How and what is the right way to clean laminate floors

Laminate is a modern floor material that has gained unprecedented popularity in recent years due to its advantages. Durable, environmentally friendly, wear-resistant, with a beautiful appearance, it is able to make the floor of the apartment warm and cozy.

Proper care is the key to a long laminate life

The structure of the laminate is something like a layer cake, where the top film is the most important part. It performs a protective function, protecting it from chips, scratches, dust, traces of heels. Therefore, it is important to take care of the proper care of the laminate. It will be possible to extend the life of such material if you follow simple rules.

1. The main enemies of the laminate are dirt and sand. To prevent them from spreading around the rooms and scratching the floor, a well-rubberized rug should be put in the corridor.
2. In order to minimize the probability of damage to the top layer, you can knock down the legs of chairs and tables, as well as other furniture, which you often have to move, with soft felt.
3. It is necessary to carry out daily cleaning with a vacuum cleaner or a broom, and wet to carry out 2-3 times a week.
4. Since the laminate is sensitive to water, do not use a washing vacuum cleaner that leaves a lot of moisture.
5. Removing oil stains, traces of paint, markers, strips from rubber soles from the floor covering is carried out using a clean cloth and neutral detergent compositions.
6. To get rid of traces of sauce, juice, beer, wine on a laminate, simple warm water or a weak solution of a neutral detergent will do. At the end of the wet treatment of contaminated areas, wipe this area with a dry cloth.
7. Adhesive chewing gum or wax is pre-cooled with an ice cube and then carefully scraped off.

Over time, the laminate may fade. This situation is quite fixable. It is enough to use special tools that can restore the appearance of the floor to its original shine. These are the compounds used to rub the top layer.

How to wash a laminate, but not

To purchase and install a laminate is half the battle. It is important to wash it correctly so as not to damage the surface. The modern market offers a large selection of special products designed to care for this type of coating. But there are also such compositions, the use of which when cleaning the laminate floor should be excluded.

Detergents, the use of which is allowed when cleaning the laminate:

• soft cloth or mop equipped with a special nozzle;
• certain detergents manufactured by laminate manufacturers for their product;
• various compositions used in cleaning the apartment;
• alcohol or acetone will help to eliminate complex stains;
• allowed the use of laundry soap, dishwashing detergents, shampoos;
• polishes designed specifically for laminate surfaces;
• broom, vacuum cleaner.

Important! It is not recommended to use detergents to treat the surface of the laminate every time you restore order. The best option is 1 time in 4 cleanings. You can even less often, depending on the degree of contamination of the floor.

Detergents, the use of which is not allowed when cleaning laminated surfaces:

• cleaning powders;
• abrasive compounds;
• solvents;
• hard rags, metal brushes;
• liquids containing acid;
• means used for cleaning parquet and flooring;
• formulations containing mastic or wax.

The danger of using such products is reduced to a high probability of damage to the surface layer, which, in turn, significantly reduces the life of the floor covering.

How to clean a laminate floor

Wet cleaning is recommended only if the vacuum cleaner is not able to cope with pollution.

1. First you need to remove larger debris and vacuum the floors. Things and furniture that will interfere with cleaning, it is better to temporarily move to another room.
2. After this, the composition is prepared, with which the floors will be washed. You can add half a glass of distilled vinegar to each liter of water (ammonia is an alternative). These additional nuances neutralize the negative effect that water can have on a laminate. To prevent stains on the floor, it makes sense to add a third glass of alcohol to the water.
3. The rag soaked in the prepared liquid is carefully squeezed out. She wipes the floors along the laid planks of the floor covering. If a mop is used to wash the laminate, then it should be normal, without the spin function. At the end of the procedure, let the coating dry. It is not recommended to use dry pieces of fabric for this, it is enough to open the doors and windows.
4. If it is necessary to treat a small area of ​​the floor, then it is not necessary to wash it all. It is enough to use special cleaning products available in the form of spray guns. Such a preparation is applied to the problem area on the surface and wiped with paper towels.

Vacuum cleaner and laminate

Many housewives are wondering - is it possible to use a washing vacuum cleaner when cleaning the laminate floor? In fact, the principle of operation of such a device comes down to spraying water and its subsequent collection. But the liquid for the laminate is fatal. Therefore, the use of such a mechanism is undesirable.

You can, of course, clean the floor with a washing vacuum cleaner, and thoroughly wipe the remaining moisture. But this will significantly complicate the cleaning process. The best option is surface treatment with a conventional vacuum cleaner with a soft nozzle, after which wet cleaning is carried out according to the instructions described above.

Laminate manufacturers guarantee that with proper use, such a coating can last from 10 to 30 years. If in practice you follow all the recommendations listed above, then laminate floors will serve faithfully in your home for a long time to come.

Video: how to care for laminate floors