One of the major reasons many consumers choose laminate flooring for their homes is for the ease of maintenance. Although the maintenance is relatively simple cleaning laminate flooring needs to be done on a regular basis to keep them looking their best. To keep your floors in good shape some preventive maintenance should be put in place to protect your floors.
How to Clean Laminate Flooring
-For general daily maintenance use a dust mop, broom or vacuum with a hard floor attachment to prevent any possible scratching to remove dirt and debris.
-When there is more than loose dirt a damp mop can be used for cleaning laminate wood floors. Care should be taken not to saturate the floor as standing fluids should be avoided on the floor and wiped up immediately. Warm water can be used for faster evaporation.
-For a dirtier floor some manufacturers recommend their laminate floor cleaner. Some manufacturers say that besides their laminate floor cleaner you can use household vinegar (1 cup) and water (1 gallon warm) or else household ammonia & water (1/3 cup ammonia to 1 gallon warm water). Always check with your manufacturer as you do not want to void your warranty.
-Do not use soap-based cleaners, citrus oil products as they will leave a film on your floor leaving it dull looking. Avoid scouring powder and steel wool as they can damage your floor.
-Floor polish or wax products should never be used as this would cause a film that just attracts dirt.
How to Clean Laminate Flooring When Spots are Involved
To clean up juice, wine, chocolate warm water should be all that is needed or a non-abrasive cleaner (ammonia & water) or some manufacturers will recommend their laminate floor cleaner.
To clean-up more severe spots such as permanent marker, tar, paint, heel marks and paint use alcohol or nail polish remover that contains acetone.
To clean up gum or candle wax harden with ice first then gently scrape with a blunt object.
Laminate wood flooring is very durable but it is not indestructible so some preventative maintenance should be taken to protect your floors.
Preventative Maintenance
-Use felt pads under chair and table legs to prevent scratching. Do not drag heavy objects across the floor.
-Place floor mats at entrances to prevent dirt and debris from being tracked in.
If damage does occur many manufacturers have a touch-up kit that can include putty, wax pencils or crayons and is for small damage. Damage that is larger than a ¼ of an inch will probably need the entire plank to be replaced. By keeping a good routine of daily and preventative maintenance you'll get years of enjoyment out of your floors.
Carol Coutts is a successful author who provides information regarding flooring via http://www.hardwoodlaminateflooringguide.com/laminate-flooring.html For more information on bamboo flooring, hardwood flooring, laminate floors, wood flooring, and cork flooring then check out http://www.hardwoodlaminateflooringguide.com/Articles-PG-1.html
Cleaning Laminate Flooring - Do You Really Need a Laminate Floor Cleaner?
How To Clean Laminate Flooring The Right Way
The time comes after you have installed your laminate floors that they will need to be cleaned. Most people at this point stop and wonder how to clean laminate flooring? Is there special chemicals, is there a certain mop, should I go a certain direction? All these are questions that may enter your brain when it comes to cleaning laminate flooring.
When you finally are done wondering how to clean laminate flooring and ready to begin the first thing you will want to grab is your dry mop. these mops are available from many different manufactures and do the best job at cleaning the loose dirt off your floor. Dry mops usually have a disposable soft pad that once exhausted can be quickly changed and the cleaning continued. Make sure that you go the same direction as the seems of the floor. Because no laminate floor is perfectly flat there will always be slight uneven spots on the floor and If you go against the seams you may just trap dirt between the planks in these spots. That is the best way how to clean laminate flooring with a dry mop.
But what if you have stains or a spill on your floor, then the question how to clean laminate flooring will pop back into your head again. Even with stains or spills cleaning your floor is very simple. You should start by only using a floor cleaner that was made specifically for laminate flooring. This is very important because the wrong chemical can damage or ruin your floor very easily. If you in short supply of laminate floor cleaner you can use some Windex or a mixture of vinegar and water diluted 4:1. Never use a wood polishing chemical like pledge to clean your flooring. Although these chemicals will leave a beautiful shine they will also make the floor as slick as ice and could lead to a dangerous slip and fall!
Once you have the flooring cleaner just spray some on the spots to be cleaned and wipe dry with a towel. this is the a best way to go about using any liquid cleaners on your floor, to much liquid on your floor can leak between The flooring planks and cause damage and make the floor look worn.
Learn more Cleaning and Care Tips For Wood laminate flooring
