One of the great things about laminate flooring is how easy it is to maintain. Here’s our three-minute guide to cleaning laminate floors.
Cleaning laminate floors is straightforward
Laminate floors are designed to be convenient and low-maintenance, so it’s no surprise that keeping them clean is dead easy. You need just four things:
- A vacuum or brush
- A mop
- Some floor-cleaning solution
- A spray bottle
That’s it. In fact, if you have any vinegar in the house, you won’t even need the floor-cleaning solution.
Here’s what you do:
First, sweep or vacuum up any dust. Don’t use any liquid at this stage. If vacuuming, make sure the cleaner is switched to the ‘hard floor’ setting.
Second, spray some cleaning solution on the floor and mop it. You can There’s no special technique needed, just spray and mop it. Clean the mop out every so often.
Make sure you don’t drench the floor – laminate flooring does not like being exposed to standing water for any length of time.
Third, clean your mop.
When you’re done, give yourself a pat yourself on the back and admire your gleaming floor
Cleaning solutions: branded product or home-made?
There are plenty of branded cleaning solutions for laminate floors. They will all do the job, which is essentially to cut through grease. However, it’s cheap and easy to make your own. Just mix one-part ordinary household vinegar to three-parts warm water. Make sure they’re thoroughly mixed, then decant the mixture into your spray bottle.
Some suggest adding a small amount of washing up or other detergent to the mix, but we don’t see this as necessary. Vinegar and water seem to work just fine.
The one problem with using vinegar is that it smells, well, vinegary. This soon disappears, but if you’re really not keen just add a few spots of eucalyptus or peppermint oil to your mixture.
Problem stains and deposits
Your magic vinegar-and-water mixture will remove most everyday dirt and grease. However, some stains and deposits may call for special measures:
- Nail varnish. Not surprisingly, use nail varnish remover and a cloth. Be cautious, use small amounts and clean immediately.
- Crayon. Put a small amount of white spirit to a damp cloth and rub the marks gently.
- Scuffs and heel marks. Rub these with a pencil eraser.
- Chewing gum. Very gently scrape at the gum to remove the excess. Preferably, use a plastic knife and take care to avoid scratching the floor. Then rub gently with a small amount of white spirit on a cloth.
For more advice on laminate flooring
BSB Flooring supply and fit all types of laminate flooring. If you’re unsure whether laminates are for you, or what’s available on the market, just get in touch for a no-obligation chat.