There are definitely tougher surfaces to clean than laminate flooring, but it can still be tough to keep your lovely new laminate floor in good shape on a long-term basis. If somebody brings a little mud into the house, it ends up being spread everywhere. Or perhaps somebody might spill a liquid and not clean it up straight away because it’s not as bad as staining a carpet. However, neglecting the regular maintenance of your laminate flooring can definitely cause it to wear out more quickly.
Cleaning your floor regularly is crucial to its upkeep. It might be a surface that’s easy to clean, but that doesn’t mean you should take a lazier approach to its maintenance than enough surfaces in your house. You’ll only need a basic set of tools to look after your laminate flooring, but it’s important that you stick to a good cleaning routine. So, with that in mind, here are some well-researched and straightforward pieces of advice for cleaning your laminate flooring.
Get to grips with the basics
Firstly, you need to get to grips with the basics. If you want to clean laminate flooring effectively, you need to start by sweeping the floor on a regular basis. As mentioned in the introduction, it’s easy to take a lazy approach to cleaning a laminate floor because it doesn’t seem as easy to mess up as non-laminated flooring or a carpet. However, whilst laminate flooring might be scratch-resistant and dirt-resistant, dirt and debris can lead to scratches if it’s allowed to build up. Regular sweeping will prevent this from happening. And, as easy as it is to clean up spills, make sure you do so immediately. If left damp, laminate flooring can become damaged.
Invest in the right supplies
In order to clean laminate flooring properly, you also need to invest in the right supplies. This is a very delicate type of flooring, so you need tools that are cut out for the job. Sweeping was recommended in the first point, but you might also want to invest in a decent vacuum cleaner. That’ll help you to clean up any dirt and debris to prevent your flooring from getting scratched. A microfibre mop will also help you to pick up any remaining particles on your floor; that way, you’ll be able to maintain a clean surface on a long-term basis.
Make some DIY cleaning solutions
You could also make some DIY cleaning solutions. Cleaning laminate flooring sufficiently without damaging it can seem like a tricky task, but it’s much easier if you create your own cleaning products to tackle the job at hand. The classic combination of vinegar and water will help you out. Mix equal parts of hot water and vinegar into a spray bottle to create a homemade cleaner for your laminate flooring. Once your spray bottle is ready, you’ll be able to clean your floor and follow up with the microfibre mop. This is a very straightforward cleaning procedure, but it’s one that you should try if you’ve not had much luck with other cleaning products. Of course, later in this article, some effective cleaning products will be discussed.
Take a cautious approach
Taking a cautious approach to cleaning your laminate flooring is so important. That should already be clear after the points that have been made in this article. But there are more important pieces of advice you should take on board than simply keeping your floor dry. Make sure you avoid using bleach, for example. Wood laminate is porous, so the bleach can seep in and cause problems. It would remove your floor’s shine, stain it, and even dilute or change its colour. So, avoid using bleach. You should also avoid using a steam mop, and that’ll be discussed in the following point.
Avoid using a steam mop
There are occasional exceptions to the rule, but it’s best to avoid using a steam mop when cleaning laminate flooring. It’s important to recognise that laminate flooring isn’t as strong as other types of flooring, so you have to clean it gently. Many steam mops are too rough for a laminate surface. It’s better to stick to an ordinary mop, but you should take the earlier advice on board and ensure that you dry any spillage as quickly as possible. After mopping, make sure you use a dry cloth to soak up the water and avoid damage. You should use a non-abrasive cloth, of course, to reduce the possibility of damage to the surface.
Use the best cleaning products in the industry
The value of both using effective cleaning tools and even making your own DIY cleaning solutions has already been discussed. But what’s the best cleaning product in the industry? Or, at least, what’s the best cleaning product for laminate flooring? Well, plenty of cleaning products are effective, as this article should have made clear, but it’s always a good idea to opt for a cleaner that’s been specifically designed for laminate floors. The cleaning solutions suggested in this article will help you to keep your floor in good shape, but you might want a proper product for laminate floors to keep it looking shiny and new. Even a clean laminate floor can lose its sleek aesthetic over time.
The Black Diamond Wood & Laminate Cleaner is a good example. It’s a standard spray-and-wipe cleaner, so it’s cost-effective (one bottle could last a long time). It’ll also clean your floor in a streak-free manner, so it’ll look good afterwards. Quick Shine has a multi-surface Floor Finish product, too. This product gives laminate flooring a nice polished effect, so it could rejuvenate flooring that’s lost its glossy look. There are plenty of useful cleaning products in the industry, but the best option would be one that’s designed for laminate flooring. The other cleaning suggestions in this article will help to get rid of stains and spills, but you should get a proper cleaning product for laminate floors to give it a nice glow after cleaning it with other products.
