Care for Laminate Floors
Laminate floors have a protective layer over the decorative face - proper care and maintenance of that protective layer will extend the life of your floors.
08/09/2017
Laminate floors look beautiful in any home. and after installation you'll want to provide the proper care and maintenance to ensure your laminate floors look good for a long time.
It's important to note that laminate floors have a protective layer - the laminate - that is applied over a decorative face - the wood grain or pattern. This protective layer varies from product to product, depending on the quality of the laminate flooring installed. If the protective layer is scratched or wears away, this will mean that you may have to replace flooring.
Use the tips below for proper care and maintenance and to extend the life of your laminate flooring.
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KEEP ON TOP OF DUST
Dust is the enemy of laminate flooring. Floor traffic tracks dust across the surface of laminate flooring and will eventually dull or scratch the surface. Once this happens there is nothing you can do to make laminate floors look good again. Water is another no-no for laminate floors.
• Daily cleaning with an almost dry and soft mop will remove dust sitting on the surface of the floor, and reduce the risk of damage. Alternatively, attach a soft brush fitting to your vacuum cleaner to clean on a daily basis.
• Use mats and rugs at entry points into a room to cut down on the amount of dust. You may also want to advise everyone to wipe their feet before they enter, especially where doors lead outdoors.
CLEAN PROPERLY
Pack away the soggy mop and scratchy broom and invest in a microfibre mop for cleaning laminate floors. The fibres in these mops attract dust and leave a laminate floor cleaner than any other method. Microfibre mops are also anti-static when dry, which means that dust particles stick to the mop without any water.
If you need to clean sticky floors, mop up stains, or remove excess dust, you can lightly wet a microfibre mop - but it should be almost dry to prevent wetting the floor. A special cleaner isn't really necessary for laminate floors - soapy detergent is good enough. If the stain has managed to get underneath the protective layer you might need to consider replacing a section of the floor.
To remove stubborn grime or odours there are a few cleaning products that can be used on laminate floors:
• Use window cleaner or a vinegar/water solution to wipe away stains. Use a microfibre cloth ever so lightly dampened with the product and wipe over the floor. Repeat if necessary.
A solution of window cleaner and clean water is great if you want a shiny, streak-free floor. Make sure the microfibre mop is almost dry before wiping the floor.
Never use abrasive products on laminate floors. The protective layer is easily scratched and you won't be able to do anything to restore the shine.