Laminate care: basic rules and cleaning tools

How to care for your laminate at home

In order not to damage the floor surface, it is important to know what types of cleaning are safe.

• To get rid of grit and dirt, as well as small debris, it is recommended to use a soft-bristled mop.
• To prevent the abrasive sand from scratching the surface, you need to sweep the floor as dirt appears.
• A vacuum cleaner with a gentle attachment is suitable for removing dust.
• After dry cleaning, the laminate is washed with water, but experts recommend doing this only once a week. The exception is moisture-resistant panels, which can be washed more often.

How to clean laminate flooring properly?

The disadvantage of the laminated coating is the joints. When caring for the laminate at home, an excess of water must not be allowed, which, penetrating into the base layer of the board made of wood chips, deforms it. As a result, the floor may swell and the elements will have to be changed.

For wet cleaning of the floor, a soft cloth made of wool, flannel or cotton is suitable, but microfiber is preferable, which perfectly absorbs moisture. Even more effective is a mop with a microfiber MOP attachment and a squeeze lever that helps to remove excess water efficiently. The washing vacuum cleaner is used exclusively for moisture-resistant laminate. After washing the floor, it is worth wiping it dry.

Do not use a steam cleaner when cleaning the floor: hot steam will swell the laminate.

How can you clean your laminate at home?

Thanks to purchased household chemicals, you can achieve maximum cleanliness, but for some contaminants, improvised means will also work. All professional formulations differ in consistency and purpose, which should be found out about before buying. Store products always contain instructions on the label, which must be read before use. It is worth testing the composition in advance on an inconspicuous area of ​​the floor, so as not to spoil the coating in the process.

The best store-bought detergents

Chemicals are used for a thorough cleaning that is done every few weeks. Rare but regular cleaning of your laminate floor will keep it long-lasting. Modern laminate floor cleaners easily remove dirt and grease from the surface, softening the water. Here are some of the formulations that have proven themselves in the fight to keep your home clean:

• "Laminol"- a product of Russian production for washing laminate without streaks. After cleaning it does not need to be additionally washed off. Has a pleasant orange scent.
• "Unicum"- allows you to achieve a glossy shine, has antibacterial properties.
• "Starwax"- a French floor cleaner that washes well the laminated flooring in the hallway or corridor, that is, where dirt from shoes accumulates.
• "Bagi Laminate"- inexpensive Russian products with a special impregnation of linseed, which protects the laminate flooring from swelling and deformation.
• "Mister Proper"Is a popular product that can handle even stubborn dirt.Allows you to get rid of the stains that remain after the repair. Has a pleasant smell.
• "HG"- cleans the laminate floor well, gives it shine. The main feature - over time, masks minor scratches, renewing the coating.

What detergents should not be used to wash laminate flooring? It should not be rubbed with compounds if they are intended for polishing other coatings. It is also forbidden to use abrasive substances.

Improvised means

The easiest method for cleaning laminate flooring is hot water temperatures above 50 degrees. It is not allowed to use a cloth that is too wet: the water must be squeezed out with high quality. You need to move from window to door, sometimes rinsing a rag. After cleaning, wipe the floor with a microfiber cloth.

It will remove old dirt well with the usual dining room vinegar. When using it, you should protect your hands with rubber gloves. If it is necessary to clean the entire floor, one glass of vinegar per 7 liters of hot water is sufficient. If you need to get rid of stubborn dirt, it is recommended to dilute 50 ml of vinegar in a liter of water. Spray the stains with a spray bottle, and after a few minutes wipe with a rag.

Laminate care rules do not exclude the use of household liquid soap... It can be replaced with a baby one. You will need to dissolve a tablespoon of soap in 5 liters of hot water. A rag soaked in the solution should be wrung out well, and after washing the floor, wipe it dry.

Prohibited cleaning methods for laminate flooring

The use of some products leads to damage to the laminated surface:

• Powder cleaning causes mechanical damage to the floor covering.
• Substances containing alkali, ammonia and acid turn the floor into an unattractive matte finish without a protective layer.
• Bleach products (eg "Whiteness") corrode the floor, spoil the color of the laminate and destroy laminate boards.
• Do not use hard, rough material, sponges with a coarse layer, metal brushes: they leave small scratches on the surface.

How to deal with tough spots?

Sole marks are erased with an eraser or baking soda solution. Chewing gum removed with a plastic scraper. The remains are wiped off with a cloth soaked in hot water.

If the laminate is dirtyblood, you can use hydrogen peroxide with ammonia or a means for windows and mirrors: after sprinkling the stain a little, wipe it with a rag.

Main part nail polish usually removed with a plastic spatula. Apply a warm, damp cloth to the remaining stains for 30 seconds. If this does not help, gently wipe the problem area with denatured alcohol along the drawing.

How to wash stains from guilt or juice on the laminate? Regular wet wipes will work.

Greasy stains in the kitchen are frozen and scraped off with a plastic spatula.

How to clean laminate flooring after renovation?

Care should be taken to protect the floor in advance: cardboard and plastic wrap will protect the boards from dirt. Unfortunately, it is impossible to completely secure the floor during the renovation. How to remove construction dirt from the flooring is described below.

Primer

The easiest way to remove primer stains is to apply a glass cleaner and wipe with a soft cloth. The old stain should be moistened with liquid primer and wiped off.

Polyurethane foam

This material hardens quickly and is difficult to remove. If you can't get rid of the polyurethane foam right away, you can purchase a special tool at a hardware store (for example, Penosil Premium Cured). But these compounds contain strong solvents, so you need to be careful when using it: read the instructions and test on an inconspicuous area of ​​the floor.

A safer folk method is the pharmacy drug Dimexide. Dried foam should be carefully cleaned with a clerical knife, and then moistened with Dimexidum and wet cleaning the laminate. Protect your hands with gloves when working!

Wallpaper glue

Dirt from the surface is easily removed with a soft cloth dipped in warm soapy water.

Construction dust

Residues of construction dust should be cleaned with a powerful vacuum cleaner. Special attention is paid to the skirting boards and the gaps between the bevels. Then wet cleaning is carried out with warm water. Cleaning the laminate without streaks is helped by the cleaning products that we wrote about earlier.

Laminate paint

Ethyl alcohol will help wash the paint. White spirit or acetone will remove drops of oil paint, but it is important to make sure they dissolve the paint and not the laminate.

Silicone sealant

Cured sealant is removed carefully with a utility knife. The main thing is not to touch the surface of the laminate. You can also use a plastic scraper. But the most effective way is a special solvent from a store. It removes hardened silicone without harming the floor.

Marker

Marker or felt-tip marks can be smeared with toothpaste and then wiped off with a dry cloth. White spirit is suitable for more complex cases, but it should be used carefully.

Scotch

If there are sticky scotch marks on the floor, they will be removed with a special Mister Proper detergent, vodka or alcohol. There is also a special anti-scotch tool, but its price is quite high.

How to remove scratches from laminate flooring?

Over time, damage develops on the laminate floor. To prevent their occurrence, it is necessary to put down a rug at the entrance to the house and periodically clean it. If scratches do appear, there are several ways to get rid of them:

1. Vegetable oil applied with a soft cloth.
2. Dark wax crayon matched to the floor color. Shallow scratches on light-colored boards can be masked with simple wax.
3. Iodine applied with a cotton swab.
4. Special paste and putty. They are designed for deep chipping. After filling the cracks, the composition must be kept for a day, sanded and varnished.

Other super effective ways to get rid of scratched laminate flooring can be found in this video:

Caring for your laminate flooring is a fairly straightforward task. If all the recommendations are followed, it is possible not only to increase the service life of the laminated coating, but also to preserve its pattern and shine.