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Cleaning Laminate Floors

Two reasons that most people choose laminate flooring is because it is generally stain- and scratch-resistant, and it is a lot easier to maintain than traditional hardwood floors. This does not mean, however, that this type of system needs no attention at all. Ignoring a laminate floor, in fact, is probably the easiest way to destroy it. The act of cleaning laminate floors is a simple art, but one for which you must be well-informed.

Removing Tough Stains

There are some common stains that can seemingly wreck laminate wood floors. Some of these include:

• ink
• chewing gum
• grease
• scuff marks
• blood
• and alcohol.

Even these menacing blemishes can be removed with a little elbow grease. For ink or alcohol stains, try a mild detergent and warm water on a cloth and rub the spot gently. Blood can be tackled with window cleaner and a damp cloth. It is important to use a laminate floor cleaner that does not strip the material on the floor, so window cleaners should always be ammonia-free.
Grease needs to harden and be gently scratched off with a plastic scraper before wiping with a soft cloth and window cleaner. Chewing gum also can be scraped off with a plastic scraper. Then use mineral spirits – like the ones used to thin paint – on a damp cloth.

Regular Maintenance

A secret to keeping clean laminate floors is to make sure they are kept clean regularly. Allowing debris and dust to accumulate invites a harder task when it is time for actually cleaning laminate floors. A versatile sweeper with disposable cloths that trap and lock dirt are the best for daily sweeping. They make it easier to gather hair particles, light-weight dust balls and threads that might fall on the floor.
If you decide to use a vacuum during regular maintenance, it is important to use a soft bristle brush attachment to avoid scratching the floor surface. The traditional attachments used on carpets are quite noisy and potentially leave marks because they require you to rub one hard surface against another.
Routine mopping should be done with a sponge mop and floor cleaner specially formulated for laminate floor cleaning. These cleaners are sold in most home improvement stores. Floor cleaners should be applied to a small section of the floor at a time and mopping should be done with the grain of the wood.

What NOT To Do

There are certainly some things that should not be done to laminate floors in order to avoid damage and keep them looking attractive:

1. Although it might be tempting because most of these flooring systems have a shiny topcoat, wax should never be used when cleaning laminate floors. Excessive waxing will create a build-up that will become very tough to remove.
2. Water or liquid spills should never be allowed to sit. Moist floors will begin to warp and loose their even, smooth appeal. Spills should be wiped up immediately.
3. Many traditional hard wood floors have been well-maintained with Murphy’s Oil Soap. It cleans the wood and leaves a signature fresh scent
   This is not a good idea for laminate floors. Because a laminate floor is made with some kind of sealant on its top material and particleboard or some other synthetic material, this cleaner can cause streaking. The cleaner does not destroy the floor, but it does change the way it looks. The same is true for pine cleaners, which tend to leave a soapy residue on floors.
4. It is always best to pick furniture up and place it rather than dragging it across the floor. It can do permanent damage. To be proactive about protecting the floor, it is best to use furniture pads on the bottoms of chairs and tables. They are very inexpensive and usually are self-adhesive. Simply stick them on the bottom of furniture and there is no worry about guests who may forget to lift a chair up before sitting.
5. Do not wear shoes that tend to scuff or leave marks. Although the marks can be removed with a simple pencil eraser, it is tough work removing scuff marks from an entire floor. Although there are cleaning products that shaped like markers that erase to help you do this job, it is simpler most often just to ask family and friends to remove their shoes on the floor.
6. Pets can be tough on laminate floors. If they have long nails that haven’t been clipped or dirty paws and leave track marks, cleaning can become a very time-consuming task. As soon as cleaning is done, there is dirt tracked on the floor again. A good rule of thumb is this: properly maintaining your pet ensures you can properly maintain your floor.

Cleaning laminate floors does not have to be an intimidating task. It will require an honest self-check to determine the amount of time you have available for the everyday work to be done. Taking care of the floor cannot be a task that is done whenever it is remembered or a few times a year during holidays or family gatherings. It is a daily process that requires persistence. It does not have to be a dreaded chore however. Done regularly, the cleaning process is not so labor intensive as much as it becomes a commitment to having a beautiful floor. Part of the charm of laminate flooring is that it looks like real wood, so the duty of owning it is making sure it always looks good.