A laminate floor is a high-end flooring option that’s commonly used in most contemporary homes. Its popularity stems from the fact that it’s easier to install and less expensive than hardwood floors. It’s also extremely durable, and fun, too.
Laminates tend to mimic the appearance of wooden floors, accentuating your home with a natural look and warmth to your feet. Making laminate floors shine is a cakewalk due to their smooth and glossy finish. Nonetheless, maintaining the shiny luster proves to be a challenge to many homeowners.
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Are There Any Specific Products for Cleaning Laminates?
The simple answer is YES. To make laminate floors as shiny as brand new, you will need to use specifically formulated cleaning agents for the job. Apparently, this is something most property owners have no idea about. It’s not uncommon to see homeowners use wrong cleaning chemicals in their bid to make their laminate floors shine.
As ugly as it may sound, wrong cleaning agents leave behind unsightly residues that build up with time resulting in a matte floor. No need to worry though, because this tutorial explains everything there is to know on How to Make Laminate Floors Shine in 5 simple steps.
What’s more, you don’t need complex or expensive products for cleaning your precious laminate floors. For this process, we’re going to use simple homemade products that are poised to bring back the shiny look to your laminate floor – naturally!
Basic Supplies Needed for Cleaning the Laminate Flooring
To achieve the shiny look of your laminate floor, you will require the following basic items:
- Water
- White vinegar
- Rubbing alcohol
- Microfiber mop
- Spray bottle
- Measuring cup
- A Laminate vacuum cleaner
How to Make Laminate Floors Shine : Step-by-Step Guideline
Step 1: Sweep or Vacuum
Laminate is a light layer of wood laid over a synthetic fiber board. As such, it is vulnerable to damage. On that note, you will need to use a soft microfiber mop to remove dust without causing abrasion.
You will also need to vacuum the floor to remove dust – but be careful not to use a vacuum cleaner with hard floor attachment. Strictly don’t use a vacuum with a beater bar as well as it can lead to serious damage to your floor.
Step 2: Choose the Best Cleaning Agent and Apportion It
The choice of the cleaning agent matters as far as laminate cleaning goes. Soap and oil-based products may result in build-up of haze and streak on your floor. Therefore, you better opt for this homemade agent we are about to discuss.
And in case you are not comfortable using the home made cleaner, then go for the special laminate cleaners. In this category Dona would be the best. Anyways, you’re done removing the dust and dirt from your floor. The next thing is to prepare the cleaning agent that you will use to clean your floor.
Take your measuring cup and measure ½ cup of water, ½ cup of distilled white vinegar and ½ cup of rubbing alcohol. Mix them together in a spray bottle and shake thoroughly to blend, then go ahead and apply the solution onto laminate.
Step 3: Spray the Cleaner Directly onto the Laminate Floor
Note: never clean a laminate floor using a bucket and a mop as this will make it too wet. Laminate floors hate too much liquid.
Spray the liquid onto the floor in small portions. Make sure the portion you spray can be easily wiped, because the floors shouldn’t be left wet for long. Try and spray as you mop until you are through with the entire house.
The good thing about spraying while mopping is that it allows for faster drying, and you’ll be able to step on your floors again almost immediately after wiping.
Step 4: Gently Wipe the Solution With a Microfiber Mop
Use a soft flat-head microfiber mop to wipe off the solution from your laminate flooring. Avoid using a string mop on laminate floors as it holds too much water and can cause damage to the flooring.
Wipe on the direction of the grain and keep wringing the mop after every use. Work on small sections from start to finish.
Step 5: Dry the Laminate
Wipe the laminate gently using a dry and soft cloth to absorb the excess solution. Repeat this throughout the whole floor. After wiping it, the floor will still be a tad damp. Leave it to air dry and avoid walking on it before it is totally dry.
How to Retain the Shiny Look on Your Laminate Floor
Now that you've turned your dull floor into a shiny and glamorous state, it’s important to know how to keep it in that condition. Let us look at the cleaning routine that you ought to follow in order to achieve this.
Vacuum and Sweep Regularly
Sweeping and vacuuming regularly will help prevent build up and accumulation of dirt and dust. Make sure to use a laminate-friendly vacuum and broom to prevent damage.
Mop Regularly With a Microfiber Mop.
Mop your laminate regularly using soft mops and the right cleaning agents. As we've discussed above, soap-and oil-based cleaners lead to build up of streak and haze and with time your floor will be dull. Therefore, avoid them completely. The above homemade cleaner is sufficient to tender a shiny luster to your precious laminate flooring.
Clean Spills Immediately
Accidents are inevitable especially in a home with kids and pets. But then again, laminate scores the least points in the water-resistance arena. When liquid spills are left for long, the laminate will warp, leading to damage. Use a spoon to remove the food spills and a soft towel to wipe the liquid. Make sure to attend to this immediately
Place a Mat at Your Door
Mats will not only welcome visitors but also trap debris coming from frequent entry into and exit out of the house. Such debris can scratch the laminate surface. Luckily, a mat can easily take care of it.
Final Note
Laminate is a beautiful flooring option that demands regular care. The good news is that cleaning is easy and doable. Simply dedicate a short time daily, but if you’re a busy bee, do it once in every 3-4 days. With that, you will never again encounter the dull and ugly look on your laminate floor.
With the above 5 simple steps on how to make laminate floors shine, cleaning will be easy-peasy. All the best as you get busy with your laminate floor cleaning.
