Laminate flooring comes in a variety of shapes, sizes, patterns and gloss levels. Gone are the days when laminate floors were flat and plain with little or no dimension. New laminate flooring comes in a variety of patterns from natural wood look with grain and texture to ceramic tile and natural stones with grout lines. Options include low, medium and high gloss finishes. New technology makes laminate floor patterns good enough to fool professionals!
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Most laminate flooring is constructed with a wood composite backing, the decor (print pattern) and heavy melamine surface. Some manufactures wax the edges of the boards to minimize moisture intrusion. Cleaning with products not recommended by the manufacturer causes the wax to dissipate from the edges of the boards. Once the wax dissipates, the seams are prone to swelling from moisture intrusion.
Keep in mind that manufactures do not warranty moisture damage to laminate floors, so wet maintenance or cleaning products other than specified is not recommended. The good news is you don’t have to kill yourself to keep the floor clean, less is more and gone are the days of mops, buckets and polishes.
- To start clean the floor with a soft bristle floor vacuum attachment or a good dust mop. More frequent vacuuming and dust mopping will prevent surface scratches.
- Clean the floor with a slightly (water) dampened micro fiber mop or duster.
- Don’t spray water or cleaners on the floor; lightly mist the micro fiber mop and wipe the floor.
- Avoid store bought mops with spray bottles attached that spray and wipe- they allow moisture into the seams.
- Never, ever use polish or cleaners that say they will “shine” the floor.
- If you’ve already polished the laminate floor and have excessive scuff marks and streaks (in the polish), remove the polish with a solution of ammonia and water; taking care not to wet the seams.
- Use heavy felt pads under the furniture legs, clean and replace them often.
- Check the felt pads on kitchen chairs regularly to remove grit, sand and debris.
- Make sure the felt pads fully cover the entire bottom of the chair leg- what good are they if they’re sliding off?
- If your chair legs don’t sit flat on the floor, new tips can be installed.
- Use walk off mats at the outside doors to minimize soil tracking.
- Watch pets who tend to wet on the floor or have occasional accidents. We know, we love our pets too, but the manufacturer will not give away new floors because of pet damage.
Remember, water and laminate flooring don’t mix.
Laminate flooring is a great choice for residential applications; kitchens, dining rooms, living rooms, family rooms, hallways, bedrooms, dining rooms and basements. Sun-rooms included, provided they are climate controlled.
Commercial applications include dry areas that are climate controlled. NOT recommended for dog or cat rescue, boarding facilities, doggie day-care, or similar.
Laminate flooring is a great option for asthma sufferers because dust doesn’t have a place to hide and its an affordable, easy to maintain floor.
More to come….,
Linda Lockwood
Statewide Floor Covering Inspection Service
609-660-1717
Certified Laminate Flooring Inspector
New Jersey-New York- Eastern Pennsylvania
