How to clean laminate floors

One of the most common flooring options to find in flats and houses alike, laminate’s low-maintenance qualities and effortless simplicity are just two of the reasons why this flooring material has proven so popular with homeowners across the length and breadth of the UK.

However, despite its easy-to-look-after and hoover-friendly nature, many people still find themselves asking what the best way to clean laminate flooring is, especially if you want to avoid accidentally damaging it.

Fortunately, laminate flooring is probably one of the easiest types of modern floors to keep clean, and it actually requires very little effort on your part to do so! But if you want to make sure you’re not missing anything important, take a look at our guide below for all the essential details on cleaning laminate floors!

What is the best way to clean laminate flooring?

When it comes to tips on how to clean laminate floors, the long and the short of it revolves around keeping as much water off your flooring as possible. Plenty of laminate can be classed as water-resistant. However, water-resistant is not waterproof, and splashing too much water on your laminate can cause it to swell and buckle.

Instead, when mopping your laminate floors, you want your mop to be as wrung out as possible so that it is damp rather than wet. Or, alternatively, you can use a spray cleaner and a microfibre mop to target specific areas of dirt.

You could also use a professional laminate cleaning product if you can find one, but we’d argue that these aren’t necessary unless your laminate is incredibly dirty or covered in stubborn stains.

How to clean laminate flooring – step by step 

Ready to start cleaning your laminate floors? If so, then grab your mop and bucket and follow our tips below to get them sparkling clean in no time:

1. Start by sweeping and hoovering your laminate floors to clear up as much dust and dirt as possible.
2. Next, fill your mop bucket with warm water (but not too hot) and mix in a squeeze of washing-up liquid or detergent.
3. Then, beginning from a corner, dip your mop in the water and thoroughly wring it out. There should be no water dripping from your mop when you lift it up.
4. Taking your damp mop, gently wipe your floors clean (re-dipping and wringing as required) until the entirety of your laminate floor has been mopped.
5. Finally, take a microfibre mop and give your entire floor a sweep to catch any remaining dust as well as to dry up any excess water that may have spilt and prevent water streaks.

And that’s it! That really is all that goes into cleaning laminate floors. 

But what do you do if you encounter a particularly tricky stain that refuses to give ground as you clean?

How to clean very dirty laminate floors and stains

On the rare occasion that you find a stain in your laminate that won’t come loose through mopping, it’s important that you tackle it the right way rather than just rubbing it at it with your mopping and making your floor wetter.

Instead, the best way to deal with this sort of laminate staining is to target it directly with a diluted spray of rubbing alcohol and vinegar and then gently wipe it with a damp cloth until removed – assuming the stain is not beneath your laminate’s protective layer, this mixture should be enough to get rid of the vast majority of persistent stain marks.

What not to do when cleaning laminate floors

Finally, when examining the best way to clean laminate floors, there are a few things you should absolutely not be doing if you want to keep your floor intact and in good condition, such as:

• Keeping water to a minimum – as we’ve already mentioned, using too much water to clean laminate flooring, especially if you’re leaving puddles of it to dry naturally, will most likely lead to your laminate bubbling, warping or even lifting up, and could lead you having to lay new laminate flooring to replace it.
• Avoid harsh cleaners – using cleaning products not rated for laminate floors or containing ammonia or wax-based formulas is a surefire way to destroy the protective layer of your laminate and remove its protective properties.
• Do not use abrasive materials – similarly to harsh cleaners, you should avoid using abrasive cleaning materials of any kind to avoid permanent damage to your laminate.
• Always test before using any cleaners – if you do come across a laminate-friendly cleaner that you want to try, we highly recommend testing it in an inconspicuous area first, rather than doing your whole floor immediately. Don’t risk a cleaner ruining your laminate – entirely the opposite of what you want, really. 
• Don’t wax or polish – finally, if you want to get a nice sheen on your laminate after cleaning, stick to buffing it with a microfibre mop. Floor polish can strip your laminate’s protective layer and make your floor dangerously slippery.

How to stop your laminate floors from getting dirty

Although keeping laminate flooring clean is a pretty simple process, the best way to clean laminate floors is to minimise how dirty they get to begin with. So, rather than mopping your laminate floor in its entirety, we suggest doing the following on a regular basis to keep dirt and grime in check:

• Clean up any spills and mess straight away to avoid staining.
• Fill in chips and cracks in your laminate as soon as possible so dirt can’t stain the inside of your floor panels.
• If a particular spot on your floor is dirty, stick to cleaning this area only instead of your whole laminate.
• Avoid tracking dirt onto your laminate floor with mats and rugs.
• Use floor protectors on your furniture so that their feet don’t damage your floor.
• Vacuum and hoover regularly to minimise dirt building up on your floor.

Check out our modern flooring range

With all those points covered, you should now have a much better idea of how to clean laminate floors without damaging them by accident.

Of course, if you’re current laminate or flooring material is coming to the end of its life, then you might want to think about buying new laminate flooring in the near future – so why not check out the Flooring King range today?

From light laminate to dark laminate, as well as realistic engineered wood and luxury vinyl tiles, we’ve something for everyone in our collection. Take your time browsing our floor options and don’t forget to reach out to our team if you have any questions!