Is your once beautiful laminate floor so dirty and full of pet hair you forgot the color? Did those kids leave puddles of water everywhere? Scuff marks that you just can’t seem to get rid of? Let us help you get that laminate floor back to the shining floor it once was. In this article I will explain how to care for your flooring, what products to use, the best cleaning methods, and my personal favorite cleaning methods.
First you will need to know how to properly care for your floor, laminate flooring can be a bit temperamental and confusing to work with. In order to ensure the proper care of your laminate floor there’s a few things you should avoid:
- High heels, they can leave scuff marks
- Long nails, especially with pets, they will scratch your flooring
- Sharp objects, also will scratch your flooring
- Leaving wet spills, seeps into the cracks
- Traditional wet mopping, also seeps into the cracks
- Bleaching your floor, damages the flooring overall
- Steel, wool, or scouring pads, also leaves scratches
Avoiding these things are to protect your laminate flooring from needing to be replaced and will help keep your floor looking elegant. Too much water can easily seep into the cracks and will destroy your laminate floor from the inside out. Anything that leaves a scratch most likely won’t come out, and would ruin the look of your floor.
The majority of experts agree that the best way to start cleaning your floor is to start with a cursory sweep in order to get the top layer of dirt and dust off your floor. Afterwards, you will need to use a damp microfiber mop along with either homemade laminate floor cleaner or store bought laminate floor cleaning product. String mops and normal wet mopping will leave too much water, which in turn corrodes the base of your laminate flooring. Using a microfiber mop is the best option because of the very little water they require, as well as being the softest cleaning material for your flooring. There a few different ways of cleaning your laminate flooring. Some people swear by only using homemade laminate floor cleaners, others prefer buying laminate floor cleaners. I’m going to explain both, and why each type is good for what they do.
If you’re going with the homemade laminate floor cleaning route, make sure your cleaner is in a spray bottle so as to keep your flooring from getting too wet.
Here are a few of the best homemade cleaners:
- With the microfiber mop just add a little bit of water and mop like normal
- You can also use 3 parts of water to 1 part vinegar with 1 squirt of liquid dish detergent and mop
- Baking soda with a little water and mop
- Vinegar with lemon juice and water
- Vinegar with warm or hot water
For gum or any sticky residue use ice to freeze it, then scrape it off with a nonabrasive scraper, plastic is preferred but not necessary. Pencil erasers are great for getting out those tough scuff marks.
As for the laminate floor cleaning products these are rated the 4 best laminate floor cleaners:
Rejuvenate
Better Life
This cleaner is the best smelling cleaner complete with a citrus and mint scent. It is plant based, free of VOCs, and petroleum which makes it the second safest cleaner to use. It is also alcohol free and has no perfumes, just natural ingredients such as peppermint, grapefruit, and bergamot extracts. One squirt will clean a large area while keeping your laminate flooring streak free and shiny. The only issue you might encounter would be that shipping does take a bit longer. This product will allow you to get rid of normal everyday messes in a matter of just a few seconds. The drying time is extremely short as well, and safe for kids and pets to walk around onS.
Bona
Here are some other ways to get rid of unusual staining on your laminate floor:
- Blood: spray the area with a bot of window cleaner and wipe with a damp cloth
- Crayon: use mineral spirits and a damp cloth to remove the crayon markings
- Ink: Usually just a damp cloth will do the trick, but if it won’t come out use a little detergent. If it still won’t come off use a commercial ink remover.
- Nail Polish: nail polish remover and a warm damp cloth will quickly remove any nail polish stains.
- Red wine or Soda: just a damp cloth and some elbow grease if the spill dried should do the trick
While all of these laminate floor cleaning products have their pros and cons, I personally recommend buying either the Rejuvenate All Floors Restorer or the Better Life Natural Plant-Based Floor Cleaner because they are both safe for the environment as well as your stunning laminate flooring, and they clean your flooring in the best capacity.
In order to ensure your laminate floor is cared for correctly, I want you to be able to know that you are buying the best laminate floor cleaning product available. I would also recommend switching from cleaning products to one of the homemade cleaners, including the homemade laminate floor cleaners with vinegar every other time. For the homemade laminate floor cleaners, use just water if there’s no tough spots on the floor. The reason I recommend cleaning your laminate flooring in this manner is so that you do not completely striaway at your floor’s glossy coating with too many harsh chemicals.
Remember that using a microfiber mop with very little water is the best way to start your cleaning after vacuuming or sweeping first. Also use that elbow grease to get those tough stains out. Furniture pads are a must have if you want to protect your laminate flooring. The number one rule when working with laminate floors is to be gentle.
In conclusion, laminate floors are much easier to take care of than you may realize. Just remember that not every laminate floor cleaners are going to be safe your kids and pets to be around until they have completely dried. Use homemade laminate floor cleaners to cut down in product use and do your own research in order to keep your laminate floor in the best shape you can with the best laminate floor cleaner keep it in; beautiful and glossy.