flexible in terms of use and design and they’re cheap! But, maintaining laminate flooring gets tough when you don’t clean them regularly. If your laminates have faux carvings in them, they can be where dust and other dirt tuck themselves in. Thus, sweeping over your laminate floor is not enough. Here are 3 ways to properly spruce your laminate floor up and prevent them from getting scratched and warped.
1 Dry, Soft, And Microfiber
Here are the three things you should remember when cleaning your laminate floor on a regular basis: it should be dry, soft, and microfiber. While it’s not advisable to clean your floors with a traditional broom, you can use a broom with the softest bristles; otherwise, the broom will scratch your floor’s surface. The best tool is a dry dust mop or microfiber cloth because it easily glides on the floor, and attracts and holds the dust particles. Take note of the word dry, too. Your mop or broom needs to be dry. The water or the liquid solution will seep into the laminates causing it to warp and lose its shape. You can also use a vacuum cleaner that is set on the wood floor setting and turn the brush-roll off. The bristles can scratch the laminates. Read More: 10 5-Minute Daily Decluttering Hacks For Busy/Lazy Millennials
2 Hot Water, Acetone, Window Cleaner, Ice
As for removing stains and other dirt that can’t be removed by simply by following #1, you can add liquid into your cleaning gear. For fresh and easy-to-remove stains, you can use hot water, just make sure you wring your microfiber cloth or mop very well so as it’s just the right dampness that cannot seep into the laminate floor. You can also use spray bottle to add a bit of water. For more stubborn stains (paint, oil, tar, markers) you can clean them with acetone-based nail polish remover or a window cleaner, then wipe with a damp microfiber cloth. Just use these two liquids moderately for they can be harsh on your floor when used regularly. For tough substances like wax or chewing gum, you can use ice to harden them. Next, gently scrape with a plastic scraper once the gum hardens. After, wipe the area clean with a soft, slightly damp cloth. Read More: These 5 Easy Lifestyle Changes Will Make Your Condo Eco-Friendly
3 Rugs, Trimmed Nails, Humidifier
To keep your laminate floor clean and maintain its shine, you can place rugs in areas with the most foot traffic so the laminates won’t get easily damaged. These areas can be the places where you have heavy furniture or where you pet/s roam. Speaking of pets, make sure you regularly trim their nails so they can’t scratch your floors. Bonus Tip!
Another thing to consider is your place’s humidity. Throughout the year, you have to maintain a normal indoor relative humidity level between 35% and 65% to minimize the natural contraction of the laminates.
