How to clean Laminate Flooring

Whether you’ve always had laminate floors or you’re thinking about how to clean and take care of a new set of floors, it’s important to remember that laminate flooring requires a little more TLC. In other words – no stilettos! 

Read on for more tips on how to clean laminate flooring like a pro.

Before you start cleaning, read your floor manufacturer’s instructions. While the rules are generally very similar across different brands, there may be specific recommendations for you to follow based on what the manufacturer has used in creating the floorboards.

Laminate floors are particularly susceptible to damage from spills, and the occasional spill is inevitable, so it’s important to clean them up as soon as they happen! 

Although some laminate floors can scratch pretty easily, our laminate floors are scratch resistant! 

Nevertheless, it doesn’t hurt to try and avoid using sharp or abrasive tools like steel wool. You can use soft-bristle brooms or dust mops to sweep up small dust particles and debris. 

Plus, if you’re vacuuming, be careful when using an attachment without a rotator brush as the attachment could also scratch the surface of the floor.

Mopping your laminate floors every two months or so will help you keep them as good as new. Generally speaking, a damp microfibre mop is perfect to use on laminate floors. 

You can also use a spray mop, which can help you disperse the correct amount of pH neutral cleaning liquid or water onto the floor.

Traditional mopping should definitely be avoided because the water can trickle through the joins and cause the floor boards to swell. Plus, pools of water can also cause stains or fading.

In order to avoid leaving streaks or residue to your laminate floors, don’t use any oil-based cleaning products as they can damage the protective sealant of floors, especially not wax or polish. 

Laminate cleaner may be used in small amounts by applying it to the mop rather than straight on the floor.

You could also create a DIY cleaning solution with ingredients you already have at home – combine a teaspoon of clear, unscented dish soap with 3 to 4 litres of hot water for an easy, regular cleaning solution.

Or, if your floors develop a waxy buildup over time, combine 3 to 4 litres of hot water with a cup of white vinegar. Vinegar is great because it’s a natural cleaning agent and won’t damage the laminate boards.

It can be helpful to add felt pads to heavy furniture in your home, especially for items that are frequently moved around. 

Without having a mat by the entrances to your home, dirt can get stuck to shoes and damage the floor, particularly the more gritty parts. 

If you have any pets, keep their nails nice and short to help look after your laminate floors, especially if they like to run around the house!

Extra tips for extra tough stains

For really tough stains like candle wax, or chewing gum, you can put a plastic bag of ice on top of them to freeze them, and then remove with a scraper or a plastic knife.

For stains like paint, ink, nail polish, you can use rubbing alcohol.