- Caring for laminate flooring is first determined as to whether the flooring has been finished with a sealant or not. For sealed laminate floors, floor care consists of regular vacuuming and/or mop dusting to remove soil and abrasive debris. Do not use a vacuum beater bar as this can damage the hardwood flooring. Instead, use a straight vacuum head that has a felt or brush application. This should be complimented with using a natural pH floor cleaner that will not dull the floor appearance due to too high a pH. Frequency of cleaning will be determined by soil load and interior activities of the house. Promptly remove all spills, and never flood the laminate flooring with water.
- For non-sealed laminate flooring that is without a sealant, the same cleaning practices are required, with increased cleaning frequencies since there is no protective sealant on the vinyl flooring to protect it from stainage, soil, and abrasion.
- Only use floor sealant from a reputable company brand. Avoid the so called daily and weekly floor sealant and wax applications as they do not provide long term durability, as well as creating soil build up on laminate with resulting floor dullness of appearance. This is a result of the chemical properties in these ‘short term’ sealants and waxes actually attracting floor dirt and soil. Avoid harsh abrasive chemicals at all times.
- Be aware that laminate flooring can be slippery when wet. Use extreme caution when walking on wet laminate flooring.
- Laminate flooring can be negatively affected by exposure to the sun and the damaging effects of UV rays fading the laminate surfaces. Plan to move your furniture on a rotational basis, so as to ensure that laminate flooring ages evenly.
- Most spills will wipe up easily on laminate flooring. To remove stains, only use a clean, white cloth turned frequently to avoid stainage spread. This should be followed by rinsing with clean water and repeating the process if necessary.
- Use caution when moving heavy items across laminate flooring, utilizing protective material underneath the items, or a dolly with wheels that will not dent or scratch this type of flooring.
- Use door mats at outdoor entrances and encourage your family and friends to remove their shoes before walking on laminate flooring. Using entrance matting is the single most important factor in keeping dirt and soil outside of your home and protecting your investment in flooring, including laminate flooring. Use non-staining mats on laminate flooring. Do not put rubber-backed, latex-backed, or coco fiber mats on laminate flooring as these can damage and negatively affect the look of flooring.
