How to Clean & Maintain Your Laminate Floor?

laminate Flooring is highly desirable because of its affordability, versatility and look alike qualities to real timber flooring. Adding to that, it is very easy to maintain daily and over time.

One of the many benefits, is that you do not need an extensive range of cleaners for your Laminate Floor. Daily, the best method is a light sweep with a soft broom (or vacuum cleaner with a soft head) Weekly, a lightly dampened mop (microfibre is best) using warm or cold water and a gentle alkaline cleaner.

It is important to sweep away dust and debris on a daily basis to avoid damaging your flooring surface.

To ensure that you maximise the care and maintenance for your floor and have it looking as good as new see the points below for some helpful do’s and don’ts.

• Always use pads, or floor protector’s underneath furniture.
• Avoid dragging large pieces of furniture across your floor.
• Place an area rug, or non-rubberized mat in front of doorways to collect dust and debris.
• If you live near the beach, it is a good idea to dust sand away regularly.
• Keep your pet’s nails short.
• Avoid walking on your floors in stiletto heels (these can even damage concrete).
• Sweep with a soft broom daily.
• DO NOT use steam cleaners, steam mops, buffing or polishing machines.
• Microfibre mops are best. Avoid string mops, or sponge mops.
• Do not soak the mop. Just dampen it. Do not over wet the floor.
• A dash of white vinegar in your mop bucket can be very effective.
• Clean any spills immediately. Do not let puddles of water sit.
• Do not use harsh cleaners, such as turpentine, chemicals, bleach, soap, wax, oil-based detergents or acidic cleaners.
• Do not use steel wool, strong ammoniated or chlorinated cleaners.
• Do not scrub.
• Avoid using a vacuum with a beater bar. A soft brush head or sweeping is best.
• An excellent recipe for cleaning/mopping your floor is a solution of 3 parts water to 1 part white vinegar, 2 squirts of liquid dish detergent. (do not use scented, or dyed). Put all in a spray bottle or bucket and use accordingly.
• Never wax or polish your floor.
• Do not use disinfectant cleaners and insecticide sprays containing oil or solvents that may settle on the floor in sufficient quantity to discolour, cause slipperiness and harm the flooring.
• Water does not need to be steaming hot, but it should be more than lukewarm.