How to Clean Laminate Flooring
With laminated flooring becoming an increasing popular covering of choice in many households, it’s important to know how to keep it clean. Thankfully there are some simple methods and materials that can be used to both keep it clean on a daily basis and protect it in the longer term.
A laminated floor does need to be cleaned just like any other flooring, but a little bit of care is needed to ensure that it doesn’t get scratched or warped, which can happen if it is exposed to too much water.
Use a soft brush to remove dirt
On a daily basis, it’s fine to use a floor brush, but not a normal floor brush that you would use on a carpet, as the bristles will mark the flooring. Try and get a brush with softer bristles. It is OK to use a hoover on a laminated floor, but make sure that you use the wooden floor setting if it has one, and don’t use a beater bar. Try and get a soft brush attachment for your hoover.
Use a microfiber mop to clean
Many people favour using a mop when it comes to keeping their floor clean, but there are a few precautions you should take. A normal string or sponge mop is not advisable as too much water can both warp the floor and leave streaky marks across it.
A microfibre mop, using just a little warm water and one of the many cleaning solutions on the market, is perfect for the job, as the flexible head allows you to clean in and around furniture. Keep the microfibre head clean and replace it when necessary. It is fine to let a laminated floor dry naturally, just don’t let pools of water accumulate and use a microfibre cloth if it is required.
Use a damp cloth with warm water for spillages
Accidents will of course happen in the household and if there are any spillages, soak them up with a cloth or paper towels as quickly as possible. A damp cloth with warm water should be enough for soft drink stains, but if it’s something like ink, use a little detergent. If there’s a particularly nasty accident involving blood, use a little bit of window cleaner. A little detergent should be enough to shift something like an ink stain.
If you’ve got a laminated floor in the kitchen, it may be that there are some grease spillages. An ice pack or frozen vegetable packet should be applied first to freeze the grease, then a plastic knife should be used to scrape it away to avoid marking the floor.
Dust and dirt does tend to accumulate in the grooves of laminated floor pieces, and one way of cleaning these is to sweep in the direction the pieces were laid. Also consider using mats at any entrances to the house to ensure clean footwear. Furniture protectors on chairs and tables are a good idea to avoid scratching the floor.
Don’t use steel or wool brushes/pads
Don’t use steel wool or any sort of abrasive cloth, wax or polish, or use a buffing machine or a steam cleaner, as it’s not a wooden floor. Chemicals such as bleach are also to be avoided.
A laminated floor is easy to keep clean if you take care and use the correct materials, keeping it in good condition for years to come.
For effective, efficient cleaning of laminate floors or any hard surface, steam cleaners and scrubber dryers are perfect for you. Here at Alpha Power Cleaners, we are proud to stock and supply the finest scrubber dryers and steam cleaners from the world’s leading brands. To find out more about our services and our excellent rates, get in touch with us today.
