties, you’re finding it difficult to keep up with. Professional house cleaning typically costs $170 for the whole property, and simple laminate flooring probably won’t have any additional fees.