How do you care for your laminate flooring?

[mommy2allyandaveri]

Getting laminate flooring installed this week. What is the best way to care for them. I'm leaning in the swiffer direction. Can I use the wet pads or only the dry?

Do you guys have other methods?

 

[Ranger111]

What sort are you using would be my first question?

If you are using the "tongue/groove" sort, with the "cracks" between sheets, be aware that lots of "junk" can fall into those....

I would suggest you have a good vacuum and run it on hard floor setting at least every three days (more often is better) to minimize the gunk that can find a home there.

If you just sweep or "swift" you will get some compacted build-up.

For mopping, I use the O-Cedar http://www.ocedar.com/?/p/microfiber-flip-mop-damp-dry-all-surface-mop
This fits on a specific mop head, but I love that it is great for a quick damp mop, as well as more intensive cleaning. And, they slip off the mop head and go in the washing machine.

I bought four of the pads five years ago and they still are going strong and I mop three times a week. Also use them for light wall cleaning.

much more economical than disposable. Easy to swap out pads while cleaning, all around good.

So, my method is first vacuum to remove all loose dirt, dust and pet hair.

Then, using my laundry spray bottle (good old water), I dampen sections of the floor at a time and then wet mop until one side of pad is soiled. Pad "automatically" flips to clean side. Work until both sides are soiled and then swap out dirty pad for clean and finish the floor.

That is the every couple of days damp mop. Depending on dirt level, floor gets a real cleaning with cleaner every 10-14 days.

 

[tvguy]

Just put laminate in. Manufacturer recommends vacuuming without brushes, then going over with a dust mop, then using a wet Swiffer type system with the cleaning solution for wood floors.

 

[gracie1]

We have laminate floors also. They are awesome!! I have dogs (90lb and 20 lb) and they were the best thing we ever got! I had mine installed from Lowes - we use a vacuum cleaner on it and we bought the Bruce floor care that they have there which we do every 5 months -6 months and they look like brand new

 

[si-am]

I use Windex sometimes (I read about it working on laminate floors somewhere) and it's great! Better for spot cleaning though, like for us around the cat food area.

Usually when I am planning on cleaning the entire kitchen floor, I'll vacuum with a stick vac and then use a Swiffer (the wet cloth kind).

 

[skysmom99]

I have both laminate and hardwood floors. I'm in total agreement with the poster who said vacuum first on a hard floor setting (and vacuum often). We use the Swiffer system after that with both dry and wet pads as needed. We also use the wet jet on an as needed basis. With 3 kids, a 95 lb German shepherd, a 90 lb lab, and a very wet spring, floor cleaning has been a constant issue the last few months.

 

[mistysue]

Same with the vacuum and swiffer type mop. If you get a standard swiffer sweeper, you can actually attach a normal wash cloth sized cloth to it. It will be the correct size and you just push it into the tabs the same way you do with the swiffer brand cloths. I do that and spray it with whatever cleaner I want.

I want to be sure you know not to use a sopping wet style mop. If you are creating standing water, even for a minute, it can get under the laminated layer and cause the board to expand. This will at first just make the little hairline cracks more obvious but eventually it will really damage the floor. I worked at a place where one girl insisted on using a traditional mop- the entire floor was destroyed within a couple months from every other day mopping. A swiffer or that O-cedar one will not do that.

 

[edk35]

I use a Haan floor steamer on mine!! Also, for quick clean ups..... I spray a mixture of vinegar and water on them and mop up with a mop pad that fits on my swiffer.

 

[Buttrcp16]

I also use a stick vacuum every few days. When I mop I use a Swiffer with cheap washcloths (washable/reusable) and a spray bottle of 50/50 water and vinegar. I use vinegar for cleaning everything! Cheap, non-toxic, and works wonderfully!

I agree the laminate with the grooves on the sides is not ideal. We started out with that kind and gunk built up pretty quickly. We switched to the kind that looks seamless (long story but Lowe's installed it wrong and had to replace the entire floor and by that time our existing floor was discontinued) and it's much easier to keep clean.

 

[sherry7]

I use a Haan floor steamer on mine!! Also, for quick clean ups..... I spray a mixture of vinegar and water on them and mop up with a mop pad that fits on my swiffer.

Just a FYI...read your warranty. You've probably voided it by using a steamer. I replaced all of the flooring in my house last year, and researched both laminate and hardwood. (We ended up going with a solid oak hardwood.) With no exceptions, every brand of laminate and wood said NOT to use a steamer.

 

[dfchelbay]

I use vinegar & water combination for washing. One cup vinegar to one gallon of water. I use a regular sponge mop and I towel dry to avoid streaks. Mine are in a high light/windowed area & everything shows so that's why I towel dry. Streaks would be seen from every direction in that area.

 

[tvguy]

Just a FYI...read your warranty. You've probably voided it by using a steamer. I replaced all of the flooring in my house last year, and researched both laminate and hardwood. (We ended up going with a solid oak hardwood.) With no exceptions, every brand of laminate and wood said NOT to use a steamer.

Exactly. My wife bought a steamer, which said you could use it on laminate before we got our laminate. In shopping for the flooring, every dealer made it clear you never ever use a steamer on laminate.

 

[Kellydelly]

We put laminate flooring in our kitchen/dining/entryway/powder room about 16 yrs ago (Columbia brand). We sweep the floor (have a stick vac but I don't want the kids to possibly scratch the floor), there are no deep seams or gaps for junk to accumulate in, the floor is very smooth . To clean it I use Lysol or Pine-sol with hot water and get down on my hands and knees and wipe it with a rag. I also use a steam cleaner. I have never had an issue with water or steam damaging the floor or getting into the seams. At this point the flooring in the kitchen area is starting to show it's age with a few tiny gouges where stuff has fallen, but overall it still looks great . My husband did a good job installing it .

 

[abmitch01]

just don't let anything wet sit on them too long. If my dog urinated while i was a work, it would cause a warped look to the laminate. When I mopped, I went over them with a dry mop after