How to Clean Laminate Floors

Laminate flooring--synthetic flooring designed to have the appearance of hardwood flooring--is a relatively inexpensive flooring solution for almost any home. Cleaning laminate flooring is easier than maintaining hardwood floors as well. Learning how to clean laminate floors is a simple task that can help you to preserve your investment in quality, sturdy flooring that works well in your home.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Vacuum cleaner or broom
• Towels
• Oil soap
• Mop
• Water
• Bucket

1. Sweep or vacuum the laminate flooring completely. Wipe down baseboards as well, if applicable, to gather all dust and particles.

2. Combine 1 gallon of warm water and 2 tbsp. of oil soap. If you wish to add a nice scent to the room, mix in 10 drops of your favorite essential oil. Do not add more; the oil can cause problems in some laminate flooring surfaces.

3. Mop the floor from the far left corner across. Rinse the mop frequently. Do not use too much water; you do not want excess water seeping into the cracks between laminate flooring boards.

4. Empty the dirty water in the bucket and refill with the same solution in Step 1 as needed. You do not want to use dirty water on the floor.

5. Finish mopping, and if you used essential oil in the floor cleaning solution, use a towel to dry the floor. You want to absorb excess essential oil.

6. Remove stubborn stains by using a small scrub sponge on the laminate flooring as needed. Laminate flooring is designed to be tough and not scratch easily; do not worry about scrubbing hard-to-remove stains.

7. Rewash the floor if it is excessively dirty.

Tips & Warnings

• Out of oil soap? A tablespoon of dishwashing liquid will do in a pinch.
• Watch excess water carefully. You do not want water getting trapped between boards.