Advertisement
Discover how to easily clean floors the right way, without ruining it.
Can’t Make Your Laminate Floors Shine?
Cleaning itself is a tough job and having a laminate floor makes it more difficult. First of all vacuuming and sweeping a normal wooden floor has many steps to it and is honestly an entire day’s work that can make you extremely tired. Imagine doing it all wrong and getting your floor dirtier than clean.
To help avoid such catastrophic situations, we are here with some perfect ideas. Nowadays different types of mops are available in the market and finding the perfect one for your house is the first step towards having a cleaner home.
Once you are moving the sofa and all the furniture from the area you want to clean, you need to have a good look at your floor and decide whether you have the right equipment for the job. Mostly mopping a wooden floor with any mop will do if you follow the right steps, however, if your floor is laminated, then you have a new case to solve.
Bring a Bucket and a Mop for that Laminated Floor
Are you thinking about your old shining laminate floors and wondering how to make your dull, smudged floor look great again? Go ahead and get yourself a magic wand from the laminate floor cleaning mop. You will never regret your decision of installing this flooring ever again.
Usually using soap and an antiseptic agent works pretty well in cleaning floors. Yet for some reason dirt and laminated floors share a love-hate relationship and they are quite tough to separate. If you have been looking for a solution online then the most common one will be using vinegar and water.
A point to remember: the acid in vinegar is not good news. Instead of making the job easier, vinegar will make it worse by warping. Cleaning your house would then become your worst nightmare. So what is the best way of getting rid of these dull spots from your laminated floor?
The Key to a Flawless Sparkling Laminated Floor
When you enter a kitchen the first thing that grabs your attention is the glossy utensils on display. Just like that, you want everyone to notice your crystal clear floor the minute they enter your house. You want everything to be spotless.
Luckily, this is achievable with laminated floors as they tend to retain their glossy look if maintained properly. If you are using items that are not appropriate for cleaning such floors, you will have a buildup of debris and dust and you should without any doubt avoid such products.
Lamination over wooden boards is very delicate and can be damaged very easily. That is why extra care is necessary while cleaning such floors.
Vacuuming is a Good Way to Start
A very important factor is to vacuum the area you want to clean before mopping the floor. Sweeping will do as well, though using the vacuum suction does a better job at removing any dust or debris from the floor.
If you begin mopping without first sweeping your floor, your floor will become dirtier and the dirt will stick to the floor making a very grim and gross layer, leaving behind a very unpleasant smell. The sight of this will get you really frustrated so it is better to do your job right.
If you plan on using a vacuum, make sure to avoid the ones with a beater bar to avoid a buildup of grit. Do not use steel wool or scrubbing sponge to scrub the floor, this will severely damage the lamination. Your best option is a soft microfiber cloth.
Clean the Corners
It is absolutely crucial to clean the floor underneath your furniture and along the walls and corners as this is the devil’s den. All the hair and dirt love to collect here and will leave nasty stains on your floor, you don’t want that stain sitting for too long. So make sure to focus on these areas as we easily neglect them most of the time.
Find Yourself the Right Cleaner
Even though vinegar and water solution may sound risky, if you mix it right, you will find out that it is one of the best homemade solutions for your problem. For the best results, use half part vinegar (white vinegar) and half part water, mix the solution well, and pour the mixture in a spray bottle and it will work like a charm.
It’s less money and more output, that’s the proper utilization of resources. If you are not confident enough in the idea of using vinegar, you can always go for a cleaner like Bona that is tailored to cleaning these types of floors. Some may say it’s better than using vinegar as it has a neutral pH level that is safer.
Make sure it is the floor cleaner, not Bona polisher or refresher as these products may end up damaging your wooden floor.
How to Avoid Dullness
To get rid of all the dullness, ensure that your cleaners do not have oil, harsh material, or soap in them. They can cause needless harm to the floor. Therefore buying specific cleaners or using a vinegar-water blend is the wise thing to do.
If you need advice, go to the experts, laminating flooring producers are the best people to go to who can help to restore your floor. Alcohol is another great option to add to your mixture as it acts as a very efficient cleaning agent for any kind of ink or color present on your floor.
After you bought your cleaning agent, first try it on a small area of the floor to check if this product is the right one for you. If your floor is cleaned smoothly and no damage is done, you are good to go. Also, make sure to use warm water as it works better with all products.
A Little Goes a Long Way
When you start cleaning with your homemade mixture or a cleaning product, spray a little at a time. If you use an excessive amount of liquid on laminate floors, it will cause the laminate to warp. Use small amounts and watch the floor dry quickly, this also helps you clean an entire room without worrying about the wet floor behind you.
Vinegar does have a particularly strong smell, you don’t need to stress about it as it disappears within a few minutes. Divide your work into small areas to make the cleaning more effective. While using a microfiber mop, make sure to rinse and dry the mop after every cleaning. Change the water after cleaning one area.
A good technique would be to work in alternatives. First, apply the spray in one area and leave it for a few minutes, apply the spray in a different area and let that sit while you clean the first area. Continue this process until the entire floor is cleaned.
Let the Laminate Dry
Once you are done cleaning and are satisfied with your floor, let it air dry. If by chance you end up using too much water to clean the floor, dry it using a soft microfiber cloth. You shouldn’t leave behind water on the laminate surface for too long.
If that happens there will be spotting and you will see all the footprints and shoe prints. All that work you put into cleaning your floor would go to waste. After your floor is dry, to double-check use a light.
If you find any dull areas, just rub them with a dry cloth and your floor will be shiny again. Try and avoid water-based cleaning products as much as you can and have a good ventilation system to ensure our floors dry adequately.
Other Things You Can Do
There are many other steps you can take to stop your floor from being damaged. If you have guests coming over, politely ask them to leave their shoes at the door so that no mud or dirt can enter the house. Keep the windows closed if you live near to the main road.
Floor mats and carpets are a good idea to have installed in different areas at home like the kitchen and washroom. If there is a spill, clean it immediately and don’t leave it for later. The longer it stays the more stubborn it gets.
Now That You Know the Do’s and Don’ts Let’s Get to Work
Now that you know what you have to do, cleaning a laminate floor should not be a problem for you.
Pick up that broom and let’s go clean the room!