How To Keep Your Laminate Floors In Top Condition
Laminate flooring is a great way to have an affordable and durable floor, even in high-traffic areas, and with any look you want: stone, ceramic, hardwood, and more. It requires lighter maintenance than hardwood and many other options, but it still needs cleaning every now and then.
Most cleaning is just going to involve a dust mop or slightly damp cloth or sponge mop, although sweeping first can help by getting rid of any larger debris. Most of the maintenance you’ll have to practice is preventative.
Preventative care for laminate floors
Here are a few basic rules to observe to prevent damage to your floor.
Sweep frequently. Dirt and grit can act like sandpaper on your floor and leave permanent marks. Try and keep them to a minimum. If you choose to vacuum, remember not to use the beater brush.
Doormats. Put doormats down at every entrance where outside material like sand, grit, and dirt could be tracked in.
Proper footwear. Make sure no one wears shoes that could damage it, including spiked cleats, sharp heels, or anything with metal on the bottom.
Little water and no steam. Do not use a steam cleaner or any pooled water. This could result in warping, separation of the laminated layers, and of whole pieces from each other, and at the least would void the warranty.
No soap or wax. Soap will leave your floor slippery, and wax will leave a dull film on it.
Protective pads. Put these on the floor contact points of all movable furniture. Just like with hardwood, repeated shifting of chair and tables legs, etc., can increase wear and tear.
React to spills quickly. For the same reason as above, because water can damage this kind of floor. Even if it doesn’t get critically warped, it might still leave permanent and unsightly stains.
Vinegar. For spots too tough for a light mopping, mix a solution of one part vinegar and three parts water (recipes vary) in a spray bottle, spray over areas where dirt, stains, or grime may be gathering, and come back a few minutes later to scrub it all off with a mop or sponge
Manage humidity. Seasonally changing humidity levels can expand and contract your laminate panels until they don’t fit right anymore. Running a humidifier during the heating season and a dehumidifier or air conditioner in the summer can prolong the life of your floor.
Read your warranty. In addition to telling you what not to use, your warranty may also suggest certain cleaners made especially for laminates.
This may all sound like a lot of trouble, having to do all your floor cleaning without water, and without most of your cleaning products as well. But while all this is true of conventional laminate flooring, Unique Carpet and Floor in Manassas carries a line of waterproof laminate called Floorte®, by Shaw Floors. It combines PVC and resins into a durable, impermeable shielding layer, and the tongue-and-groove fitting of the planks blocks water at the seams.
If you’d like to hear more about this cutting-edge product or are interested in looking into laminate floors for your home, give Unique Carpet and Floor a call at (703) 369-1600 or reach us on our website.