Laminate Floor Care

Advantage to Laminate Flooring

One advantage to installing laminate flooring over hardwood flooring is that it is easy to keep clean. Once installed, laminate floor care is minimal and, if carried out regularly, the floor keeps its good look for years.

Before You Clean

Check with the sales representative or flooring specialist who sold you the flooring and ask if there are any specific instructions on cleaning your laminate floor when it is first installed. Some brands of laminate flooring stipulate that it is not to be mopped for 48 hours.

Laminate Floor Care Basics

In general, all that's needed to keep your laminate floor looking fresh and clean is to brush over it with a soft-headed broom or brush or a slightly damp mop. For the edges of the room, take your vacuum and clean around baseboards and larger pieces of furniture. This is all that is needed for basic floor care.

For deeper cleaning, check the information from the flooring manufacturer to see if they recommend a specific cleaner. If not, there are a number of laminate floor cleaning products available on the market today to help maintain your new floor.

When choosing a laminate floor cleaner, try to find a citrus-based product rather than a soap-based cleaner. And before using any product on your floor, test it on an out-of-sight part of the floor. After you've applied the product to your test area, leave it for about 30 minutes and then check it again to be sure that it causes no undesirable effects.

Microfiber Mop Cloths

A variety of items have been designed to care for laminate floors. Microfiber cloths are manufactured for use with laminate floor cleaning products. These cloths can be used on your mop in both wet and dry floor cleaning procedures. Microfiber cloths are designed to pick up dirt and allergens and are not only durable but also lint free. Check the packaging to be sure the cloths you purchase can be laundered. Some claim that they can be washed more that 1,000 times. These types of tools make cleaning your laminate floor easier yet, but using these products can become expensive.

Cautions and Care

When cleaning your laminate floor, don't use too much water. The mop only needs to be damp, not wet. A damp mop picks up dust and dirt but does not soak the floor. If a laminate floor gets too wet it could cause the edges of the laminate boards to expand, resulting in a buckled floor. Here are a few other words of caution:

• Don't apply wax or acrylic floor finishes to your laminate floor.
• Only use the stain-removal products recommended by the flooring manufacturer.
• Never use abrasives.

Avoid Scratches

Many people choose laminate floors because they are durable and easy to take care of. With all the styles to choose from, they make a perfect floor covering for today's active families. But while laminate floors are durable, they are not indestructible. Use felt pads or easy-glide buttons on the feet of furniture to avoid scratches when moving furniture to sweep or vacuum.

Sand, grit and other soil can also scratch floors in high traffic areas. Put walk-off mats at the doors leading into your house to trap small stones and grit from shoes and feet.

And when it comes time to move a heavy appliance or larger piece of furniture across your laminate floor be sure to use a dolly to avoid the risk of scratching your floor.

Installing Laminate Floors

Laminate floors are a popular durable flooring choice. If you plan to install the floor yourself, you can purchase flooring in home improvement stores, construction outlets, flooring outlets and online. If you don't have the skills necessary to install the floor yourself, it's worth hiring a professional to do it.

Whether you install the new floor yourself or have someone else do it, proper laminate floor care will keep your floor looking good and last for years.