Cleaning Laminate Flooring

Cleaning laminate flooring is very easy. In fact, one of the things that helps to make it so popular is that laminate floors are not dust traps. Laminate is a great flooring solution for those that want to spend long hours maintaining their floors.

Even though laminate floors are virtually maintenance free, there are a couple of things that should be avoided when cleaning laminate flooring. 1) Don't use regular soap based cleaners - they're likely to leave a film and 2) don't use scouring powders or wax strippers, they'll ruin your floor's finish.

The basic steps for cleaning a laminate floor is to first sweep or vacuum the laminate floor to remove all of the loose dirt and grit from the floor. If certain areas need spot cleaning, do them first. Finally, spray your laminate cleaner over the flooring and wipe with a clean mop. Most laminate cleaners will have no trouble actually cleaning the floor. They will remove the dirt with no problem. The important thing is that they do not leave a film residue behind - as some of the cheaper ones may.

Most laminate manufacturers will provide their own cleaning products that you can usually find at the same home center where you purchased the laminate. Sometimes the companies will actually require you to use their cleaning products or risk voiding the warranties. In most cases, however, the cleaning products from the manufacturer are overpriced and are simply a profit center for them.

At almost any hardware store you can find generic cleaning products for laminate flooring. The hardware clerk will probably be able to point you in the right direction. You can also find many name brand products, unaffiliated with the flooring manufacturer that are good as well.

One such product is "Bruce Dura-Luster No-Wax Wood & Laminate Floor Cleaner" formulated especially for no wax poly urethane finished wood floors as well as laminate floors.

For really deep cleaning, there's a product called "The Lamanator Plus" which includes a deep scrub formulation, a restoration product to restore the shine of your floor, a buff dry cleaner, deep scrub pad, and micro mop. It's a complete kit laminate flooring kit, perfect if you want a one-stop-shopping solution.

For those that love the make-it-yourself route, you can make your own inexpensive cleaning solution. Simply use a little vinegar, about a tablespoon add it to about 8 oz of water and put it into a clean spray bottle which you can find at a hardware store and some food stores. Then, simply use it as you would an ordinary laminate floor cleaner - spray and wipe.

Keep in mind that even while laminate flooring is very easy to keep clean, you can't just leave spills lying around on them.  While laminate is water resistant, it can still absorb spills if left too long. So, if you do have a spill, wipe the area immediately. You'll prevent stains and make your cleaning easier.

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