In general, many different coatings have been developed for flooring. Some are resistant to special, aggressive influences, while others need careful handling and require additional attention.
Laminate occupies an intermediate position in the general classification, which is why it is considered the best option for flooring.
This material is perfect for home and public places. Today there are options even for baths, bathrooms and other places where the humidity level is extremely high. All types of laminate flooring require proper handling , especially proper cleaning of the floor with such a coating.
Any room cleaning will not be complete without cleaning the floor. Let's consider the current nuances of washing laminate flooring so that the floor retains its attractive appearance and luxurious shine for a long time.
How to clean laminate flooring after renovation
To simply wash the laminate after repair so that the floor begins to shine, use the following algorithm:
- Remove accumulated debris and dust from the floor. This can be done with a broom or vacuum cleaner. More attention should be concentrated on the corner areas of the room, since the bulk of the pollution accumulates here;
- Dilute the detergent mixture. Be sure to do everything according to the attached instructions;
- Only a soft rag should be used. It should be squeezed out well so that no streaks remain. You need to rinse the rag more often and the result will be better;
- Finish the cleaning process by wiping the floor with clean water.
After this procedure, the laminate should be clean after repair. If you have any difficulties, we can always help with cleaning the premises.
Features of whitewashing as a finishing material
Whitewashing is one of the cheapest and most affordable options for finishing the ceiling, and it is also time-tested. Despite the fact that now this technology has been partially replaced by more modern design methods, it is still in demand, and all thanks to its special advantages:
- accessibility and low cost of the method;
- the ability to do the work with your own hands without the involvement of craftsmen;
- environmental friendliness and purity of the materials used;
- strength, reliability, stability of the applied decorative layer;
- a classic design option for a regular white ceiling.
Whitewashing can be done either with chalk or lime - these materials are available and always on sale, and are inexpensive.
Chalk mortar for whitewashing ceilings
Advice! If the ceiling has previously been whitewashed, it is recommended to use the same material that was used previously to update the layer. That is, if the upper part of the room was covered with lime, then it is important to use a lime composition.
Whitewash is precisely the material that most often leaves a white coating on the floor surface after repairs. It is sometimes very difficult to wash off, especially if it ends up in the wrong place, for example, on the floor. And during repairs, it is unlikely that it will be possible to completely avoid contamination of the base, even if you cover the entire room with film. The fact is that the protective coating can be easily damaged and all the dirt will fall onto the floor through the resulting hole. It is unlikely that anyone will pay attention to a small hole in polyethylene and immediately repair it during the work process. That is why, when deciding to whitewash the ceiling, it is worth finding out how the process of washing the floors takes place.
Ceiling whitewashing process
Laminate cleaning products
When choosing a laminate cleaner, you first need to look at the pH level (pH, acid-base balance). Its neutrality is definitely needed, that is, 6.7-7.3. Then you should make sure that there are no abrasive components.
The next nuance is the minimum alcohol content, as well as the absence of dangerous additives (organochlorine compounds, formaldehyde, phosphonates, etc.). Of course, the cost of such funds will be considerable.
Manufacturers today offer two options for special detergents that clean laminate flooring:
- alcohol-based - allows you to get rid of any stains;
- with the addition of wax is a good product that provides additional protection from moisture and helps maintain the shine of the floor covering for a long time.
Nuance! Any composition must be tested before use so as not to spoil the laminate. There is a possibility of incompatibility of components due to the lack of a standardized composition of components.
It is necessary to carry out the treatment on a small, poorly visible area of the coating and see the result after some time. If the coating has not changed in any way, then the product can be applied over the entire area!
When there is no special remedy, you can use a good, simple folk method. A weak solution of vinegar can remove any stains and non-specific stains. In addition, this composition gives the laminate shine. Recipe: liter of water + white vinegar (62 ml). This product will perfectly wash away the most common types of contaminants, and will also destroy all kinds of pests (bacteria, viruses, micromites, etc.).
After wiping the floor covering with the above product, you need to wipe the floor with a damp cloth. There will be no streaks, the surface will become clean and shiny. The specific smell will disappear very quickly.
By the way, be sure to read the article “5 Natural Cleaning Products”, in it you will find many tips for home cleaning without the use of chemicals.
| Detergent | Advantages | Flaws | |
| Liquid soap | It is affordable and washes away dirt well | Soap stains may remain on the laminate | |
| Special product for laminate | Perfectly removes any stains and dirt, adds shine and does not harm the coating. | Expensive | |
| Vinegar solution | Affordable, perfectly cleans floors and removes dirt, environmentally friendly | Stubborn stains cannot be cleaned this way | |
| Steam cleaner | Effectively disinfects and removes dried stains | It is unsuitable for laminates made from low-quality raw materials and cannot be used frequently. | |
Attention! It is strictly forbidden to wipe laminate flooring with undiluted vinegar. Acid with a concentration of more than 3% will irreversibly damage the flooring material!
What not to do
1. Aggressive chemicals damage the surface of the laminate and leave stains on it. Before removing dirt with a strong product, check in an inconspicuous place to see if it will damage the color and structure of the laminated surface. Contraindicated substances include:
- ammonia (and all products based on it), which corrodes the laminated layer;
- acids;
- alkalis;
- chlorine-containing products.
2. Abrasive cleaning agents mechanically damage the protective layer of the laminate; cleaning powders and gels with abrasive additives should be discarded. Before washing the floor, remove abrasive contaminants (sand, small stones) with a brush or vacuum cleaner.
3. Products for polishing parquet and other coatings (mastic, silicone) are not suitable for laminate flooring; they spoil the structure of the decorative protective layer.
4. Water and water vapor have a detrimental effect on the flooring material, penetrating into the joints between the panels, therefore the use of washing vacuum cleaners and steam cleaners is strictly regulated.
5. Move furniture on a laminate flooring should be done very carefully; it is advisable to place scraps of felt or felt, cardboard under the legs, use special stickers with a protective layer.
We remove specific stains
Often, various substances get on the floor, leaving stains. Some spots need to be dealt with with special means, and they should be used exclusively in the area of the resulting defect. To remove stains from laminate flooring, determine the source of contamination, and then follow these tips:
| Pollution | Solution | |
| Marker | It is easy to remove traces with a regular solvent. | |
| Ink | They will be washed off with soapy water. | |
| Blood | A fresh stain will be removed by a product intended for cleaning glass (windows, display cases, cabinet doors, etc.). After spraying the composition, the surface of the laminate should be immediately wiped with a damp cloth. Regular (pharmacy) hydrogen peroxide will quickly remove old and dried drops of blood. | |
| Wax, chewing gum | These substances must be removed only after hardening and drying. The main part of the adhesion is removed with a knife (non-metallic!) after softening with a hot rag. Residues are wiped off with a cloth soaked in white spirit. | |
| Nail polish | Everything will be corrected by ordinary acetone, which must be removed immediately after application. | |
| Wine, coffee or tea | Old stains can be wiped off with a soaked rag, and dried stains can be wiped off with any special product for cleaning laminate flooring. | |
| Colour pencils | These stains can be removed with a soft eraser or a dry nylon cloth. | |
Especially drops of glue or paint should be highlighted. It seems impossible to remove them from the surface, however, there are two products that can cope with such contaminants. Experts recommend using alcohol or acetone. You need to apply the substance to the stain, and after 3-4 minutes, wipe everything off with a damp cloth.
Ice and fire, or how to remove glue using shock methods
Many adhesives change their structure due to temperature exposure. This is especially true for two-component compositions, for example, epoxy resin. When mixed with a solvent, it heats up and then, as it cools, hardens. The result is a very hard substance that is inseparable from the surface. And if tape and ordinary glue can somehow be removed manually, then “shock therapy” cannot be avoided.
Method 13
If you don't know how to clean epoxy resin that has already cured, use the heating . The main thing is to properly bring it back to a gel-like state. Wear gloves and a respirator to protect yourself from harmful fumes. Apply acetone to the resin and leave for about an hour, as you need to wait for its structure to soften. After this, warm up the area to be cleaned with a hairdryer. Construction grade is best suited, as the temperature required is over 90 °C. Move the hairdryer from side to side, heating the stain evenly. If you are working on a plastic surface, be careful not to overheat the material, otherwise it may melt. If the resin has spread over the surface, it is better to remove a large stain in small sections. Carefully separate the softened substance with a spatula.
Method 14
If the surface is porous and heating does not allow it to be cleaned of epoxy glue or other complex contaminants, you can try the completely opposite method - freezing. Buy a can of refrigerant - these are sold in hardware stores. Open the windows first, put gloves on your hands, and a respirator on your face. Shake the can and spray the product onto the surface. Maintain a distance of approximately 30 cm. The coolant will freeze the epoxy resin, making it brittle. You can crack it with a hammer or scrape it off with a spatula. However, do not overdo it so as not to damage the surface itself.
Using a laminate vacuum cleaner
It should be noted separately that today there are special models of washing vacuum cleaners for laminate floors on sale. These can be special devices or universal vacuum cleaners that can wash laminate flooring.
A special feature of such devices is the presence of a special channel in the nozzle for accelerated collection of water. If there is no special o), then it is better to clean using the classical method.
A special vacuum cleaner has the following main advantages:
- there is a special nozzle for laminate;
- very small doses of sprayed cleaning solution;
- high suction power.
The principle of operation of the device is simple - water with a detergent composition is sprayed from the nozzles in the nozzle, and then collected together with the washed dirt. All this within one nozzle.
Features of caring for laminate flooring
In order to understand how to properly care for laminate flooring, you need to know how and what it is made of. A film with a pattern is glued onto the base, which resembles very thick and hard cardboard. A protective laminating film made of transparent polymer is glued on top of it. That is why this type of coating is called laminate - because of the lamination film.
The laminate pattern is protected by a polymer film a fraction of a millimeter thick
There can be one or two layers of film on a laminate. The durability of the pattern and its resistance to abrasion depend on the strength and thickness of the film. And if the film has already been worn out, then the drawing is also erased. It is impossible to restore the coating over a large area, but minor damage - scratches and chips - can be disguised. But this requires special devices. If the surface is worn, you can only replace the damaged fragment with a new one. To do this, you often have to go through the entire coating. Fortunately, it usually disassembles without any problems.
So, in a laminate, the polymer film is responsible for the strength and durability. As you understand, the material chosen is durable. And it is based on the strength of the protective coating that it is divided into classes. The thinnest layer is for household ones, the thickest and most abrasion-resistant is for office ones. But within each group there are abrasion classes, which are designated by numbers. The higher the number, the more durable the protective coating. But keep in mind that the price for persistent ones is higher.
How and with what to wash laminate so that it is shiny and not dull
No matter how durable the laminating coating is, if certain rules are not followed, sooner or later scratches will appear. So here it is. To ensure that the laminate does not lose its shine, care should be taken to ensure that there are as few scratches as possible and that they appear as late as possible. What causes scratches on laminate flooring? When there is sand on it, which scratches the protective coating. To prevent this from happening, place dirt-proof mats at the entrance to your house or apartment. Mats or rugs woven from jute fiber work great. The sand in them wakes up and lies under the rug.
Second point. It is necessary to wash the laminate after all the debris has been collected with a vacuum cleaner. Preferably with a vacuum cleaner, not a broom. A broom combined with sand actively scratches the surface. So, at least it’s inexpensive, but there must be a vacuum cleaner.
Cleaning laminate flooring without streaks or difficulties
Laminate flooring requires little investment and effort to ensure the shine and longevity of your laminate flooring. It is important to use special cleaning compounds when cleaning, as well as follow the operating rules. You also need to choose a set of devices to carry out cleaning carefully and effectively.
Manufacturers assure that laminate flooring can last 34 years, but this period is determined by the class of the material and the quality of care. All the recommendations listed above will help you preserve your beautiful floor for as long as possible!
We hope that our article helped you answer the question “How to wash laminate flooring?” The cleaning company RS-CLeaning is always ready to help you clean your apartment or commercial property.
If you still have questions on the topic “How to clean laminate flooring?” , then fill out the form below or dial number 8 to contact our specialists. We will help you!
Brilliant cleaning: 20 ways to clean traces of glue and construction dirt
Content
People turn to our online store not only for tools, but also for advice. Very often managers hear not the name of the desired product, but a problem, a story, a misfortune. Our goal is to help the buyer find a solution! And in this article we will tell you how to remove glue and remnants of building materials after repairs at home. After all, such a question arises very often and pushes away the joy from the work done. We'll show you how to complete the renovation perfectly and get rid of even the most stubborn stains. We have collected 20 proven methods for you. Try it and choose the most effective one!
Method one. Basic cleaning
- Sweep the floor constantly. Do dry cleaning, sweeping the floor with a broom once every two days. Although laminate is a fairly scratch-resistant surface, constantly sweeping away sand, dust, hair, and other things will help avoid scratches and other deformations.
- Instead of a mop, you can also use a vacuum cleaner with a soft attachment.
- Do not use mops or attachments with hard bristles. Hard pile can scratch the laminate.
- Mark along the laminate planks to remove any debris stuck in the grooves between them.
- Do not allow any liquid, even water, to remain on the laminate for long periods of time. This can cause deformation and damage to the protective layer.
