Laminate floors are known to be easy to maintain.
But be careful, because like all wooden coverings, they don't like water .
Indeed, if too much water is used, the laminate floorboards may warp...
Fortunately, thanks to this practical guide, you will be able to clean your laminate flooring like a pro without leaving streaks !
It was my friend Julien, who has been selling and installing laminate floors for 15 years, who told me all his professional secrets for natural cleaning!
With this technique, you will cut your cleaning time in half! Watch:
- a microfiber broom: you need a broom with a microfiber cloth, like this one. It's the best way to clean laminate floors, as it glides across surfaces effortlessly, and the microfibers are very good at picking up all dirt and pet hair. Thanks to their pivoting head, you can quickly clean and shine even large surfaces and reach hard-to-reach places, such as under tables and chairs.
- a suitable cleanser: you can of course choose to buy an expensive off-the-shelf cleaner specially suited for laminate floors. But the most effective and much cheaper solution is to use this homemade recipe for laminate floor cleaner.
- a spray bottle: this will allow you to spray the homemade cleaner directly and easily on the microfiber mop.
1. First dry dust your laminate floor with the microfiber broom to remove dust bunnies and clumps of hair.
Alternate: you can also dust the floors with your vacuum cleaner, but using the "parquet" setting so as not to damage it.
2. Once the dust is removed, simply rub the wipe with your hand over the sink to remove most of the dust, then rinse with clean water.
3. Then moisten slightly the microfiber cloth with warm water.
4. Put the homemade cleaner in the spray bottle.
5. Spray this cleanser directly on the wipe.
6. Clean the floor with the same microfiber mop you used previously.
7. When the microfiber cloth starts to get dirty, rinse it under water, put it back on the mop and continue.
8. When finished cleaning, rinse the microfiber cloth in the sink and air dry.
There you go, your laminate flooring is now nickel chrome without any trace :-)
Easy, fast and efficient, right?
You now know how to clean a very dirty laminate floor! And know that it also works for a floating floor.
Thanks to the microfiber cloth, you can easily remove dirt, with very little effort and minimal pressure.
No need to scrub like crazy:let the broom do all the work!
And no risk of damaging your laminate flooring with too much water!
You will be able to keep your beautiful parquet all your life without having to change it and buy a new one.
With a microfiber mop, you no longer need to carry a bucket of hot water through all the rooms of your house, unlike traditional mops.
With just one microfiber cloth, you easily clean at least 2 rooms, or even more.
Thus, no need to go rinse your wipe in the sink every 5 minutes. No more wringing out dripping "old fashioned" mops!
After several uses, or if the wipe loses its color, just put it in the washing machine, choosing the "heavily soiled laundry" washing cycle.
Always sweep or vacuum in the direction of the floorboards . This way, you will be able to easily remove all the dirt that is between the grooves of the parquet, and also prevent it from accumulating there. Essential for maintaining your laminate flooring properly!
- Never use a rotary brush vacuum cleaner, as they can scratch the laminate floor.
- If your laminate floor is lacquered or covered with a glossy varnish, avoid vacuuming to avoid scratches. Even set to "floor" mode, your vacuum cleaner can still leave micro-scratches. And unfortunately, these can be seen very well on varnished or lacquered surfaces.
- Do not use a mop, sponge broom or any other system that cleans with plenty of water, because if the water penetrates the parquet, it may deform it for life.
- Since laminate floors are not real wood, they should never be waxed or polished.
- Do not use chemical cleaners to shine a laminate floor, as you risk damaging it.
- Do not use bleach-based cleaners or abrasive cleaners to clean laminate floors.
- Never use steel wool or a scouring pad, as you risk scratching the protective layer of the laminate floor.
- If a liquid spills, clean it quickly with a sponge, a dry cloth or paper towel. But don't let a puddle of liquid remain on the surface of your laminate floor for too long, as it may warp.
- Blood: spray glass cleaner on it and wipe with a damp cloth. Check out the trick here.
- Chewing gum: to avoid any scratches, use a disposable knife or other plastic (but especially not metal) object. Pass it under the chewing gum to remove the largest then clean the residue with a soft cloth soaked in white spirit.
- Grease pencil: rub with a damp cloth soaked in white spirit.
- Bold: harden the grease stain by applying cold with an ice pack (or a plastic bag filled with ice cubes), then scrape with a plastic knife. Remove residue with a little glass cleaner and a damp cloth.
- Ink: clean with a damp cloth. If the stain is stubborn, add a little detergent. If the stain is really stubborn, use a commercial solvent product, like this one, but be sure to wipe the area well with a damp cloth when you're done.
- Nail polish: as you might have guessed, the proper cleanser is simply nail polish remover. Once the stain is gone, clean the area with a cloth soaked in warm water. Check out the trick here.
- Red wine and Coca-Cola: clean with a damp cloth.
- Shoe marks: rub the scuffs left by the rubber soles with a simple eraser. You'll see, it's like correcting children's homework! :-) Check out the trick here.
