The best way to clean laminate floors is to use products made especially for them. If you don't have laminate floor cleaner, you can use a teaspoon of unscented clear dish soap in a gallon of water. A teaspoon of baby shampoo in a gallon of water will also work. Be careful not to soak the floors.
If you must use cleaner, opt for a manufactured-approved solution designed for laminate ($15, Target). For a homemade laminate floor cleaner, use a small amount of vinegar mixed with water. Never use wax, acrylic products, or bleach because they can damage the floor's finish.
You'll want to remove any dust, dirt, or debris. These fine particles of grit can act like sandpaper and may dull the laminate. Follow with a floor cleaner and a damp, not wet, mop with a microfiber pad, Meska suggests. Then, dry mop to absorb any extra moisture on the floor.
Floors often look streaky after mopping without vacuuming immediately beforehand. Vacuuming one day and then mopping the next allows dust to settle on the floor, along with any dirt tracked in on peoples' shoes, and both will turn to muddy streaks when mopped.
Avoid an abrasive cleaner
Even if your laminate floor has a thick wear layer, rubbing stains out of the floor with an abrasive pad, steel wool, or brush isn't a good idea.
Use a gentle cleanser to spot-clean visibly dirty areas, and always follow up by wiping the area with a dry, absorbent cloth. One simple cleaner that works well with laminate is: 1 part rubbing alcohol + 3 parts water + a squirt of dish soap, applied using a lightly dampened cloth.
Regular cleaning for laminate floors is pretty straightforward. You can still mop them, and even mop them regularly (once a week, or even daily). The difference between mopping laminate and other hard floors is opting for that fine squirt or spray rather than dousing your floors with a lot of water or a damp mop.
Pine-Sol® Multi-Surface Cleaner is safe for use on laminate floors. Just choose your favorite scent — we like using Original Pine on laminate floors. Pine-Sol® Multi-Surface Cleaner also comes in other scents, like Lemon Fresh®, Lavender Clean®, Sparkling Wave® and Tropical Flowers™.
Swiffer Sweeper Wet Mop is the appropriate application tool for successful floor cleaning; it's suited for all floors, including laminate, sealed tile, wood, etc.
Yes, the Bona Hardwood Floor Cleaner is safe for your laminate floor. Bona Cleaners are safe for your floor as long as your floor is sealed or finished, and unwaxed or unoiled. Both the Hardwood Floor Cleaner and the Stone, Tile and Laminate Floor Cleaner are pH balanced and leave no dulling or sticky residues behind.
Yes, but we recommend checking the natural laminate cleaner above. Also note that dish soap should be used in minimal amounts. Contact the manufacture of your laminate floor. Our favorite dish soap is Dawn to mop floors.
For stubborn spots or areas of buildup, some people turn to glass cleaners like Windex. This method is helpful in a pinch, but use it sparingly and only in small areas. Spray the glass cleaner on a microfiber cloth and rub the floor clean, going with the grain whenever possible.
Laminate floors should only be cleaned with a microfiber mop head and a few spritzes of water.
LAMINATE FLOOR CLEANING
Loving your laminate floor is easy when it's nice and shiny. And, with Mr. Clean® to show you how to clean laminate tile flooring, you'll love it more each day! So, say goodbye to grime and hello to clean laminate floors in your home.
ZEP Commercial Hardwood & Laminate Floor Cleaner
This powerful, ready-to-use spray removes scuff marks, stains, dirt, grime, and dust. It also has a quick drying time, restores shine, does not require rinsing, and leaves a fresh yet subtle scent.
To ½ cup of water in the spray bottle, add a ½ cup of rubbing alcohol and white vinegar of the equal amount to water in the bottle and mix properly. With this simple method, you do not need to struggle with how to clean and shine laminates using expensive but wrong products while you can make your own.
Bona Hard-Surface Floor Polish is designed to effectively protect and restore the shine to dull, worn or scratched hard tile, laminate, stone, and vinyl floors. Easy to use formula dries fast leaving a long-lasting high gloss shine.
A dull, streaky laminate floor is usually caused by built-up dirt, improper cleaning products, and cleaners residue.
Overall, microfiber mops have more pros than Swiffer mops. Microfiber mops can be used as a two-in-one to both sweep and mop at the same time. However, a Swiffer mop can typically only clean after the sweeping has already been done.
Using a solution of a quarter cup of vinegar, a drop or two of dish soap, and warm water, spray it directly onto your floor. Then go over each section with a lightly damp mop. Be sure to dry each section as you go to avoid excess moisture from getting into your flooring.