subject: Caring For Your Laminate Flooring [print this page] Since it was first introduced in the US in the early eighties laminate flooring has steadily gained in popularity with homeowners everywhere year by year. Laminate flooring is durable, affordable and incredibly versatile. Whatever look you want for your home, be it rustic stone, soothing ceramic or classic wood like beech, merbau, oak, maple, cherry or walnut, it can likely be had with laminate flooring. One of the things though that does often confuse the proud new owners of a laminate floor is how to clean and care for it properly. Here are a few tips:
Water is Bad - Never use a soaking wet mop to clean a laminate floor. Lots of water, soap oil soaps and floor cleaners can all cause a laminate floor to warp,swell or even delaminate, ruining the look of your new floors and probably voiding the warranty as well.
Deal with Spills Quickly - Accidents happen, especially if there are kids and pets in the house. Laminate flooring is tough but to keep it in the best condition possible try to blot up spills as quickly as possible. For tough stains like oil, paint, tar or even lipstick (it happens we've seen it) put a small amount of acetone(nail polish remover is fine) onto a clean white cloth, and gently rub the stain away, wiping the area with another damp (not wet)cloth afterwards to remove all traces of acetone residue.
Using Laminate Floor Cleaners -As well as maintaining a regular schedule of dry mopping or sweeping you can help your laminate floors retain their original beauty longer with the occasional use of a specialist laminate floor cleaner.
Use Doormats -Placing a doormat at the entrances to a room is an easy way to prevent dirt,dust and debris being tracked across your laminate floors. This simple step will help prevent accidental scratches and cut down on the amount of time you have to spend cleaning as well.
Keep Track of Humidity Levels - Maintain a normal indoor relative humidity level between 35% and 65% throughout the year to minimize the natural expansion and contraction of the wooden portion of your laminate floors. If necessary, in the heating season use a humidifier and in those hot sticky summer months a dehumidifier or air conditioner should keep the humidity levels in the right range.
