Cleaning Laminate Floors:
Do not use steam cleaners or wet mops, which may cause irreparable damage to your floor. Use a damp cloth to blot up spills as soon as they happen. Never allow liquids to stand on your floor.
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.
Can you use a steam mop on laminate floors? "It's best not to use them," Forte says. "The flooring manufacturers caution against them and it may even void your warranty." While the steam mop brands may claim they're safe, check what the care guidelines are for your floor first.
Unfortunately, no. Laminate flooring is sensitive to heat and moisture, so the humidity from your steam mop can cause harm. It won't cause as much damage as a wet mop, but could eventually cause your floor to warp, loosen or peel.
The short answer is no. None of the laminate flooring manufacturers recommend using a steam mop on laminate surfaces. The moisture released from the steam mop can loosen the layers of the laminate, making it tougher to use and potentially damaging your floor.
Laminate floors are durable, but they can scratch or scuff, so avoid things like steel wool as well. Although laminate is a hard floor, you want to avoid steam cleaning to tackle tough stains as it can loosen that top protective layer and damage the surface.
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 Hardwood and Laminate Floors
Avoid using a steam mop on any type of flooring that should not have hot water on it or on adhesive tiles with lifting corners. It's common for steam-mop manufacturers to warn against using steam mops on "unsealed" floors, a vague direction.
They're made from different materials. Laminate flooring is made of layers. The primary layer (the core) is made of high-density fiberboard that gives laminate flooring its rigidity and strength. LVT is made in layers as well; its primary component is PVC vinyl, which makes LVT dimensionally stable and flexible.
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.
Your cleaning schedule depends on how dirty your floors get. Experts recommend vacuuming or dry-mopping laminate floors daily (the perfect task for the best robotic vacuums), and mopping and immediately drying laminate floors weekly—more often for high-traffic areas.
Vacuum or sweep your laminate wood floors when you notice crumbs, dirt, or dust bunnies accumulating on the surface. A good rule of thumb is to vacuum or sweep your floors weekly. But you can deep clean laminate wood floors by dry mopping them monthly or every two months.
Rubbing alcohol – great for cleaning and removal of stains. Vinegar – is a great all-purpose cleaner, disinfectant, and shine improver. We only use a small amount of vinegar and never let it 'sit' on the laminate.
Sealed hardwood floors can withstand the moisture and heat from a steam mop, and they clean really nicely with a streak-free finish. However, avoid using a steam mop on unsealed hardwoods, as they're more vulnerable and easily damaged by excessive moisture.
Steam mops can damage the surfaces of cork tiles and unsealed or waxed timber. However, they should be suitable for most hard floors, including vinyl, ceramic tiles, linoleum, marble, stone and sealed timber – with some caveats.
Things You Should Know
Fill a bucket with hot water and use a mop to give your laminate flooring a deep clean. Be sure to dry the flooring with a cloth when you're done. Spray a vinegar solution in small 1-foot (30.5 cm) squares and wipe the solution from the floor immediately with a damp terry or sponge mop.
You can use Bona according to the maker's instructions and the BISSELL PowerFresh Steam Mop.
Avoid Using Too Much Soap
Soap only lifts dirt and oil into water, making them suspend in water. Therefore, the more soap you use, the more your mop gets saturated with dirt. So, if you do not remove all the soapy water from the floor, the dirt remains, forming streaks on the floor.