Cleaning a Laminate Floor

You’re not alone if you feel like the housework NEVER ends. You can spend all day scrubbing windows, doing dishes and dusting, but if the laminate floors are not sparkling clean then whole house can seem dirty.

With kids, dogs and husbands tracking all manner of dirt and grime across the floors all day long, keeping on top of the task of keeping laminate floors clean can seem downright impossible.

Below are some tips to help you keep your floors looking their best.

Get Rid of Loose Dirt

The first step in cleaning your laminate floors is to remove loose dirt and dust. Skipping this step means that the mop will just push the dirt around and the end result will be dirty floors.

Use a broom or a vacuum cleaner to get up the loose stuff before mopping. Vacuums are a better choice than brooms which often leave some dirt behind.

Choosing a Floor Cleaner

There are endless options when it comes to laminate floor cleaners. The good news is that the expensive cleaners don’t do any better of a job than the less expensive choices.

In fact, some find that vinegar does a wonderful job cleaning their laminate floors for a fraction of the cost of buying laminate floor cleaning products.

Simply mix about quarter of a cup of white vinegar with a couple of gallons of water. The vinegar is not only effective at removing dirt and grime but it tends to leave the floors streak-free, unlike some other cleaners.

Type of Mop

Here’s a common mistake: Some people don’t realize that the choice of a mop is just as important as the choice of cleaner when it comes to keeping laminate floors looking their best.

Laminate floors are more prone to streaking than other types of flooring. For that reason, a traditional mop is not the best choice. A rag-style mop only adds to the problem of streaking.

Instead, a mop with a microfiber pad is a better choice. The microfiber pad is not only more effective at removing tough dirt, but is also less likely to leave streaks behind.

A Final Wipe

A simple step that most people tend to skip when cleaning laminate floors is to do a final wipe of the floor after cleaning. Letting the floor air dry increases the chance of streaking and allows small bits of dust to cling to the moisture on the floor.

Taking a few seconds to go over the floor with a dry microfiber mop or cloth will absorb any excess moisture and leave the floors looking spotless.

Keeping your Floor Clean

While the thought of tending to laminate floors twice a day may seem a bit excessive, taking just a minute or two at the end of the day to run a dry cloth over the floor can help to keep the floors looking their best.

Quickly swiping the floors with a dry cloth mop, such as a Swiffer, at the end of the day will pick up any traces of dirt and let you awake the next morning to clean floors. In especially high traffic areas, some run a dry mop across the floors a few times a day.

It only takes a few seconds and keeps the floors clean throughout the day.

When your laminate floors are clean, it helps the rest of the house to look clean. A few minutes of maintenance each day can keep your laminate floors looking brand new!