Types of laminate cleaning
Conventionally, cleaning can be divided into two types – dry and wet.
Dry cleaning is appropriate for laminate flooring intended for domestic premises. This is due to its increased sensitivity to moisture. Therefore, it would be appropriate here to either vacuum the floor covering well or sweep it with a special broom.
Wet cleaning should be carried out no more than once a week. There is no need to wait for the floors to dry naturally - after washing, they must be wiped with dry microfiber.
Instructions for washing laminate flooring
To ensure high-quality cleaning of laminated surfaces, it is important to follow the specified procedure:
- The floor must be swept thoroughly.
- Collect dust with a vacuum cleaner, equipped with a soft-bristled brush to avoid scratches.
- Dilute the detergent composition in water according to the instructions, maintaining the water temperature and dosage parameters.
- Soak a cloth mop head in the solution, wring it well and wipe a small area of the floor. Remove the nozzle, rinse in the solution, put it on and wash the next section of the floor.
- Wipe the surface with a dry cloth for greater shine.
How to wash laminate flooring
In order to carry out high-quality cleaning of the laminate and clean it of possible dirt and dust, it is recommended to use the following devices:
- A broom with soft bristles that help remove any dirt and sand;
- A vacuum cleaner with a special nozzle without hard lint, which also helps to carry out high-quality dry cleaning;
- A sponge, which is recommended to be squeezed out as thoroughly as possible so that no streaks or excess moisture remain on the coating;
- Microfiber.
Wear resistance classes
Wear resistance class is one of the main characteristics of parquet. Based on this principle, a coating is selected for certain operating conditions.
Lamellas of level 21-23 have proven themselves to be an impractical material with a limited service life, therefore, today, class 31-33 is in demand.
Wear resistance is:
- Minimum wear resistance – AC1, AC2;
- Average degree – AC3,AC4;
- High wear resistance – AC5.
General recommendations
Of course, you want the laminate to last as long as possible without losing its original appearance. Therefore, it must be handled with extreme care.
- Firstly, you need to walk on it either barefoot or in soft slippers with fabric soles. This will avoid scratches.
- Secondly, there should be mats on the floor to minimize direct contact with the floor.
- Thirdly, you need to use the right tools and devices.
Depending on what kind of coating you have - matte or glossy, you should select cleaning products. For matte surfaces, sprays to remove dirt are good; for glossy surfaces, shine-restoring preparations are good.
The list of recommendations includes several more:
- Even minor stains must be cleaned immediately. This is due to the fact that dirt can be absorbed into the material so strongly that it is not possible to completely get rid of it.
- Avoid using aggressive preparations that threaten to corrode the protective layer of the laminate and reach the decorative layer.
- Never walk on laminate flooring in shoes with rough soles, especially heels.
- Do not move heavy furniture, and if necessary, use special pads for the legs.
- Monitor the indoor climate. It should not be too wet or dry.
Proper care
How to properly clean laminate floors ? Apartments with children and animals are cleaned daily. If the flooring is laminate, then the cleaning algorithm is as follows:
Vacuum cleaner
First, the entire area is covered with its help, paying special attention to the joints and baseboards - dust and sand accumulate there primarily. Is it possible to wash laminate flooring with a vacuum cleaner ? It is not recommended to use it - it works with a large amount of liquid. It is advisable to glue a soft sponge strip to the brush of a conventional device to prevent scratching. For hard-to-reach places, it is important to use special extended nozzles.
Wet cleaning
Can laminate flooring be washed with water ? Certainly. But at the same time, changing to a clean portion occurs much more often than with a conventional coating, for example, linoleum. It's all about suspensions in dirty water - solid particles will begin to scratch the laminate.
A cloth for laminate flooring – soft, well wrung out, if the dirt is not complex.
Removing stains
An apartment is an object for living. It is not difficult to spill, stain or damage laminate flooring. Stains from food or children's creativity are not the worst thing that can happen to it. It's easy to get rid of them:
- Brewed coffee can change the tone of the coating if it is not removed immediately.
IZOSOFT'S image Disk Tea & Coffee IZ090 A fresh stain should be rubbed with laundry soap, allowed to stand and washed off with plenty of water, avoiding getting into the seams. Old coffee is removed using special means. - Fruit juices are washed off with dishwashing liquid without coloring additives.
- Blood and wine are easy to remove. It is enough to add ammonia to a portion of water for cleaning. This product will also help in resolving the issue of how to wash laminate flooring so that there are no streaks .
- Varnishes, fatty creams, mascara, lipstick are classified as difficult stains. They are removed with alcohol applied directly to the stain and sponge. Cosmetic products are also suitable if acetone is not added to them - they were created for removing beauty products.
- How to wash laminate flooring to make it shine ? Diluted vinegar or natural lemon juice will help. It is important to add them to the water during the last wash - without any detergents or soaps.
- “Gifts” from pets left in inconspicuous places make odor removal difficult. “Amber” is persistent, but getting rid of it is easy. To do this, mustard powder is diluted with water to a paste consistency, applied to the dirty area and after 10 minutes washed off with warm water without rubbing. A natural absorbent will relieve unpleasant consequences.
Pencils, markers, paints are easily wiped off with foam products. Tools for children's creativity do not contain stable chemicals.
If the stains still cannot be cleaned, then special products for laminate flooring are recommended. In the future, water-based products will be purchased for children's activities.
How to wash laminate flooring
How and with what you wash your floor directly depends on its qualities.
- Decide on a tool, which may be a special fiber mop, a steam cleaner, microfiber cloths, and so on.
- Use clean water if there are no permanent dirt stains on the laminate surface. Moreover, such floors do not tolerate cold water. Its temperature should be at least 45 degrees. Plus, the water needs to be changed frequently to prevent it from becoming cloudy.
Use special tools. They say that with their help you can even get rid of such problematic stains as those left by markers, felt-tip pens, grease or glue.
For better and more effective cleaning, use the following life hacks:
- Grease stains can be removed with acetone and liquid soap;
- Wine, tea, juices, coffee drinks can be easily removed with neutral detergents;
- Gum and wax are easy to clean up if they are cool enough. An ice cube can help with this.
Removing difficult stains
All difficult stains on the laminate are removed before wet cleaning begins. The instructions below will tell you how to do this.
Step 1. The blood is removed with the usual composition used for washing windows. It is enough to spray it in a small amount onto the dirty floor, then wipe it with a damp cloth. Do not allow the stain to dry out.
Blood stain is sprayed with window cleaner
Then wipe the stain with a damp cloth
Step 2. The chewing gum is removed in a slightly dry state with an ordinary plastic knife. Residues are wiped off with a damp cloth. A metal knife cannot be used as it may damage the coating.
Removing gum
Step 3. Ink, soda stains, and wine can be easily wiped off with a regular damp cloth. There is no need to use any special means. Stubborn ink stains can be removed with soapy water.
The stain is removed with a damp cloth
Step 4: Nail polish and tar don't just give up. Here you will have to use nail polish remover at your own risk. After treatment, the surface is washed with clean water immediately.
It is important to rinse the floor immediately after treatment
Step 5. Simply rub the shoe marks with an eraser and they will disappear.
Using the eraser
Step 6. The fat that has dripped onto the floor is first frozen - for this, any bag from the freezer is placed on it. After this, the fat is scraped off with a plastic knife. Residues are wiped off with soapy water, after which the floor surface is washed with water.
The fat must be frozen first.
Fat is scraped off with a plastic knife
Cleaning after renovation is not an easy task and requires a lot of effort. It is especially difficult to get rid of white deposits and polyurethane foam adhering to the coating. Don't know how to do this? The articles on our site will come to the rescue. Here you will read what to do with white plaque, and here - how to deal with polyurethane foam.
What means are acceptable
You can use ready-made products that are sold on the market. They are specially marked that they are compatible with laminates. However, it cannot be said that their frequent use is permitted and appropriate.
There is an option using fairly harmless baby shampoo. It is diluted in the ratio of five tablespoons of shampoo to one bucket of very warm water. The resulting solution must be thoroughly mixed, after which you can begin cleaning.
It is possible to use vinegar. Take one glass of vinegar and four glasses of water. This will be an effective way to combat minor stains.
You can use a combination of lemon juice (or citric acid) and vinegar. This mixture is good for polishing glossy surfaces. All you need is one and a half glasses of vinegar, one glass of lemon juice, two glasses of water and a couple of drops of dishwashing detergent.
Hardware methods
In addition to chemical methods, you can use hardware methods for cleaning the material using household appliances.
Washing vacuum cleaner
Without a doubt, a modern device will help you quickly cope with cleaning work. However, there are nuances to the washing process. It is necessary to determine the moisture resistance of the coating, since the mechanism involves abundant wetting of the floor.
There is a downside to using a vacuum cleaner. The surface deteriorates and becomes dull. This occurs due to uneven spraying of the detergent composition.
Steam Mop
This is a very effective floor cleaning tool. But it can only be used if the boards were laid on an adhesive basis. It is important to prevent water from getting into the joints; the floor may swell and lose its former appearance.
Steam cleaner
This treatment involves steam exposure. Therefore, this cleaning method is not suitable for laminate flooring without a protective layer and open seams. Steam can damage the surface, deforming the material.
What means are unacceptable
There is a whole list of substances and means whose use is unacceptable. These include abrasive powders, high-acid and high-alkaline detergents.
The use of bleach is undesirable, as it causes irreparable harm to the top layer of the laminate, and after frequent use it simply corrodes it.
Silicone and wax preparations harm the structure of the coating, so their use is considered inappropriate.
What not to use
There are products that are not suitable for removing stains from the surface of laminate flooring.
- Chlorine-containing compounds. They spoil the design and color.
- Solvents. They corrode the protective film.
- Powder formulations. The abrasive granules included in their composition scratch the surface.
- Old, hard rags cause mechanical damage.
- Liquids containing acid or alkali. The stains are removed along with the top layer of the board, as a result the laminate becomes unnaturally matte.
Knowing all the cleaning methods can easily turn home cleaning into an enjoyable experience. And what opportunities to use is up to everyone to decide for themselves.
Damage Removal
It would seem that if minor scratches occur, nothing can help to return the floor to its previous appearance.
However, there are still methods to eliminate minor mechanical damage.
- Minor scratches or small abrasions can be eliminated by polishing the affected areas with special flannel cloths, which are pre-moistened with vegetable oil.
- Colored wax helps hide minor scratches.
- Chips can be eliminated using acrylic putty, which is varnished 24 hours after application. This method is also effective for hiding deep cracks.
Elimination of defects
During operation and as a result of improper care, defects may appear on the laminate. In case of minor damage, it is possible to repair the damage even on your own.
How to remove bloating?
In cases where the laminate has risen at the joints, it will not be possible to cope with the problem using easy methods. The solution to the problem is dismantling .
It is possible to eliminate the defect yourself only if you have experience. If it is not there, you will need the help of professionals, since the baseboard will need to be removed and the covering will be partially dismantled.
If the cause of the swelling of the boards is spilled water, then you can try to cope on your own:
- wipe the surface;
- ensure drying.
Scuffs and scratches
Scratches and abrasions, if they are small, can be rubbed with flannel dipped in vegetable oil. You can also use a wax pencil of a suitable shade and polish.
A special putty and paste will help deal with deeper damage (chips, dents and scratches) . The product is carefully applied to the defect site, filling the missing volume. After the composition has dried, the treated area is sanded and opened with varnish.
