How to Clean Laminate Flooring

Laminate floors need to be cleaned regularly to prevent scratches or deformation, but the use of harsh cleaners can cause stains or damage the floor. Regular dry cleaning is essential, but warm water or mild detergent can also be used for a more thorough cleaning. Here are some of the most effective ways to clean laminate floors.

Table of Contents

General cleaning

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Sweep the floor regularly. Every few days, you should sweep and mop the floor to remove dust. ^{[1] X Research Source}

Laminate floors have good scratch resistance properties, but dirt, hair and debris can cause scratches if accumulated over a long period of time. Sweeping the floor regularly will prevent scratches from forming.
Instead of using a dry duster, you can use a vacuum cleaner with a soft brush head.
Do not use a regular broom. The stiff straws on the broom can damage the surface of the floor.
Sweep in the direction of the laminate panels. This way, you will remove the sand that falls into the gap between the laminates.

Wipe up spilled liquids immediately. Use a rag or sponge to immediately wipe up any spilled liquid on the floor.

Do not allow liquids (including water) to sit on the floor for a long time. Liquids can stain or damage the protective layer of laminate flooring.
Use a dry rag to absorb the liquid on the floor.
Moisten a rag or sponge before thoroughly wiping the spilled area to clean up any traces.
Wipe with a dry, soft cloth. Do not leave the floor wet.

Hot water

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Fill a bucket with hot water. You don’t need to use hot water until it evaporates, but it should be hotter than warm.

The floor should be thoroughly cleaned with water every few months or when the floor is soiled over a large area.
Hot water is considered one of the best ways to clean laminate floors because it leaves no streaks after mopping if done properly. It is less likely that hot water will damage the laminate’s protective coating, since water is the mildest cleaner that can be used.

Wet the rag and wring out the water. Dip the mop pad in hot water and wring it out so that only moisture remains.

You can use a traditional mop, but a mop with a sponge is easier to adjust to the humidity.
Need to dry the mop thoroughly before wiping. Even water can stain or disfigure laminate flooring if it collects in a puddle on the floor. Therefore, you need to make sure the mop is only slightly damp before wiping it on the laminate floor.

Thoroughly wipe all floor surfaces. ^{[2] X Research Source} Wipe the entire floor, starting from the center and gradually wiping outward.

You can also start wiping from one end of the room to the other. The only mopping that you should avoid is to start at the edge of the floor and mop in the middle, as you will have to step on the areas you just finished mopping to leave the room.
Since the mop is barely damp, you may need to re-soak it and wring it out a few times during the cleaning process.

Let the floor dry. If the laminate floor is still slightly damp, you can let it dry naturally. Otherwise, use a clean, dry microfiber cloth to dry.

Do not use abrasive lint cloth as this may scratch the floor.
Do not allow water to sit on laminate floors for long periods of time.

Vinegar

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Make a solution of vinegar and water. Pour 1/4 cup (60 ml) of white vinegar into a 1-quart spray bottle. Fill the pitcher with white water and shake well to dissolve the vinegar and water. ^{[3] X Research Sources}

Diluted vinegar is especially useful when the laminate floor is covered with mud or other stains that cause the floor to become discolored or dull.
Pure vinegar is too strong, so you have to dilute the vinegar with water.
You can also make a similar solution by mixing 1/3 cup (80 ml) of vinegar with a little soapy water and 4 quarts of warm water.

Spray the solution on the laminate floor little by little. Spray vinegar on the floor with an area no larger than 30 square centimeters.

Do not spray vinegar on the entire floor at once. You need to wipe the solution off the floor almost immediately, and spraying the entire floor with vinegar all at once will make it impossible for you to remove the vinegar before it washes away the laminate’s protective coating.

Use a damp rag or mop to wipe off the solution. Immediately after spraying vinegar on the floor, you need to immediately wipe it with a rag or damp sponge.

You can also use a microfiber rag. Do not use sponges or rags made of rough materials.
Make sure to squeeze out all the water on the rag or mop before wiping. Do not clean the floor with a damp rag, as standing water on the floor for too long will deform the laminate.

Gentle soap

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Fill the bucket with hot water. Pour about 4 quarts of warm or hot water into a large bucket.

The water doesn’t have to be hot to the point of vaporization, but it does have to be much hotter than slightly warmer.

Add mild laundry detergent or baby shampoo. Stir 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of baby shampoo or mild dishwashing liquid into hot water. ^{[4] X Research Sources}

Do not use scented or colored dishwashing detergents, as these can leave stains or damage the floor.
Gentle baby shampoo suitable for use on laminate floors; Regular adult shampoo should not be used.
Stir the soap and water with your hands until the soap is completely dissolved and bubbles begin to form.
Do not use strong cleaning agents such as bleach or other harsh chemicals.

Wet and wring the mop. Dip a mop or mop into the soapy solution. Squeeze it out so that only moisture remains.

Soap water is a good choice when cleaning floors with dirt, salt, or other forms of dirt.
You can also use a microfiber rag, but a mop is still better because you have to clean the entire floor instead of mopping small areas.
Standing water can cause laminate flooring to deform. Therefore, it is important that you wring the mop until it is only slightly damp instead of drenched.

Wipe the floor from one end to the other. Start at one end of the floor and work your way to the other end, mopping all over the floor.

You can also start in the middle of the room and work your way out. The only thing you should avoid is wiping from the outside to the center of the room, as you will have to step onto the area you just finished cleaning to leave the room.
Wet and wring out again while mopping the entire floor, if necessary.

Dry the floor. If you just wipe with a damp cloth, laminate flooring will dry quickly on its own. If you don’t see signs of the floor drying on its own when you reach the other end of the room, you need to use a microfiber rag to dry the floor.

Do not allow puddles of water to sit on laminate floors for long periods of time.

Treat stains

Wipe off blood stains with glass cleaner. ^{[5] X Research Source} Spray a small amount of glass cleaner on the stain and wipe it off with a warm, slightly damp cloth.

Use a lint-free microfiber rag.
The sooner the stain is treated, the easier it is to clean.

Remove gum residue from the floor with a plastic knife. Use a plastic knife to scrape the gum and use a soft, damp rag to wipe away any remaining traces.

Dab some mineral spirits on the rag for best results.
Do not use metal knives as they are too sharp and are more likely to scratch the floor.

Wipe away soda, wine, crayon, or ink stains with a damp rag. Usually, these stains can be wiped away with just a slightly damp microfiber rag.

You can dab some white gasoline on a rag to remove wax stains.
For stubborn ink stains, you may need to add a little detergent or ink remover to the rag to remove the stain. Remember to wipe it down with a rag soaked in clean, warm water.

Remove nail polish, shoe polish, or tar with acetone nail polish remover. Add a bit of nail polish remover to a microfiber rag and scrub the stain until it’s clean.

Then wipe with a microfiber cloth dipped in clean water.

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Treat heel marks and slipper marks with a pencil eraser. You just need to scrub until the marks disappear.

Use cold to clean grease stains. Place an ice pack or bag of frozen vegetables on the stain until the grease solidifies. Use a plastic knife to scrape off the hardened oil.

Do not use metal tools to scrape.
Wipe off any remaining grease by spraying a small amount of glass cleaner on the dirty area and wiping it off with a damp rag.

Things you need

Microfiber rags
Dust mop or vacuum cleaner with soft brush head
4 liter bucket
Water
Vinegar
Baby shampoo or mild dishwashing liquid
Mop with a lint-free rag or sponge
Windshield washer fluid
Ice bag
Plastic knife
Nail polish remover
Eraser
Mineral spirits

Steps