Laminate flooring care and maintenance may seem straightforward, but one simple mistake can turn your cost-effective flooring into a financial burden. While laminate floors do not require refinishing, like traditional hardwood floors, they do require their own special form of care when dealing with stains, scuffs, or general weekly maintenance. These simple laminate flooring care and maintenance tips will teach you how to keep your floors looking as good as the day you installed them.
Daily and Weekly Care
For your day-to-day routine, a little goes a long way. Laminate flooring is durable enough to handle Seattle’s damp weather, but can wear down over time from loose dirt, dust, and water. To prevent this from happening, sweep daily, or every other day, to prevent dirt and dust buildup, and use microfiber towels or a microfiber dry mop to keep floors nice and dry on especially rainy days.
Essential supplies for daily and weekly laminate flooring care and maintenance
Laminate floors require the right tools to stay in top-shape. Before you start your next clean, make sure you have these essentials on hand:
- A laminate floor safe cleaning agent: Not all floor cleaning products are created equal. Laminate floors need properly formulated, pH-neutral cleaners to properly clean up daily spills or stains, as popular cleaning solutions (like bleach or oil soap) can discolor the floor’s protective wear layer over time. When looking for the right cleaning solution, make sure the bottle states that it is specifically formulated for laminated floors.
- Soft-bristle broom or dust mop: To avoid scratching the laminate from daily or weekly usage, opt for a soft-bristle broom over a broom that has stiff or coarse bristles. Brooms with stiff or coarse bristles can scratch or scruff the surface of the laminate as you sweep, making direct contact with the wear layer. Regular usage of a soft-bristle broom or dust mop can clear up debris like dust or dirt without damaging the wear layer.
- Vacuum with a hard-floor attachment: A common mistake often seen in laminate flooring care is vacuuming floors with the standard beater bar attachment. The beater bar attachment is intended for carpet, and long-term usage with the beater bar attachment can scratch or scuff your laminate surface. When vacuuming, always use the hard-floor attachment to prevent this.
- A damp mop: When you’re ready for a deeper clean, less is more when it comes to how much water you’ll need for your mop. Excessive moisture can seep into the seams of the laminate planks and result in swelling, separation, or warping. If your floors are taking longer than two minutes to dry, you are using too much cleaning solution or water.
Stain Removal and Spot Cleaning
Accidents happen, which is why it’s essential to know what to do when spills or messes occur. The key to effective stain removal is understanding the different methods required depending on the stain type.
| Stain | Removal Method |
| Food, juice, coffee, wine | Blot dry with paper towel or cloth, wipe clean with a damp cloth and laminate safe cleaner |
| Mud | Allow mud to dry completely, sweep or vacuum dried residue before wiping clean with a damp microfiber cloth |
| Candle wax, chewing gum | Harden with ice cube, then gently lift away with dull plastic scraper |
| Oil or grease | Immediately blot excess grease or oil with a dry paper towel, then gently dab with a damp microfiber cloth. Follow up with laminate-safe cleaner and thoroughly dry the area |
| Ink, nail polish, shoe polish, marker, crayon | Dab with acetone-free nail polish remover or rubbing alcohol, using a clean cloth |
It’s important to always patch test a new cleaning solution or method on a low-visibility area, like a closet, to ensure that it will not cause any damage or discoloration.
Cleaning Mistakes to Avoid
Now that you know the best laminate flooring care and maintenance steps to incorporate into your daily and weekly routine, it’s important to know what cleaning mistakes to avoid. Below are some of the most common mistakes Seattle homeowners make.
- Steam cleaners: Despite the growing popularity of steam mops, these trendy tools can do serious damage to laminate flooring. The moisture and high heat can wear down the adhesive binding that holds the laminate together, causing irreversible damage.
- Floor wax or polish: Applying floor wax or polish to laminate will leave a dull, waxy buildup over time that can be challenging to remove. Unlike hardwood flooring, laminate floors are not porous and come with a special protective finish, which removes the need to wax or polish.
- Abrasive cleaners: Scouring pads, steel wool, or even scouring powders can scratch and permanently damage the laminate. When dealing with difficult-to-remove stains, always utilize laminate-floor-safe options and methods to treat the area.
Long-Term Laminate Flooring Care and Maintenance
While daily and weekly cleaning habits are essential for the longevity of your laminate floors, there are also additional preventative measures beyond cleaning that can keep your floors in great condition.
- Doormats, area rugs, or runners: The most simple and effective method to protect your floors from long-term wear is by placing doormats in entryways and using runners or area rugs in high foot-traffic areas. Especially during the rainy seasons that Seattle homeowners face, a well-placed, high-absorbency entry mat is essential for protecting the laminate floor from mud or moisture. However, it’s important to make sure your doormat, area rug, or runner does not trap moisture underneath, as this can cause damage or discoloration over time.
- Routine nail trims for house pets: For pet owners, regular nail trimming can prevent your pets from scratching your floors over time.
- Floor protectors and furniture pads: Placing felt or nylon pads under furniture legs in the room is another simple and effective form of laminate flooring care. When moving furniture, always lift instead of dragging it across the floor to prevent scratches.
Love Your Laminate Floors? Contact Us for Your Next Project
Laminate is a popular, budget-friendly choice for a reason. Following the laminate flooring care and maintenance tips above will keep your floors looking their best for years to come. If you love your laminate floors and want to bring that same high-quality look to the rest of your home, our team is here to help.
Builders Interiors is a family-owned and operated flooring store dedicated to providing high-quality service to homeowners in the greater Seattle area since 2007. Stop by one of our showrooms or contact us today for a free flooring consultation.