Laminate floors are beautiful. But keeping them clean and maintaining them is no joke. Floors get dirty like anything, especially if you have kids or pets at home and if you are in need laminate floor cleaning tips and bits of advice on how to keep them shiny and squeaky clean then you are in the right place.
Before we begin we must tell you that if you are thinking of cleaning your laminate floors with a traditional broom then you are going the wrong way. Traditional brooms will not be able to wipe off all the mess and you will never be satisfied with the results. We recommend getting a dust mop or a vacuum cleaner for the task. So without further ado, let us get started!
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How to Clean Laminate Floors: Laminate Floor Cleaning Tips
If you do get a vacuum cleaner then make sure it is designed for hard floors such as laminate, tile, and hardwood and it must have an on/off brush roll option as brush rolls can leave scratches all over.
You don’t want to damage your floors while trying to get them clean. You need to know which modes are better for different types of floors and it is also very important to know how to operate the vacuum in those modes.
1. Set Rules from the Very Beginning
Prevention is better than cure, right? Well, the saying goes with this situation too. Set a few rules so that your home is not filled up with extreme dirt in the first place.
Little things like leaving your shoes outside, having different pairs to wear inside, placing mats near doors and not allowing pets to come inside with dirty paws, can all cut down the amount of dirt that enters your home.
2. Maintain a Schedule
Don’t let dust or any messes settle in for long. They will eventually build up and form dried up stubborn dirt that will be harder to clean later on. Clean up stains as soon as you notice them and schedule a cleaning session at least once a week if not more times in a week to keep the house looking good and sanitized.
Having pets changes everything, you may have to give your furniture a good brush and your floors a good sweep every other day, unless you don’t mind living with pet hair all around.
3. Do Not Use Harsh Chemicals
Whether you are using a vacuum cleaner or a mop to clean your floors, stay away from harsh chemicals, and especially bleach. Most vacuum cleaners that offer damp mopping recommend using only tap water as chemicals may harm the internal parts of the machine.
But keep in mind that such chemicals are also harmful to your laminate floors.
You can also try out some DIY solutions like mixing water and vinegar or just stick to plain water. This will also cut down on expenses.
4. Remove Small Items from Floors
If you want to give your floors a thorough cleaning then make sure you don’t have small items lying here and there. Not only do they add to the messy look, but they prevent cleaning in all spots.
5. Move Furniture around Occasionally
Little pieces of items and lighter furniture like coffee tables and shelves may be moved quite often but we are talking about larger items such as sofas and beds. The reason why you must move them sometimes (not often) is that dirt tends to hide under and behind these items.
You will notice that the low airflow and less cleaning of these areas will leave marks on the floors which will be difficult to remove in the future. If you cannot move the furniture at all then we recommend at least using extra attachments that come with your vacuum cleaner or cleaning device to collect the dirt.
6. Start by Dusting Other Areas of Your Home Before You Do the Floors
There is no point in cleaning the floors first as dust and other debris will settle on the floors and cover them with dirt again. If you are thinking of cleaning your carpets of vacuuming your couch then do so before cleaning the floors.
7. Remove Loose Dirt Before Mopping
Vacuum the floors well before mopping because if you get straight to mopping you will end up with muddy like streaks all over the floors. Remember that mops only wipe off stains, dried dirt and other leftover allergens from floors, the larger amount of mess is actually cleared during vacuuming.
8. Traditional Mops VS Mops with Microfiber Pads
Do not make the mistake of using rag-style mops on your laminate floors. Laminate floors show off streaks more than any other kind of floors and traditional mops leave behind a lot of streaks. Your floors will look dirty and foggy no matter how clean they are if you do not use the right kind of mop.
The best thing would be to use mops with microfiber pads. Microfiber pads do an excellent job in sucking extra moisture so your floors dry up fast before any ugly marks are formed.
9. Do Not Use Too Much Liquid
Water and other solution if used too much can cause swelling of the laminate boards. You can tell if you are using too much water if the floors remain wet after 2 minutes of cleaning. It should dry within 1 or 2 minutes to eliminate the risk of damaging the floor.
You can purchase vacuum cleaners that come with drying modes. They suction excessive moisture from floors so you won’t have to dry the floors manually afterward.
10. Deep Clean
Give your floors a deep clean every now and then. Start by removing all things from the floors, including coffee tables and carpets before sweeping or vacuuming the area.
Once every corner, every furniture edge, and other tight places have been vacuumed, start a little scrubbing session. Scrub floors to remove stains and bacteria which may not even be visible to the human eye. Once the scrubbing is done, use an appropriate mop to wipe off any residue.
We suggest completely wiping off all moisture to ensure that no streaks are formed. Avoid walking on the floors until they are dried. Once the floors are ready, you can place back the items. For extra freshness, you can also add a few drops of perfumed oil or any other essence during the final wipe.
Hard surface floor steamers also come in handy during deep cleaning sessions because steam is very useful in removing grease and stains. They also disinfect floors and kill most bacteria.
11. Buff for Shiny Floors
What is the point of having laminate floors if they do not shine? Now, this may take up some extra time but the results will leave you very happy.
Use cloth diapers, absorbent or microfiber cleaning cloths to make the easy buffing rags. Take your time to slowly buff your floors dry for some impressive shine!
12. Be Gentle
Laminate floors are made using wood products but are not made of solid wood. They don’t stain that easily so that is a relief but they are prone to scratches and swelling if the wrong cleaning tools or harsh solutions are used.
Don’t use any harsh cleaning methods and always apply the ‘prevention is better than cure’ rule to avoid any unnecessary problems. Be careful when moving furniture around and always place a mat or paper underneath so that the moving items do not leave any scratches.
13. Cover Floors
One way to protect your floors and keep them clean is to cover them up with carpets and mats. These covers will not only protect the floor surface but also reduce the amount of dirt been brought into the house. A doormat is extremely important if you allow shoes in the house.
Final Words
We hope you found our Laminate Floor Cleaning Tips useful. No matter what kind of floors you have, it is important to clean them regularly as they take up most of your homes surface area. Clean floors reflect a cleaner home and a much safer place to live in.
Make sure you purchase the right tools because they not only perform better but make the whole process of cleaning easier and fun. Happy cleaning!
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