Laminate floors are beautiful, easy to install and require little maintenance. Other than enhancing your home’s value, they also help you save money as they are cheaper than engineered wood or solid hardwood floors. Laminate flooring has excellent qualities, but cleaning it can be tricky, as laminate floors do not get along well with liquids such as water or other cleaning solutions.

Liquids and Laminate Flooring

Despite water being a universal solvent, it does not go well with laminate flooring, and neither does any cleaning liquid. Laminate flooring maintenance guides come with a warning to the owner to mop up spills the moment they occur. The plastic wear layer of laminate flooring cannot effectively keep water from seeping beneath floorboards. When water gets into a floorboard seam, it will work its way towards the core of the fiberboard which will swell. After the water has dried, the fiberboard will not regain its original dimensions, and the wear and image layers will begin to peel off. This is why you must ensure your laminate flooring stays dry.

Vacuum and Broom

Since water destroys the laminate flooring, the best way to clean the floor is with a vacuum or a broom. You can use a vacuum to remove pieces of debris from your flooring, as well as other dust and dirt. A vacuum that includes a hose and attachments is best as it will allow you to reach the edges, corners and other hard to reach areas of the room to clean them properly.

If you prefer, you can also use a soft-bristled broom and a dustpan to clean your laminate flooring. Sweep the floor by starting from the edges of the room and then moving inward. This will help to ensure that you get all the dust and dirt from your flooring as you will be less likely to leave debris in the corners of the room.

Homemade Cleaning Fluids

To save money, you can also make your own homemade floor cleaners. These are commonly made with ammonia. Add two to four ounces of ammonia to some warm water and you are good to go. Before you mop, remember to thoroughly wring out the mop to remove all the excess water as you do not want to dampen the laminate flooring too much. The mop should feel almost dry to the touch.

Laminate Floor Cleaner

You can buy laminate floor cleaners that are especially designed for laminate flooring. Spray the floor cleaner directly onto your microfiber mop or very lightly onto the floor before you wipe the flooring down. Laminate floor cleaners can be used on engineered wood as well as solid hardwood flooring.

At Reilly’s Oriental Rug Cleaning, we make use of advanced cleaning solutions and equipment to clean your laminate flooring safely. We have had decades of experience and expertise so you can be sure that we will give you the results you deserve. Our team is more than happy to meet all your cleaning needs at very competitive rates. For more information about our services, contact us at 201-445-0800 or email us at Info@RugClean.net today!